The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1910-05-12

assure you it looked nothing short of a
miracle to me that they grew hardly, in
stead of shriveling up in the chill air.
All, well! when the sun shines in Cali
fornia its world is beautiful enough to
compensate for the few disagreeable
days; and when Old Sol takes pity on us
occasionally here in Washington, and
shows his smiling face for full day, all
nature plumes itself in joy.
In June the weather will have become
settled, and there will be very little if
any rain until fall, but the heavy sea fogs
keep verdure in fairly good condition in
country places where good water sys-
TENS do not prevail. There is never any
extreme heat during summer. In fact it
is too cool for thin clothing and wraps
are always in evidence.
1t is pretty place here at Fort Flag
Ter, everyone thinks, even though bit
isolated slipping down to the Sound
where one can walk on the beach every
day and gather sea-agates. There are
all kinds of crafts constantly passing;
fine large steamers, an occasional army
transport, huge salnng vessels, which
look so pretty under full canvas when
there is stiff breeze, though more often
they are towed rapidly through the
Sound by tugs; cruisers and gunboats of
different nations; torpedo boats, mine
nI9nf6rc and
other strange as well as familiar looking
crafts, beside our government boats that
ply between the three forts in this locali-
ty and the two near Seattle.
These forts are all laid out nicely; have
fine modern buildings and all conven-
fences for military movements and in
struction; also for the benefit and pleas
ure of the artillerymen during recreation
hours. There are reading rooms, gym
nasium, bowling alley, post exchange,
and a finely prepared foot ball and base
ball diamond and bleachers to accommo-
date the enthusiastic ''rooters. The
season opened this month, and teams
from Seattle or the neighboring towns
come to play our post team, which is
showing up finely this year, and hardly
saw defeat last season.
The quarters for families are pretty
and convenient, all with metal ceilings,
tinted walls, hardwood floors, and the
finest appointed and most sanitary of
bath rooms and kitchens. All are fitted
for electric lights, but have not been
completed and utilized as yet, although
there is fine electric light plant used at
present during night practice with the
big guns.
And those big guns! l wish l could
explain to you something of the system
of a coast artillery defense, but it is too
complicated for me. There are ten bat
teries located here at Flagler, consisting
of thirty guns of different caliber, vary
ing in size from the rapid fire guns of
6 to inch bore to the II inch monsters.
Most of these batteries present along the
coast merely a grassy slope to an inqusi-
tive enemy's eye, the huge guns being
mounted on disappearing carriages, rls-
, ing noiselessly over the rim, to fire, and
drop quickly out of sight, with mechanism
so delicately and perfectly adjusted that
a child can move and swing them about.
During target practice small floating
targets are towed at distances of two and
three miles, to test the experiences OF the
gunners, and when night drill is on and
the brilliant, binding rays of the power
full searchlights flash up and down the
Sound, easily picking up even the min
utest craft, it is wonderful sight, in
deed, and it would be an impossible feat
for any part of hostile fleet to advance
through the Sound undiscovered.
In July some hundreds of State Nation
al Guards, or what is termed now Coast
Artillery Reserves-are to camp here for
the experience in watching the manoeu-
vres of our Regulars.
Thirty minutes by boat takes us to a
small town to trade-Port Townsend,
and the same length of time in opposite
directions to Forts Casey and Worden,
while it is about four hours run to the
thriving city of Seattle. Our government
boat makes run there three days each
week, so it is an easy matter to see all of
that city one wishes.
l should no doubt be content amid
these interesting surroundings, but the
call of home is daily growing louder and
l am beginning to feel that l have had
enough of travel and sightseeing in the
eight years since left New England to
follow the fortunes of my military hus
band. l have never forgotten my allie
glance to Waldo county, my native place
and early home, or the desire to keep in
touch with everything there through the
medium of correspondence with the
many dear old friends and the eager
perusal of our most welcome weekly
visitor, The Republican Journal, which
has never failed to find us in whatever
part of the globe we were stationed.
expect to spend the month of July
in Yellowstone Park on my way east,
and may be able to send our paper some
thing worth reading from that interest