Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-12-09

| pany, The ST. Paul, st. Louis, New
| York and Paris, were chartered. In adj
dftjon to these the revenue cutters and
lighthouse tenders were turned over TO
/ the navy department and became tenn
porariiy part of the auxiliary navy.
The maximum effective fighting force
OF the navy during the war, separated
! into classes, was as follows:
Four babtleships OF the first class;o one
ba'ptleship of the secondclass; two ar
mored cruisers; six coast defense mont
tors; one armored ram; twelve protect
| ed cruisers; three uTprot ected cruisers;
eighteen gunboats; one dynamite crui-
/ ser; eleven torpedo boats; fourteen old
vessels of the old navy, including mSni-
tors. Auxiliary navy: Auxiliary
cruisers, twenty eight converted yachts;
twenty-seven converted tugs; nineteen
! converted colliers; four revenue curt
| ters; four lighthouse tenders and nine
teen miscellaneous vessels.
COAST DEFENSES.
Much alarm was felt along the entire
Atlantic seaboard lest an attack might
be made by the enemy. Every pre-
caution was taken 70 prevent possible
injury 10 our great cities lying along
the coast. Tempora yy garrsons were
provided, drawn froIz. the state militia.
infantry and light batteries were drawn
from the volunteer force. About 12,
600 troops were thus employed The
coast signal service was esta blished for
observing the approach Of an enemy's
ship to the coast of the United States.
and the light -c1Ouse service co-operated,
which enabled the navy department to
have all portions of the Atlantic coast,
from Maine to Texas. under observa-
ton.
The auxiliary navy was created under
the authority of Congress and was Of
fcered and manned by the naval mill
zation patrolled the coast and per-
formed the duty of a second arm of de-
Tense.
HARBORS MINED.
Under the direction Of the chief en-
gineer, submarine mines were placed
at the most exposed points. Before
the war, permanent mining classmates
and cable galleries had been construct
ed at all important harbors. Most of
the torpedo material was not to be
found IN the market and had to be
specially manufactured. Under date
OF April 10, district officers were d.
rected TO take all preliminary measures,
short of the actual attaching of the
loaded mines to the cables, and on
April %, teiegraphic orders were issued
to place the loaded mines in position
The aggregate number of mines
placed was 1856 at uhe principal har-
bors from Maine to California Prep
artations were also made for the plant
ing of mines at certain other harpof
but owing to the early destruction OF
| the Spanish fleet, these mines were not
nlaced The ST gnal corps was prompt ly
| organized and performed service OF the
mort u1rncuIt and important character
/ pts operations during the war covered
: the electrical connection of all c6as
Hob 7f ha1a
! phondc and telegraphic facilities for the
camps at Manila, Santiago and in Por-
TO Rico. There were constructed 300
miles of line at ten great camps, thus
facilitating military movements from
those points in manner heretofore
unknown In military administration.
Field telegraph lines were established
and maintained under fhe enemys fire
at Manila and later Manila-Hongkong
cable was reopened-
CABLES REFITTED.
In Porto Rico cable communica ton
was opened over a discon tinued route,
and on land the headquarters Of the
command officer was kept in telegraph
ic and telephone communication with
the division commanders on four dif-
ferent lines of operations.
There was placed in Cuban waters
completely QUILTED cable ship with
war cables and cable gear suitable bohh
for the destruction of communications
belonging to the enemy and the estab-
Lshment OF our own.
Two ocean cables were destroyed I'M
der the enemy's batteries at Santiago.
The day previous to the landing of
General Skaters corps at Caimanera,
within twenty miles of the handing
place, cable communication was es-
tablished and a cable station opened,
giving direct communication with the
1, -foa
was invaluable to the executive in d.
recbing the operations Of the army and
navy.
with a total force of over 1900 the
loss by the disease in camp and field,
officers and men included. was only five.
WAR REVENUE ACT.
The national defense. under the $780,
ooO, 900 fund, was expended il large part
by the army and navy, and the objects
for which 1t was used are fully shown In
the reports of the several secretaries.
It was q most timely appropriation, en-
abling the government TO strengthen its
defense and to make preparations
greatly needed in case of war. This
fund being inadequate to the require
ments of equipment and Tor the conduct
of the war, the patriotism Of the Con-
gress provided the means in the war
revenue act of june 18th by authoriz-
ing a per cent popular loan no. 10 ex-
coed four hundred million dollars. and
by levying additional imports and taxes.
OF the authorized loan, 5000, 000.0 900
were offered and promptly taken from
the subscriptions so far exceeding the
call as to cover 1t many times over.
while preference being given to the
smaller bids. no single allotment excecd-
ed five thousand dollars. This was a
most encouraging and significant re-
suit, showing the vast resources Of the
nation and the determination Of the peo-
pie to uphold their country's honor.
1t is not within the province Of this
message to narrate the history of the
extraordinary war that followed the
Spanish declaration of April 21st, but a
brief recital Of its more salient features
IL Appropriate The first encounter Of
the war in point of date, tok place April
nth when a detachment Of the block
aiding squadron made a reconnaissance
In force at Matanzas. shelled the har-
Dor fortifications. and demolished several
new works in construction.
MANILA'S MAY DAY.
The next engagement was destined to
mark a memorable epoch In maritime