Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-26
OVER $4,000 MESSAGES HANDLED
In Touch With. the Army and
Navy.
THE LINES TO BUFFALO

Many interesting things are told about
the work of the telegraph and cipher bu-
reau at the White House by Capt. Benja-
min F. Montgomery, Signal Corps the Of
ficer in charge in a report to the chief sig
nal officer of the army, made public to-
day.
During the past year." says Captain
Mont gomery, 1.-THE telephone and telegraph
systems have remained practically the
same. To the twenty-five wires already In
use have been added two double telegraph
wires with two sets of duplex Instruments.
This was found necessary in order to have
an exclusive wire for the safe transmission
of confidential cipher business between the
executive office and the cable offices in
New York. An extra wire was also needed
for direct communication with the Presi-
dent wherever he might be while absent
from the capital.
Telephone Exchange to Be Installed.
Arrangements nearing completion
for the installation of telephone exchange
in the White House, which will supplement
the telephone service already in use. This
will increase the working capacity of this
branch of the office, and will undoubtedly
prove useful and fully meet the rapioly
| growing demands of this particular depart
ment, 1t will consist of three separate
| trunk lines, with seventeen miles of ex-
| terror lines. giving direct wires to the eight
executive departments. the government
printing office and the Congressional Libra
| ry, and also connect up the seven new sta
| lions in the different parts of the Executive
Mansion, all of which will be controlled by
| the witchboard in the central exchange
| of the telegraph and cipher bureau
The Large Map.
Some of the larger maps in use during
the past year have been stored away for
safe keeping. The map of Cuba and ada
| cent waters, over which the movements Of
| the American fleets and Cervera's squadron
were followed during the late Spanish
| American war, was loaned to the PAN
American exposition at Buffalo. with the
accompanying flags. There has been put in
position a new map of the world, which
| will be used for marking the movements of
the army and the navy, in the place Of the
several maps above referred to. This map
was made by the coast and geodetic sur
vey. at the suggestion of the signal officer
| in charge, and reflects great credit upon
Mr.. Fowler, the chief craftsman and his
able corps of assistants. 1t is probably the
| best map of its kind extant, as well as one
| of the largest. 1t is eight feet high and
| twenty feet long. Twelve colors are en-
| ployed, each representing territory Of one
| of the twelve principal colony-hOlding pow
ers. Countries without possessions are rep
| resented each by one of four additional
colors. as shown in the key Of colors. The
| coloring of Egypt is a combination of the
colors Of Egypt and England, gradually
| shading off into the English color as more
established English sovereignty is reached
be.ow Khartoum. Political boundaries are
| shown in broken line where they are fair
| ly well established; otherwise the limits Of
sovereignty are defined by color only. The
ownership Of the outlying islands can be
aseertained by reference to the key Of
| colors. except in the case of a few islands
| in the south Atlantic and Indian oceans,
where ownership could not be placed.
Capitals, largest cities and the cities of
| 81 A,.to BOD
well as the principal coaling, docking and
repairing stations of the ports of the world
and points of strategic Importance.
| 1.-The submarine cables are shown in red
lines and the names of the principal <termini
are given; likewise the names of the prin-
| cipal places where foreign mails are regu-
| larry distributed
THE Trans-Siberian railway, from st.
Petersburg to Vladivostock and Port Ar
thur. is shown account of it's military
| Importance full short line showing the
broken line showing the work in progress.
| The principal railways in China, in prog
ress or projected, are likewise shown in a
broken line
''The spelling of geographic names is in
accordance with the decisions Of the board
on geographic names except in cases
where no decision has been rendered. In
such cases the best maps and aliases were
consulted.
| Stations of Army and Navy Commands
flags which stand for the army and the
navy, the names of the commanders of the
army being borne on miniature United
States flags. The cavalry, artillery and in
fantry are represented by flags of their re-
spectiye colors-namely, yellow, red and
white-gtving the number of the regiment
and letter of the troop, battery or company;
the ships of the navy of every class from
a battle ship to a collier, are displayed by
red, white and blue flags, giving the name
Of the vessel, her class and the number of
guns she bears. The army transports are
indicated by small blue and white flags,
carrying the name and giving in figures
the capacity for officers and men.
AS the official reports are received by
telegraph and mail, these flags are moved
from time to time. so that the President
may be able to know at any moment by a
glance at the map the whereabouts of
every ship Of the navy and the position of
each separate command of the army.
Over $4,000 Messages Handled.
THE total number of messages handled
during the past year was SO, 400, three
| fourths Of which were of confidential ma
| ture and In the different departmental
cipher codes.
During the fiscal year just closed the
| telegraph and cipher bureau Of the execu-
| tive office has fully measured up to the
high standard attained In the past, and met