The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-15
PREPARATIONS ON A GIGANTIC SCALE
Special Train for Atkins when the Band Begins to Play
The Admiralty Also on Trial--TrOuhle
With Transports.

LONDON. Oct, 1L-Al Europe q
watching Great Britain AZ this crucia
moment in her military Affairs. For.
Cign Statesmen and military experts
regard the result Of the war with tn.
Beers as a foregOne conclusion. whai
they scan with such anxious interest /,
Engiand's tremendous preparations for
the contest. By the result OF these ef-
forts will her strength be gauged. In
assembling an army twice as large
as that which she sent to crimea and
considerably greater than wellington's
force at Waterloo, England is offering
an illustration for the first time in
many decades. Of her ability to fight
on land.
Although her naval strength has Of
ten been demonstrated to advantage,
il has still been matter Of doubt
whether her military arm would COM
pare fsvorably with that Of continental
nations. and in the throes Of such a tess
she has been engaged this week day
and night.
Gangs Of men are working incessant-
ly at the ports that dot Engiand's
shores, Transforming liners into troop
ships. Largely augmented forces are
turning out ammunition and ordnance
stores. Some idea of the activity in
this direction can be gained from the
fact that three million rounds Of am
munition for small arms left woolwich
last week.
Although the manufacturers Of the
favorite new bullet Mark five" has
been retarded by an outbreak OF pois-.
oning among the employees, this de-
partment is working day and night.
Tons Of scrap zinc are being shipped to
make gas for the war balloons, which
are being taken out on a more exten-
sive scale and with a more complete
equipment than ever before.
Meanwhile the men for whom these
implements of war are being made are
pouring out Of barracks to the ports.
standing by to embark, drilling and
practicing at targets every spare hour.
The reserves are pouring into Alder
shot in unheralded patches and re-
shonldering their rides as if the trans
formation from civil to military life
were an every day occurrence.
The huge mobilization at Aldershot is |
now in charge Of Major General Thorn
as Kelley Kenney, inspector general OF
auxiliary forces and recruiting, who |
has succeeded General Sir Redvers Bul- |
lsr. All the work is new. 1t is the first
tpe that anything Of the kind has
been attempted since the short service
system went into effect. A visit To
AdershOt produces the impression that
everything is going like clock work.
but 1t is,tOo early yet to express a def
mite opinion regarding the British
mobilization. For the reserves them
selves, who are obliged to leave their
wives and families on a pitiful pit
tance from the government. much pub
lie sympathy has been aroused. exem-
plifying the truth Of Rudyard Kipling's
jeer "A special train for Atkins when
the band begins to play"
A number Of reserves who have not
b'VH Naiieu Vul nave dSkeQ 10 De al
lowed to serve in South Africa and a
similar spirit Of spontaneous, practical
patriotism is seen on all sides. Sir
Redyers Buffers forces include the
flower Of the English nobility. The ex-
cellent Boer craftsmanship, combined
with the fact that It is an unwritten
rule in the British army that officers
must always stand under fire, even
though tie men are lying down, makes
probable in many a noble
British home.
The admiralty is perhaps more on
trial than the army, especially as it is
well known that General Lord Garnet
commander in chief does not
approve system which gives the navy
such far reaching power in transport