LOCAL PREPARATIONS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3572, 26 October 1898, Page 2

LOCAL PREPARATIONS.

The immediate effect of the “rumours of war" has naturally been to liven up the interest in local defences. On Saturday tho Permanent Artillery and Wellington Naval Artillery visited tho forts at Point Halswell and engaged in shot and shell practice, but of course there was nothing unusual in that. It has been arranged to erect a Tin r.m.l. gun on the battery in tho Botanical Gardens, which was constructed during the war scare in 1890, and which commands the whole of the inner harbour, and a more than usually careful inspection is being made of the arras and the accoutrements and of the forts and defence equipments generally. la the course of yesterday afternoon a number of Permanent Artillerymen were at work erecting the Tin gun at the battery in the Botanical Gardens. Tho local Volunteers aro, of course, not exempt from tho general feeling of anxiety. The Wellington Battalion was to have paraded on the morning of tho Prince of Wales’ Birthday, and some of the corps intended holding class firing in the afternoon. If the situation shows no signs of improvement during the next few days an all day review and slum fight will probably bo arranged for. The last consignment of 2000 odd Martini-Enfield rifles of the 5000 which have been and are to bo distributed amongst tho Volunteers cf the colony is to arrive by the Tokomaru now on her way to New Zealand and duo hero on Saturday. We aro informed that instructions have been given to place everything in preparedness in tho defence depots throughout the colony. At the request of the New Zealand Government tho telegraph office at Wellington, and the cable stations at La Perouso (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 Duoo, how long it would take to get up steam on those steamers in the event ot war being declared, with the object of utilising them for laying tho mme field at tho entrance of the harbour, and ter general emergency work in connection with the defence of (ho port. As the fires on both steamers are always kept banked, steam could be raised on tho Duchess in half an hour, and on tho Duco in much less time. In consequence of these inquiries, it may become necessary to effect some alterations in both steamers to fit them for the proposed work.