The times., 1899-12-18
WORK OF SIGNAL CORPS.
TeIegraPhinE Under Difficulties fn
the Philippines

the Philippines
General Greely Chief Of the Signal Corps
OF the Army. has Just received reports
showing the large amount OF business be-
ing transacted over the army telegraph
lines in the Philippines. The report from
LuZCn shows that in that island aIons
there is being handled an average OF 800
messages a day, aggregating from 90. 600
TO 100000 words.
The work of the signal corps in the
Philippines has been OF inestimabIe value
to General Otis in keeping him advised
Of the movements Of the troops in the
field.
The operations Of the signal corps in
the Philippines have been conducted under
the most trying circumstances. The coun-
Try for the most part is either rough and
hilly or covered with almost impenetrabls
canebrakes and forests iuterspersed With
morasses, creeks, rivers. and bayOus.
Through this country the signal corps has
laid its lines, keeping up with the firing
line CT the troops.
In laying the lines light carts with fold
ing reels are used where the country VIII
permit and from these carts insulated
wire is unreeled and left lying alongside
Of the trail. When the country becomes
10 rough for the carts, the reels. each hold
ing Cue-haf mile of wire. are transferred
TO the backs Of Chinese coolies. who follow
the advance column Of the troops at a
steady gait, StrInging the wire as they
20. The wire is concealed as much as Pos-
sible in the underbTush beside the trail
When comp Is pitched the signal
corps men hastily throw UP a shack, place
their batteries IN position. and within half
an hour the officer in command is in com
municetiCn with the main camp Of the ex-
DeditiOu where there is a telegraph station
connected with Manila. which in turn Is
in touch with the Secretary OF War in
Washington. In this way Generals Law
ton and Macarthur, though from fifty TO
one hundred miles from Manila and thou
sands Of miles from Washington. have been
able to receive dispatches from the War
Department officials.
In following General LaWtOu north from
Manila the signal corps laid 125 miles Of
wire, nearly all Of which was operated
while lying on the ground the Insulation
Of the wire making it possible 10 send mes
sages through creeks and m0rasses and
caEebraEes When General LawJOn reach
ed San Isidro and could use the telegraph
line along the railroad the signal corps
men started to take up the wire which
had been laid behind the troops. but
StFelt F-itFt LlLteS OL Il NdS never EecOf tE-
ed, the insurgents discovering and destroy
ing the wire.
Many devices have been used by the
signal corps to keep their lines working
In one Instance wire fence was met with
and to save the telegraph wire, which was
extremely scarce the line was connected
with the wire fence. and over a mile OF
telegraph wire saved.
The insurgents have been equally as in
geniOUs in destroying the communication
along the the line. Finding that the cut
ting and carrying away OF the wire would
only break the connection for short time
they hit upCn-a plan Of fastening fine cop
per wires to the lines. thus making a
grounding. The fine copper wires were
hidden in the brush, and it would require
hours and sometimes days to discover the
break, whereas IL the wire had been simply
cut or carried away iC could have been
repaired in a very short time.
Many instances Of the danger the signal
corps men have operated under are given
in the reports received by General GreeIy
In following General Oveushine's troops
last June a party Of the signal corps was
attacked by insurgents. The report says.
The operator continued sending and re-
ceiving messages, lying fiat on the ground
and when it came time to proceed the
wire was CCOIly spliCed and carried forward
under q sharp fire"