Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-14
TO MAKE
MIMIC WAR
1t Will Try the Strength of
COuntry'S Notifications
Much Powder VIII Be
Burned and the Ex-
pense Bill Huge

Boston, Mass, Aug 13.-For one
week from midnight Aug. IA the city
of Boston will be the centre of mimic
warfare of proportions uneXampled in
the military history of this country.
Close to $4,000 men will participate;
much damage will be done to private
property by the contending armies;
thousands of dollars worth of powder
will be burned and heavy will be the
bill of expenses Uncle Sam must settle
Coast Defenses Cause Worry.
But there is good reason for this
seeming extravaganza. The War De-
partment is worried over the inadeuu-
acy Of the coast defenses and with
reason, too, according to a statement
mode yesterday by a member of Gen.
Leonard Woods staff. 1T is a literal
fact, said this officer, that Germany
has quietly but thoroughly completed
preparations for the movement of an
invading army of 1865 900 men. 1t has
marked out every detail down to the
smallest article Of equipment.
Everything is in readiness. The
necessary stores are held in depots at
the German seaports and the ships to
be used as transports have been Sc
lected. All this means that Germany
is preparing for the immediate in
Vasion of any foreign country in the
event of war.
Does Not Mean Invasion of America.
1T does not mean that Germany is
planning an invasion of the United
States, but the knowledge of her prep
GRAFTON in combination with a realiza-
ton of our weakness in coast defenses
has caused the War Department seri-
Gus thought
'Of course, no idea Of German inva-
sion was ever entertained in this coun-
necton. Nevertheless, the known pre-
| paredness of that friendly power for
military operations along lines in
which our defensive equipment is
weak carried a lesson
president Roosevelt was, of course
aware of Germany's movements and
promptly took up the matter of our
coast defenses with the heads of the
war college. ManOeuvres to test the
real value of these defenses were de-
cided upon and preparations were hur-
ried forward under President Roose-
velt's personal direction
THE plan finally approved was to
send considerable force from New
Orleans by ship under sealed orders.
When we'll out to sea the sealed ord
ers were to be opened and the com
mander of the force would for the first
time learn the purpose of the expedi-
ton This would be to attack shore
defenses along the Atlantic coast
line; striking at scattered points all
the way from the Florida capes to the
northern headlands of Maine; surpris-
ing the forts of all the city harbors
and ravaging the country's whole sea-
board.
THE shore defenses were to be APP
prised of their danger when the ex-
petition sailed from New Orleans, but
the time and manner of each onslaught
was to lay with the invaders.
No Ship Big Enough Found.
Mr., Roosevelt was deeply interested
in this plan and it was officially ap-
proved, when the discovery was made
that no ship big enough for the pro-
posed expedition was available. To
the great disappointment of the Presi-
dent and the members of the War Col
lege the plan had to be abandoned
The cruising manoeuvres around
| Boston, continued the officed ARE the
best substitute plan the department
could devise. 1t embodies a most in
teresting problem and one that might
| be reproduced at any time in actual
warfare
The fleet defending Boston is sup
posed to have been destroyed, and the
defending army must do the best it
| can without naval support Forts are
pretty generally distributed along the
New England coast, but there are long
| stretches of coast between the batter
les uncovered by a single gun,
To Attack Boston By Land,
AT one of the unguarded points the
| invaders will land from transports and
push forward inland for the conquest
of Boston. In this operation the shore
batteries will be attacked, and it re-
mains to be seen whether or not de-
tenders can repeal invaders
In these manoeuvres the army of
| INVASION" continued the officer will
proceed tactfully as in real warfare
| No invading force would risk costly
battleships within range of guns of
shore battery, it having been clearly
| demonstrated that one gun ashore is
equal to ten guns af1oat, So the course
of an invading enemy would be to
throw it's army ashore at a point un-
covered by defenses, and then attack
the batteries from the shore side.
Real Test of Coast Defenses.
The coming week at Boston will
show just how hard or easy it would
be for a real invader to attempt to
capture the city. 1t will also demon
strate the country's imperative need
of more coast batteries and soldiers to
man them"
The army of invasion will be com
manded by Major-Gen. Trasker F.