Show mysterious fires in the defenses of new york bew york sept 19 four mysterious fires in three of the forts protecting new york harbor within the last two months have caused the military authorities of the department of the east much concern i wo of the fires have been at fort hamilton one on the night 0 july and the other last friday night on the same night in july or the fire at fort hamtpon there was a disastrous fire at fart wadsworth the latest alre was at fort slocum on the david island in the sound sunday ight la each case there have been suspicious circumstances concerning the orfgen of the fires magazines barracks hospitals forage and even big sege guns have been destroyed and damaged in these fires and despite the most thorough investigation nothing is known definitely as to how the fires started the officers in command 0 fort slocum regard the fire on sunday night as suspicious and a court of inquiry I 1 has been ordered to make an investigation it is likely that an effort will be made by the commanding officer of the department of the east general fred D grant to sec whether the fires in i the had any connection I 1 with each other or resulted from a prearranged plan |