New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-25
HOSTILE FLEET NEAR.
ARMY GUARDS PORTLAND.
General Chafee Erpects an attack
U7ithin q Fec Hours.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE 1R1BUxE.I

Portland Me. Aug 24-Tidngs of the ap-
proach of hostile fleet. which sighted at
the island of Miquelon late last night, were re-
ceved here in the early hours of the morning
and by Tuesday night mighty fleet, composed
of battleships. first class cruisers and smaller
craft, amounting almost to armada, will be-
gin its devastating work on the Maine coast.
AS is we'll known the American feet is engaged
in fruitless chase in the Caribbean and
not possibly reach these shores for several days.
and the army is seized with CONSERVATION
the fact is realized that without the assistance
of any vessel larger than tug it must cope
with a mighty modern feet.
Colonel Mills commanding this artillery dis
trict has appealed to the local authorities for
assistance, and regiments from Maine and Mas
sachusetts have been hurried to this city as
sist in the defence. Channels are mined, and
every effort is put forth to bring the defences
UP 10 a state of highest efficiency before the
smoke of the hostile fleet is sighted.
BY the most fortunate of chances Major Cen
eral A. r. Chahee, commanding the Department
of the East, and Brigadier General Randolph
and General Gillespie happened to be here on an
inspection tour and are assisting in the de-
fence preparations General Crozier, chief of
ordnance. is also expected. From Owls Head to
Cape Elizabeth detachments OF Signal Corps
men are establishing lookouts, and light bat
terry has been brought from Fort Ethan Allen. in
Vermont, TO welcome landing parties. Major
General Chaffee and his gallant subOrdinates
refuse 10 be terrified by the gravity of the situa-
tion and confident that the new system cf
defences recently completed here Will cope
cessfully with the attacking feet. They realize
fully. however, that the enemy may at will seize
any one of dozen of the admirable but unde
Tended harbors north Of here, and with this base
of operations launch their assault upon the de-
fences of Portland.
II is in some such fashion this that an
actual war situation identical with that existing
at the outset of the war manPuvres might he
chronicled. and this version best describes the
theoretical basis of the game The forts sur
rounding Portland lie naturally in the way of a
hostile feet coming across the North Atlantic
and Rear Admiral Barkers fleet win assume to-
morrow night the character of such fleet
When he sails and sewers his connection with
the land he will have to depend upon the base
Of operations he seizes for land news.
MILITARY PROBLEMS.
The military problem of the defence Of Port
land is purely one of the defence of fortified
harbor against a powerful feet. There are three
passages which give access TO the harbor from
the ocean which may be used by the larger
ships of the enemy. and countless smaller water
ways that are open to gunboats. The three
~
head Passage and Hussey's Sound. These
in turn commanded by Forts Preble and Will
Jams Fort Levett and Fort Mckinley. At Fort
Prcble a relic of early defence architecture.
there are mortar batteries. Further down the
main ship channel Fort Williams. a fort.
has modern guns which sweep the water ap-
proach for miles on Cushings Island, north of
the ship channel is Fort Levett. the key of the
whole situation. the focal point of the network
Of wires and signal stations. the centre of the
fire control system and the headquarters of
Colonel Mills, actually commanding the army
forces. as well General Chanee's land base.
Fort Mckinley. the newest and strongest single
fort on the Atlantic coast. sweeps the northern
entrances with y and 10 inch guns as We'll as
smaller batteries, and closes the Casco Bay en-
trance as well as the Hussey's Sound entrance
The enemy Admiral Barller's sailor folk. may
come up the main channel, as the big Atlantic
liners DO. but this is mined and swept by end
less big and secondary batteries; through
Hussey's Sound also mined and circuited: but
they Will hardly attempt Whitehead passage,
which is narrow and dangerous. They may
slip gunboats in through the upper entrance of
Casco Bay and attack the forts in the rear. In
the Civil War tie Confederate privateers that
stole the revenue cutter Caleb Gushing came
this way and almost escaped before the
prised authorities realized the game. AS il
was. they got TO sea ahd were becalned. All
these entrances are covered by great search
lights. some Of them brou yht from the Sound.
Continued third page.