New-York tribune., 1841-12-13

fortified 1t adds
The omission to wake the necessary appropri-
atoms, has prevented anything mere than partial
execution OF the plans for the defence OF the north
err frontier. Fort Niagara has been reported ready
for armament, and company has been ordered to
garrison il. So much has already been done at
Fort Oswego Is TO justify the belief that, at the
end Of the season il will be in condition FOR et-
fect,ve service. Under the appropriations made
in September last. for the defensive works ri De-
troit Buffalo and the outlet of Lake Champlain,
means have been taken select sites for their
struction which will be commenced as soon the
titles 70 th sc sites shall be secured.
In regard to the defence OF our Maritime from
tier, the Secretary observes that Board of Eng
neers was organized IN 1916 which has continued
in existence ever since and been specially charged
Will; the duty of preparing general system OF de-
fence for the scaboard. TIL. Board has made a
personal examnatonso OF every Larbor "a few in
last Florida excep;ed) accessible 10 .ea-goisg
sells. Its Reports, made frota time to time, embo-
dy aad develope a complete system of defence,
which has received the appreciation of Congress
and the country, and its execution may now be re-
garded as part of the settled policy of the coun-
try. It's eenlent, are, !. Naval forces 2 Forti-
ications; 3. Interior communications. Floating
batteries are not offered the cost being out of pro-
portion to their efficiency. A Navy, to afford
complete Defence should be superior to that of any
other nation with which We may come into cells
ion Steam vessels are the proper defences OF in
let's and harbors Of shallow draug ht of water But
we have many harbors at once cspous and easy OF
access; we cannot expect to compete with several
European powers in the extent al our Naval csab-
lshmcnts and the ou, resource left Us is tortiiy-
ing our harbors and road.teads. These are more
ing batteries; they less expensive, more dura-
bic, and require outlay in repairs utterly insis-
nifcant, when compared with the expense OF
maintaining ships and renewing them.
The positions along our coast where FertiRca
,ions are deemed necessary have been indicated
in former reports. An order of construction.
founded on their relative Importance and imui-
nencc, was early established and has been ad-
hered to- Great progress in the execution OF the
system has been made, ald most Of the works Of
primary importance, including the largest and most
expensive, are nearly completed About Sl4tsO,-
600 have been expended and s9000,000 more
will finish all but those deemed of minor import
auce, and which may be postponed without riskias
serious consequences.
,l,a Of
the system to completion and tho policy OF
making carly appropriations, so shat the Southern
works can be prosecuted during the present win
ter. Five steam vessels of light draught on the
of the Atlantic coast are deemed necessary oy the
Chief Engineer. New works at Willoughby
Point on Hampton Roads, Cumberland Sound
and ST. Simons Sound, Georgia, ard Pelican Is
land and Pasan Heron, near Mobile, are recon-
mended. The Report continues;
A third element of great importance in the con
sideration of the detences of the sea-coast and OF
the northern and northwestern frontiers. consists
in the facility and rapidly of interior communlca-
TONS They are strictly means of defence, and
incapable OF being perverted TO any purpose OF
conquest, a feature which comHends them to
every friend of our institutions The facility at
forded by the ocean 10 movements fer purposes OF
attack is met by facility OF movement on land,
furnished by the triumphs Of genius and art IN the
application of steam-power TO land carnage ana
in the construction of heightened lines OF canals.
The speed with which troops can be moved oo-
viates the necessity OF embodylng large masses OF
them at any point; and the amount OF force re-
quired for the defence OF any gwen post would
consequently. be diminished in proportloR TO the
reduction in the necessary 10 concentrate Ii.
The whole force along the whole line may be
rendered available for the defence Of any point in
that line; while without such means 81 communi-
cation, a separate amy would be- required at each
CITY. harbor, or military post that was tc be de
Tended This may be illustrated by facts within
the knowledge of all. Troops may now be brought
from New York TO the city OF Washington IN
eighteen hours in cenditicn requiring little or
no repose 10 fit them for Immediate action Ana
the whole physical force of the poPulous country
between those points may be concentrated at any
intermediate place in few hours Were Phlla-
del,hia assaulted or threatened, movement OF
military force from Pittsburg, which but short
time since would have occupied from twenty TO
TWENTY-FIVE DAYS. could now be accomplished IN
FIVE Similar illustrations are furnished by varl,us
railroads and canals in different parts o! the
country And as the great secFet OF success IN
war is supposed be the ability 10 oppose the
many TO the few, it is evident that, In any deien-
sive operations, we shall be able TO compete WIN
and 10 conquer any probable force that an inva-
ding enemy could bring against that portion oil our
territory which is intersected by these interior COM
mun;cations. Another consequence OF no little
moment flows from the same cause: the power TO
Jes.pd ourselves with armies Of very diminished
numerical force compared with those which have
heretofore been necessary in our national coniiIcts'
or those which are usually employed on the ku-
ropens continent.