The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-30
ON GOVERNORS island
Warlike Events Revive the Scenes
of Military Activity.
The Peculiar Defences of New York
HarbOr-A Board of Inspection APP
mprovemcnts-Lurge Piers to he
Built for the Use OF Transports.

week, from Sunday to Thursday, United
States regulars and marines we're passing
through this city. The sight of these
marching men in the streets and the con-
fusion and congestion they and their many
tons OF equipment caused in the railroad
stations on both sides of the North River
drove the public thought once more to war
and made more real the tidings that daily
come from far-away, mysterious China.
The headquarters of one of the great
divisions OF the army. the Department Of
the East, and the New York Arsenal are
| in this harbor. They rest beneath the
shade of the many willows, naples, and
] beeches. and in the midst of the wide
lawns of Governors Island, which has III
I some way wedged itself in the East River
! between the bustling ferry slips of the
| Battery and the row OF big and greedy
warehouses on the Brooklyn side. The ISL
and sent off for China last Tuesday bat
talon Of the Fifteenth Infantry. and has
received In its place a detail of artillery
men from Fort Wadsworth
The ferryboat General Hancock makes
the trip from the Battery and the region
OF w9gonloads of jabbering immigrants to
the army post. with its village quiet and
military order. in very few minutes.
Right on the pier as the passenger lands
stands little grocery store. That seems
| to be the commercial centre of the island,
for officers wives going to and coming
from "the city drop in there to order
their yeast cakes, while that Is where the
soldiers take their fair friends for ice
cream and themselves for roots. On the
right, back from the wharf and built up
on wall, is the main guaTdhouse. All
day long some sentry is taking his turn
walking back and forth over the top Of the
ivy covered wall.
Just across the roadway and on the north
side of the island the squatty old brick
buildings cf the arsenal have now been
standing for many years. The entrance to
this division Of the post, which is under
the direction Of Major John G. Butler, has
a scinbre fascination about 1t. front
lawn full of pyramids of big cannon balls,
a little larger than the cent circus ball
looms of the small boy. greets the visito-.
row of heavy guns rests black and grim
in front of these piles and at the gate
ways more cannon are displayed. These
last are used for ornamental posts, and are
stuck into the ground muzzle up. Over
this graveyard of ordnance modern brass
cannon look down in pity from a wall back
Of the main guardhouse.
Major Butler says that millions Of dol
lars worth OF these obsolete war materials
have been sold since the Revolution. Much
of the present supply was left over from
the civil war OF never issued to the armies
Every little while new guns and projectiles |
are coming into use and the old have to go |
to the atorehouses. Of which there are five |
on the Island. or to the piles outdoors. |
Partly civilized tribes and nations in Africa |
in boU
been good customers OF the United States |
in buying up this stock. Iron foundres |
can always Ind use for these materials, |
and curiosity lovers now and then buy a |
ton or two Of this old smoothboTe ord |
nance. Periodically the arsenal holds a 1
sale. and il a short time 1t will advertise |
for another. for the storehouses are getting |
full. Tie arsenal is the base of sunnIies |
for all places on the Atlantic seaboard and
Gulf Coast
Westward from Major Buffers office and |
rounding out over the waters of the harbor
Is tho venerable moss grown, harmless
Castle William. that from some remote
places still looks little imposing under a
bright United States flag But even the
army men admit it could do nothing
against tho modern battleships They say
that Fort Hancock. at the Hook, and Fort
Wadsworth and Fort Hamilton, further up
the bay, must keep back the hostile navies,
for should a warship once get by them
Governors Island. even with the latest
pieces OF ordnance could not save New
York The enemy. without coming any
where near Castle William, would then
have Manhattan within his range from the
Battery to Harlem.
This fort was begun in 1907 and COM
pleted in 1911. Now it has come down TO
the inglorious duty of shebering prisoners.
Her soldiers from all over the Department
Of TIE East, who have bsen convicted or
serious offences, are sent for confinement.
One sees little squads OF them, with an
armed sentry always beside them, pulling
up grass from the untraveled streets. cut
ting 2 majors lawn, OF hoeing the generals
corn.
Nearer the centre of the island than the
old castle is another old institution, Fort
Columbus. It was built in 1909. In its early
lays it was surrounded by the medieval
meat and approached by the romantic
irawbridge. canal dug to the sea on
the north side of the island furnishes the
water. An interesting old coat Of arms
over the entrance. cut out, OF sandstone
and said to he the work OF a prisoner of
many years ago, is now fast getting be-
yond recognition.
On the southeastern end of the island
Is the Old South Battery. Major Jones,
he quartermaster. who keeps the data OF
know when this ancient structure was
built 1t must have been a long time
.go, for small lawn has gathered itself
ogether On the old ramparts. 1t is LOW
Ised as a club for the officers. Bachelors
md recently detailed men are accommo-
lated there. And there in the evening
he other officers come from their little
settlement of cottages and talk China"
Within few days the War Department
las appointed Board of Inspection TO look
,ver the island and to report plans for
yast Improvements and additions Mai |
zen. John r. Brooke, commanding the |
Department of the East; Colonel Gillespie, !
Il the Engineer Corps, and Colonel Amos |
!. Kimball. Assistant Quartermaster Cen '
.ral, were appointed members OF the !
,oard The Government intends to build
arge storehouses on the island to take
he place of the four big ones in this city, {
Il which three for subsistence are near
he army building and one for the medical
torres is in Washington Street Large
,iers will be built the island to ac-
ommodate the transports. In this way
rocps may be moved to and from the s
,ost without the delay and trouble of |
transferring them from Manhattan. There {
3 also an intention of adding to the quar- |
ers for men and officers so that larger
orce may be stationed on he island.
FATALLY HURT |