Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-04-30
PORTUGAL HAS WAR
LIKE AIR IN THE
ACTION Of NATION

tinctly naval aspect since Portugal
entered the ranks of the Entente allies.
Of Commercial Square. which CORE
spends with the Battery in New York,
two long lines of destroyers have been
drawn up clear across the broad en-
trance of the Tagus. The long black
bulls of the destroyers are so close
together that at half-tide they swing
at anchor broadside toward the sea, al
most touching, and presenting double
line of batteries pointing off at the
German submarines daring along the
coast.
But Lisbon feels secure against an
enemy attack by sea, for besides the
double lines of destroyers, ready for
defense or quick sortie, there are
cruisers and gunboats with steam up,
and back of them the big land forti,
ications on both banks of the Tagus.
rising on high terraces and presenting
a semi-circle of massive stone fronts
topped with lines of heavy guns. And
besides these land and sea destroyers.
there is the telling that the British
fleet is not far off and presents a
pretty solid barrier against the Ger
man fleet bottled up in the Kiel Canal.
When the British naval commission
visited here a short time ago still an
other naval defense was devised and
has since been put into execution. This
is heavy steel net extending clear
across the channel leading from Lis
bon to the sea. This can be lowered
at stated intervals for the passage of
commercial traffic. But when in posi-
ton it is not only bar to submarines,
but any which venture near it are
likely to be caught and held in its
meshes.
There are two German submarines
which appear to be keeping a pretty
constance vigil of the nearby coast.
How they are provisioned and equipped
is a mystery. They have not done much
damage to large merchant ships, but
give their special attention to the
smaller craft and the fishing fleets. 1t
has practically put an end to the coast
ing trade, and a good share of the
trade of Oporto has been stopped. The
shipping to England and France is also
greatly curtailed. This is adding to
England's food danger, for much of
her fruits and vegetables and most of
her wine was drawn from Portugal.
Portugal is feeling the pinch also, in
being cut off from supply OF coal
from the Cardiff coal mines, and is hav-
ing it's supplies of fish cut off. Coal
has gone up to $37 and $40 ton, and
is so scarce it cannot be obtained at
any price. The normal price is about
81 a ton. Besides the arrangement OF
domestic heating and cooking, and the
misery caused to the poor, the lack OF
coal is proving a serious menace 10
factories, railroads, tramways, and the
heating and lighting of public places
hotels and theatres, The government
has sought to remedy the situation by
reducing the lights in the streets, ex-
tinguishing all lighting at an early
hour, and advancing the legal time by
one hour so that people will get up
earlier and live more in the daylight.
! With a long seacoast Portugal has
always had such an abundance of fish
as to feel proof against any lack OF
meat and other foods. But with the
submarines stopping fishing, the
normal supply of fish has suddenly
been stopped, and the price has doubl-
ed and trebled. until the poor are I'M
able to get the usual supply of fish on
which they depended. Four fishing
boats were sunk within the last week,
one fisherman being killed and three
injured.
The war is making itself felt in
many other ways. Most of the young
men have been called into military
service, as the small peace footing oil
the army has now been increased TO
war footing of several hundred
thousand men, including about 10000
sent to the western fighting front, as
many more to Portuguese East Africa
and a large reserve for home de-
tense and recruiting the forces al
the front. The streets of the cities
and towns are now crowded with SOL
diers. and at the railway stations one
sees long lines Of freight cars load
ed with light field guns and military
equipment
In the agricultural sections, also,
the war is showing itself in the abb
sence of men and the increased num-
Il