The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-08-13
THE EiIMIC war PLANS
Land Forces at Portland Ready
to Resist Fleets Attack.
TWO ELECTRIC PLANTS BUILT.

ParticuIar Attention Paid 20 Pow
erfuI search ana illuminating
Iaehts-signnI Corps VIII Keep
sharp Loohout--Army 0mcers on
Duty fear that rear Admiral
barker VIII Creep In Under cover
Of Fog
eve are ready and waiting" said
Brieadier General George /. Gillespie,
chief Of engineers, who has recently
returned from an inspection Of the de-
lenses Of Portland, Me- which win be
the noint Of attack Of the hostile force
under Rear Admiral Albert $. Barkeg
ii the combined army and navy ma
neuvers, beginning Aug. % says the
Washington correspondent Of the New
York Herald
Genernf Gillespie spent several days
in the vicinity Of Portland and ct head
quarters, inspecting every detail q the
defense.
81 found the men working enthuslas-
tically.r continued the general 'and
everything in fine shape. Last year we
were working right up TO the time the
maneuvers opened; but, getting an ear
Iier start this time we find ourselves
ready and waiting for the enemy. Two
power houses have been constructed At
Portland for the generating Of all the
electric power needed IN the various
electrical devices used IN the forts that
defend Portland. This has put MS to
some expense, but it will prove Of per
manent benefit to the army post tllere'
every gun IN Forts Mckinley, Prcble
Ieyett and Williams has been put IN
excellent condition and Inspected by
the ordnance officers The board Of
submarine defense las come all the
way from ills headquarters at Willets
Point n. ", 10 superintend person
ally the installation Of the submarine
defenses"
Entirely to the board Of submarine
defense has been left the mining Of the
three channels leading TO Portland
Even TO Brigadier General Wallace
Randolph, chief Of artillery, the board
has not disclosed the number or loea-
ton Of the mines to be placed in the
channels, and on both these points the
greatest possible secrecy is being OBJ
served that the enemy may not be
able to avoid the mines in the ap-
proaches should he successfully elude
the guns Of the outlying forts and gel
close into the harbor 1t is known
however. that several important i'm
nrovements have been made since las
year in the connection of the minei
with the proper stations on shore. Il
the concealment Of their location als'
the authorities have been more success
full.
Important viii be the work of thu
search light In the defense Of Portland
General Gillespie has ordered installe'
IN tile vicinity Of the city twelve enol
nous lights, with the aid Of whic
the watchers on shore can easily pie
up vessel away out at sea- Las
year the search lights We're not alto
gether q success and the result 9
their employment in the defense pro.
Get this year will be watched in eng
neering circles with keen interest Ih
trouble with the search lights last yea
according to naval officers, was tha
they We're not properly managed. ~
treme precautions will be taken IN q
coming maneuyers to prevent the eros
ing Of the various search lights and q
consequent destruction Of their usefu
ness
TWO kinds Of lights will be Ia rs
the searching and Illuminating light
The former are considerably more poy
erful than the latter The searchir
lights have been constructed wen
side the line Of defense and so d
tributed as to cover every avenue
approach to Portland and give Il
proper authorities there as soon as pc
slble the news of Rear Admiral Ba
kers fleet
During the day it is ordered that 1
search lights shall effectively be hi
den from view, but that they shall
located as near the shore line as 20
sible The Illuminating lights shall
hidden while the searching lights a
in operation. Special effort VIII
made to avoid the crossing Of I
beams Of light from the search lighf
which results in the creation of da
angle When this beam comes betwe
the gun and its target the latter
hidden.
The illuminating lights installed "
be used to light up the advanced
distant flank positions and in illumin'
ing the mine fields. on the inner Il
Of defense viii be placed reserve ligl
which may come In well in the eve
Of interruption Of communication wi
the more advanced searching ligh
In installing the searching lights
effort viii be made to give them hi
position aud one near the shore line
What army officers on duty IN the
Tense district dread, however. Is a /
or thick mist ait night when Rear a
miral Barker would have an excellc
opportunity TO make a dash for 20
land The signal corps viii have s
lions ia the vicinity Of Portland a
elsewhere along the New Engla
coast, whore d sharp lookout will
kept for a sight Of the enemy.
4 IA "A