Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-09-02

York City are inefficient, but, accord
ing to military officers of prominence.
this is not the case. One OF the pri-
mary purposes of these joint maneuV-
ers is to test the truth or falslty OF
these assertions. General Randolph.
chief of artillery, and member OF thcl
staff of General Macarthur, has dl-
rected that every gun in the forts, OF
no matter what calibre, be fired off at
least once during the fight Every
part Of the intricate mechanism of the
big ten and twelve inch guns will bel
tested under actual service conditions.
The many new inventions and discov-
cries adopted by the signal corps are
also to be tried The war balloon will
figure very prominently by heralding
to the keen eyed artillery officer the
approach of the enemy. Long distance
telephone lines constructed specially
for the maneuvers will be in constant
operation. In fact it is stated that
one very important thing which the
operations have already brought out is
the need of complete system of rap,
id communication between the forts
along the coast.
One object and perhaps the foremost
one of these war games is to convince
congress of the necessity of liberal ap-
preparations for national defense, par
ticularly in view of the enlarged re-
sponsibilities brought about by the ac-
quirement of distant islands and the
building of the Isthmian canal. Then
there are international possibilities. =
Admiral Taylor has predicted that the
United States and Germany will come
to blows before the next ten years is
past. According to his idea there is a
steady current which is carrying the
United States and Germany along con-
verging lines in many parts of the
globe. and bringing these two nations
in closer rivalry everywhere. So far
as that goes commercially it is not
a brand new discovery but to Admiral
Taylor belongs the credit OF warning
the leaders of the army and navy that
preparations must begin at once and
be vigorously prosecuted from this
time forth for a grave crisis in Ger
man American affairs in the spring OF
1907
Another thing, of which it is de
clared the United States must take
note of, is that the powers of the world
are more active at present in augment
ing their navies than ever before. Re
cent reports to the navy department
upon the building programs of the diff
ferent nations show Great Britain cas-
ily first, with France a poor seconc
and Germany and Russia about equa
to the United States. Great Britain is
stronger than either France or Russia
with plenty of lee way. Immense sums
are being spent on navies by all ma
tons and this fact is regarded az
very Significant. as well as proof tina
the United States can not take toe
much care in perfecting her navy anc
her great coast defenses.
AS heretofore stated the prime les
son of the maneuvers so far seems t.
be the need of system of coast lin
signals exclusively under the contro
Of the navy either of the old style wire
connections or by modern wireless sta
lions. Despite the great extent of the
Atlantic seaboard it would be possible
were, ii known that an attacking flee
was approaching !. the country, t.
stretch a line of cruisers along TIT
lanes of possible approach far enough
| out to permit sufficient warning TO
| .he mobilization of the defending fee
/ in the vicinity OF the threatened port
I This could only be done by means o
| alayc of wireless telegraphic station.
on board specially equipped sigma
4 shirs. This does not mean that thu
! l,avy must necessarily maintain sever
al hundred scout ships. Such vessels
1 as these could be easily pressed int
service from among the merchan
ships. The excellent work of the lin
/ ers. New York, Paris, st. Paul, etc
during the Spanish war demonstrate,
that the country can safely rely o.
4 these vessels as an auxiliary to tn
re gular navy. In this connection i
is GAINED by some that if this pres
ent war game has demonstrated moth
/ Jig more than the need of sigma
service. not only along the coast bu
between sea points and the coast,
] will lave proved a valuable expend
ture of time, thought and money. TIL
great naval problem of the day is t
provide g reliable system of coast dc
Tense at the least possible expense i
commissioned naval vessels. The il
!. vention Of the wireless system of CON
runication has modified this as ha
no other single advance in science
;, Harold J. Mahin.