The Northern News. — 1898-04-30 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

THE DEFENCES OF NEW YORK. A SPANISH ATTACK CONSIDERED  RIDICULOUS.  Reuter's Agency learns that the belief expressed in certain quarters that the Spanish fleet at Cape Verde is delaying its departure with a view to making a direct attack on New York is ridioubed by American naval and military officers. Naval experts express the opinion that under the most favourable oonditions the Spanish war-ships on reaching the Ameriaan coast would have exhausted at least threefourths of their coal supply. Even apart from the question of fortification and mines, it would be quite easy to block the entrances to New York from the sea so that no war-ship could enter. With regard to the defences of New York, Reuter's representative was informed on high authority that the report that they are antiquated is ridiculous. While it is considered unadvisable at this juncture to give definite information regardine the fortifications or the mines, it is pointed out that the entrance to the lower bay from the Atlantic, which as about six miles wide, is defended by guns and fortification's of the latest type. Heavy twelve-inch guns are mounted at Sandy Hook, and equally effective weapons in the islands opp.eite. The fortifications were only laet week inspected by General Merritt, who reported them to be able to repel any attack. The heavy granite fort at Sandy Hook, which ordinary spectators might regard as the only defence of that point, is merely the unfinished remains of a fortress which wae begun about thirty years ago,. but which was abandoned as not being of a useful typo. Every ship approaching New York by the main channel must pass within five hundred yards' rangeof the Sandy Hook forts, and any vessel seeking to Make New lork by the other ehannel—that on the Coney Island shore, which is rarely used—has also to run the gauntlet of extremely heavy guns within half a mile range. If a ship managed to get past these forts into the Lower Bay, she would be under the fire of the heaviest guns not only from Sandy Hook forts, but also from the fortresses at Staten Island, Fort Wadsworth, and Fort Hamilton, before she got into the narrows which mark the entrance into New York Harbour. With regard to the possibility of an enemy approaching New York by way of Long Island Sound, and so attacking the city in the rear, Reuter's representative wae informed that although ships might get into the Sound the forts along the Connecticut shore would effectually prevent any landing, and that in any case by the time an enemy's ship got up the Sound to within fifteen miles of the city she would have to face on either shore two lines of the most formidable and most modern fortresses. New York, it was added, was very easily defended. and the fortifications are at least ten miles distant, from the city.  A Bill regulating commeroial relations between the British Empire and Germany bawl been submitted to the Reichstag. The messure authorises the Federal Ciouncil to grant until July 30th of next year the moet-favoured-n•tion treatment to subjects and products of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as to subjects and products of Britieh colonies and dependencies. Shakspere's birthday is being celebrated on a much wider scale at Stratford-on-Avon this year. The town on Saturday was extensively decorated and full of visitors. At Mansfield, a ooroner's inquiry was held regarding the destlir of William Day, 63, and his wife, who lied at Meadow Square, Nottingham-rd. It was shown that the latter died from natural causes, but in the husband's care the jury returned a verdict of suicide A4ulst of unsound mind. The Queen had forwarded £l2O to the Mayor of Nice for the charitsble institutions of the town, and • further sum to the British Oonsul for distribution among the Enefish charities.