The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-08-30
ARMY READY FOR BATTLE
MAJOR MACARTHUR STARTS ON
 TOUR OF INSPECTION.
Stations Along the Coast All fin Teic- phonic Communication -- Wireless Photography Also to be Used nt Some Potnts-Nitnes at Entrance of Narra- gansett Bay Practically in Position.

Newport, R. l., Aug. 29.-The night
 before the battle finds the army of de- fense in the several ports along shore between New Bedford and the east en-
 trance to Long Island sound practically in readiness to repel the attack of the
 hostile fleet under the command of Ad- miral Higginson. The only thing that remains is the additional armament on
 both sides, the Massachusetts heavy ar tillery for the shore and the Massachu- sets, Connecticut and New York naval militia for the fleet. These organiza- tions will arrive tomorrow forenoon. ! The artillery will be at once distributed among the posts at the entrance of Narragansett Bay and also at New | Bedford As to the naval militia, the gunboats Mayf1ower and Scorpion will be here in readiness to receive the Con- necticut and Massachusetts troops, the
 New York naval militia arriving on the Supply. These three boats will imme- l diately leave for sea and the militia
 will be distributed among the vessels of 1 the fleet It is expected that the fleet of Admiral Higginson will disappear 1 from the coast some time tomorrow night and will not be heard from again
 until the attack is made,
 | The principal event to-day in this vi-
 cinity was the arrival of Major General i Macarthur commander of the Depart ment of the East, on a tour of inspec- 1 tion. He was received at Fort Adams | late in the afternoon by the commander
 of the post, Colonel Hasbrouck, and, together with the leading officers of the
 post, long consultation was held this evening at headquarters. After his in- spection of the three forts defending Narragansett Bay General MacArthur will leave for New Bedford probably l tomorrow afternoon.
 | A large number of signal stations
 reaching from Fort Adams along the 1 southern end of the Island of Rhode Is- land. which is practically the city of 1 Newport, have been established by the army. These stations are all in tele- 1 phonic communication with headquar- 1 ters at Fort Adams. A wireless tele- graph system has also been established before Fort Adams and the mainland,
 and also with the fort on Canonicut Is- l land and Dutch Island, Fort Wetherell /, on the former and Fort Creole on the 1 latter. The main reliance of the army
 of defense in this vicinity Is the search | light station at Prices Neck, very close to the life-saving station. It is hoped 1 that this station will be able to pick,
 by means of it's powerful light, any ves-
 sels of the enemy. It is also a very ex- 1 posed point and may be the scene of an attack with the object of cutting the l wires
 The mines at the entrance of Narra- 1 gansett Bay are practically in position and the umpires have charts of the same. These umpires and observers all left for their different positions early 1 this afternoon, and tonight are expect-
 ed to be ready for duty The date for | the commencement of hostilities is at
 midnight tonight, but the actual war fare will not begin until midnight on Sunday. The forty-eight hours are al- ] lowed Admiral Higginson to obtain some advantageous position off shore New London, Aug. 29.-The beginning
 of the two days permitted for prepara- tion in the game O. war between the army and navy began at midnight to- night and by Sunday at midnight, when the hostilities are to begin, the ships
 of the North Atlantic squadron are SUD-
 posed to secure base of supplies for
 the maneuvres that are to follow.
 Where the first attack will be made
 is of course known only to Admiral
 Higginson's command. At the present
 time the ships are we'll to the eastward IContinued on Fifth Pape |