The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-10
TO DEFEND NANTUCKET.
Marines Preparing for an Imaginary
Hostile Attack


NANTUCKET. Mass. July Ia-It is evil
dent that the plan to have the vessels Of
the North Atlantic Squadron go to Bos-
ton for coal has been changed and instead
the war drill is being carried on vigor-
ousIy- The landing OF the men from the
vessels al Coatue Island continues. About
2.c9O marines are now ashore and their
tents cover two of the hills on a strip OF
land separating the sea from Nantucket
Harbor- The clusters Of tents are about
halfway between Caskata Hfe-saving sta
ton at the southwesterly end of the ISL
and and Great Point Light at the other
end.
It is at this pace that the base of sup
plies for the future work is TO be estab-
Hshed, and from this centre the work Of
certifying the harbor and of placing
mines for the defence Of the fleet which.
according to the plan of operation is sup
posed TO have been driven into Nantuck-
= Sound by a pursuing enemy, Is tc be
carried on. All Monday night the boats
were kept moving from the ships TO the
land and back again. The force on the
island, their equipment and provisions,
and particularly the material for defence.
rapidly increased Yesterday morning
when the townspeopIe began 10 gather to
watch the work the island was alive with
men having every appearance of being
under the stress OF impending attack
Vest, rday the efforts were directed
mainly to the work OF fertilization that
# transportation having been nearly
completed. The marines have started to
work on the sand hills which swell out of
the lower stretch of Coatue. and en-
5ankments have grown rapidly until it
has become apparent that the town OF
Nantucket is to be well defended from
the hostile vessels which are expected t.
rush toward it and the feet which its
harb0r may shelter
In connection with the work OF fOTtify-
ing CoatUe both the outer and inner har-
sboISs Of Nantucket are to be mined. This
work has not been undertaken. vet so far
- csa be learned, and It Will probably De
done q night when movements cannot be
observed All the secrecy Of actual war
fare IS being observed. both OF. board the
WarShjpS and by those on shore and.
while the general plan of the maneuvTes
is understood, the details cannot be di-
vulgCd-
Il is known that the warships and the
dotila Of lighthouse tenders and torpedo
boats viii depart from these waters while
,he work ashore Is going on. sailing away
until all idea OF their situation is lost.
Possibly the largest vessels make take
this movement as an opportunity TO 90 to
Boston for coal
At a moment. net known in advance,
the battIeships win come back, in imaSi-
nation having become hostile They viii
IttaCk the defences of Coatue and the
yalor OF the men and she efficiency of the
submarine mines and other means OF de-
fence will be tested
The island is admirably situated for
The movement. as II Is practically barren.
BESIDES the hfe-saviug station and the
lighthouse, the only buildings on it are
few cunning Shanties. The marines can
have sway over the whole of the island
and any movements which may be under
taken viii be free from any property
consideration.
The marines may suffer from lack OF
forage for neither food nor barnyard
creatures are 70 he found. There are fish
however. in abundance. but TO judge from
the outlook there VIII be little time for
fishing