War Items.

Manawatu Herald, 27 October 1898, Page 3

War Items.

« The •' Times" reports that there are a number of circumstances that lend colour to the reports that the Government has been warned to prepare for the worst. It has, for example been learned that the cable authorities have arranged to keep the cable offices open continuously, and it is known that the Premier was during yesterday evening in conference with Colonel Pole Penton and Sir Arthur Douglas, of the Defence Department, while he was also closeted for some time with Mr James Mills, general manager of the Union Steam Ship Company. The Premier has said he had received no communication from the Home authorities since the receipt several months ago of the report of the Committee of Defence in London. The Premier was very emphatic in his assurances that the defences of the colony, whether as regards fortifications, men or munitions of war, were never- before in such a satisfactory state as they are at present. Everything is in readiness, and there is therefore not the least ground for alarm, even though war should j suddenly break out | It has been arranged to erect a7m r.m.l. gun on the battery in the JJotnnical Gardens, which was constructed during the war scare in 1896, and which commands the whole of the inner harbour, and a more than usually careful inspection is being made of the arms and the accoutrements and of the forts and defence equipments generally. In the course of yesterday afternoon a number of Permanent Artillerymen were at work ■erecting the ?in gun at the battery in the Botanical Gardens. At the request of the New Zealand Government the telegraph office at Wellington, and the cable stations at La Perouse (Australia) and Wakapuaka (New Zealand), are being kept open all night in case of emergency. The defence officials have inquired from Mr J. H. Williams, owner of the harbour steamers Duchess and Duco, how long it would take to get up steam on those steamers in the event of war being declared, with the object of utilising them for laying the mine field at the entrance of the harbour, and for general emergency work in connection with the defence of the port. As the fires on both steamers are always kept banked, steam could be raised on the Duchess in half an hour, -and on the Duco in much less time.