The San Francisco call., 1898-04-10
AW WAITING
 THE ORDER
 TO MARCH

make demonstration against Santa Barbara and even land a force of men and demand tribute.
 In view of the importance to the Gov ernment of the powder plant at Santa Cruz preparations are in progress to erect defensive works at that point. It transpires that the department com mander considered this subject several weeks ago and has since decided to erect battery and establish a garri- son at Santa Cruz. Whether the forti- fications will be garrisoned by troops of the United States army or compa- nieS of the National Guard of this State has not yet been determined. As measures of defense progress it be- comes obvious that there will be plenty of work for the State troops. A regi- ment of the National Guard may at any hour be ordered to duty at the Pre- sidio.
 It also comes to light that the army authorities have decided to materially strengthen the defenses of San Diego The battery of ten-inch rifles now in position may be exposed to an enfilad- ing fire from a Spanish cruiser. Ad- ditional earthworks on the flank to the ocean may be necessary as a protec- tive measure. It is understood that other batteries will be erected to guard the harbor against an enemy's ap- proach A regiment of the National Guard, or at least a battalion, may be sent to San Diego.
 The Santa Cruz position is specially important because the Government has ordered vast quantities of Santa Cruz powder for shipment to the Atlantic seaboard. The public will not be ad- vised when the shipments are made, but the fact remains nevertheless that the powder has been contracted for and the transportation has been secured by the Quartermaster's department of the army. The works are not more than'two miles from the ocean; hence a privateer throwing shells in that To- cality might explode the works.
 Colonel Miles, commanding the post at the Presidio, was at Fort Point yes terday afternoon when the 12-inch breech-loading rife, which is to be mounted on a disappearing carriage, was landed from barge near the fort. The water was smooth, and the contractor had no trouble in getting the great gun from the barge safely on shore before dark. The gun was moved above high water line last night and will be hauled up the hill and placed in position with out unnecessary delay. This gun weighs fifty-nine tons. The carriage on which it is to rest weighs 1S0 tons.
 Captain George E. Sage, U. s. A, re- ceived intelligence by wire yesterday that he had been assigned to duty with the Sixth Artillery, Colonel E. B. Will liston, Fort McHenry, Maryland. The captain, who was recently promoted from first lieutenant of the Fifth Ar tillery, is a native of New York, and was appointed a second lieutenant in the Nineteenth Infantry from Illinois September 30, 1868. July 14, 1869, he was assigned to the Fifth Artillery, and February 21, 1881, was promoted first lieutenant. Captain Sage served with the Fifth at stations along the New England coast from Fort Trumbull, Conn.,, to Fort Sullivan, Me. In May, 1870, when the FenianS made their at- tempted invasion of Canada, Captain Sage accompanied his battery to the scene of disturbance in Northern New York and Vermont. In the fall of 1875 his regiment was ordered south, and in 1881 it garrisoned the posts in New York harbor. In 1890 the Fifth came to the Pacific Coast and was stationed at posts in San Francisco harbor and Fort Canby, Wash, with headquarters at the Presidio, at which post Captain Sage was stationed till August IA, 1894, when he was appointed military in- structor at Mount Tamalpais Military Academy at San Rafael.
 Of the $900 900 appropriated by Con- gress on estimates submitted by Gen eral A. w Greedy. chief signal officer, United States army. for cables to con- meet electrically the fortifications in the harbors along the Atlantic and Pa cific coasts with the main land, the de- partment of California has been al- lotted a sufficient sum to connect all the islands in San Francisco harbor and Notifications at Lime Point, Fort Baker and Fort Mason. The destruc- tion of the military cables between AL catraz and Angel islands md the main land iong since left the Notifications in the harbor isolated and entirely un- connected electrically. Work is now being pushed on this work by the sig nal officer of the department, Lieuten- ant Frank Green, and when completed the entire system of our harbor de- fense will be connected electrically, so that not only will the transmission of orders be constantly maintained but the entire control and the direction of the defense will be under one master i,,1