The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-10


bs asthorised.
ALLOW me to call your attention to the state Of
our defences on the sescosst.
Shortly after the Termination Of the last with
Great Britain. . Board Of Engineers was organized
10 prepare system of coast defence.
This Board recommended that fortidc atoms be
cenitIucted a. number OF points on the sea coast.
and on the Northern lakes Their recommendation
was adopted, and its execution was commsnced,
first, by repairing and enlargng such OF the old
works - we're deemed worthy OF preserv alton; Sc
copdly, by the construction of new works. besa-
ming, of COURSE with those that considered the
mott impor ant,
ALTHOUGH doubts have been occ asionaly expressed
whether some Of the works proposed by the Boacd
might not be dispensed with, and whether Others
were not on scale unnecessarily large, the works
recommended by IL slowly but steadily advanced,
and until the year 1850, Congress never failed.
cspt In single instance, to provide tho necessary
means for prosecuting them. In the last mentioned
year, no appropriations for Qualifications made,
but the House of Repre- sentatyes adopted Q rssolu
ton directing the Secretary of War to- submit. &C
their next session, report on this subject. That
report was submitted, but no action was taken on
it, and no appropriation was made.
1t is believed that this omission was caused by an
opinion which eeems to prevail, that tho system
adopted by the Board Of 1916, If not originally too
extensive, has become 80 in conseque noe Of events
that have since occurred, and ought to be revised
ard restricted.
In that opinion I concur and in the report above
mentioned, expressed the opinion that many OF
the works embraced in the original plan might and
ought /, BE- dispensed with
The subject 10, undoubtedly, worthy Of all the con-
idcration that Congress can bestow upon IL. and it
is to DO hoped that they will, at an carly period,
adopt como mode Of revising the plan, and Masking
any changes in it which the present circumstances
Of the country may seem to them to require.
In the meantime, however, there are . numbero
works which have been commenced, and are in Va
riOus stages of advancement, but the prosecution
which Is suspended for the want of the necessary
appropriations. Most Of these works highly im-
LAl,r s~An Al e. L. ~
principal seaports and naval stations. viz Boston,
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk,
Charleston, Savannah, Pensacola, Mobile, and Nov
Orleans, other points Of scarcely less Importance.
Whatever difference Of opinion may exist IS TO
the extent to which the system Of forsifcations
should be carried, all must admit that expense
should be spared to render points like those above
mentioned absolutely impregnsble by any force
that may be reasonably expected to be brought
against them.
/ hereto append statement of these unfinished
works, showing the amounts required to complete
them respectively, and the sums that could be sd
vsntsgeously expended on each of them during the
next fiscal year, and earnestly recommend that Con-
gress be urged to make The necessary appropriations
with view to the completion If not Of ALL Mt least
OF the most important among them ut IS early pc.
Rod practicable If this be not done, tho large
sums already expended on them will in many cases
be lost
Among the works recommended by the Board
which have not yet been commenced there are seve-
raj which appear to me of obvious necessity re-.
fer particularly those designed for the protection
OF New Bedford. and of San Francisco, both Of
which are now entirely defenceless
II is also the opinion Of the engineers that
work at Sandy hook. fer the protection of the outer
barber OF New York necessary to complete the de-
fences of that city.
Congress also omitted the last two sessions to
make the usual appropriations for the purchase Of
the heavy ordinances used in coast defence IA this
description of ordnance is generally intended for
Notifications it has been the practice to estima.e
for it under the head Armament Of Forti6ca-
tions 1t is hardly necessary to observe, no wever
that 1t is an indispensable part of any system Of de-
fence that may be adopted, aad that the fewer tho
fortifcatons the greater the quantity that viii be
required
marks contained in the report on Notifications
above referred to:
Whatever policy may be adopted with reference to
fotfoatons it will still be necessary to provide much
larger supply ofordnanoe than have on hand By
reference TO tho report FROM the head Of the Ordnance
Whole number Of guns, Of all calibres now hand,
whether n the forts in the arsenals amounts only to
tire number OF guns that be mounted in the forts
aread, completed GLASSES and b amounts to 4572
Should be completed the total number II guns that
would then be required for all the forts would be 6093
hand very Inadequate the present wants
the service will observe toe that even IL Congress
this would obvists the necessity large
In ths supply Of heavy ordnance Some means Of dsencs
employed
any system that may be adopted
1t appears too the reports hereto appended that
the great naval powers Of Europe have wi hin few
years past greatly increased the csbre Of the
mounted on their vessels Of war This renders it obv
ouy necessary that the power Of the batteries intended
believe it the opinion OF all ocers both Of the Amy
and navy who have devoted much attention 10 this sub
ns % sna
substituted glance ct the report Of the Ordnsnss
Bureau viii sho. how deficient We are in the h..vy DE-
oounbiads the most effective weapons against vessels
that demands considerable time; and they impsr
sbsbe when properly taken Of there Is no good
reason the should not ct once provide
In oonDe ZION With this subject would venture to
lery among the militia Of the States and Territories.
Our people are more deficient In the knowledge Of this
arm than Of sny Other and yet the one that woad
If standing appropriation made applicable 20 the
distribution Of artillery and Of the book artillery
much to promote the knowledge OF this essential
branch Of the military art among the citizens Of the
country.
which have devolved on the Department during the
present year, is the execution OF the works known
as the river and harbor improvements.
The DuDber Of works for which appropriations
were made by the act recently passed, is nbous one
hundred: and the sum appropriated about two mil
lions and quarter The appropriations, however,
will only, Ia q few Instances, be sufficient to
plete the works for which they were made. By far
the greater number will require additional. and
Of them very large additional, appropriations
to complete them. Il is to be presumed that. even
fCongres should not see 1T to continue the syste n,
and to provide for other works of similar chArAc
ter, not included in the present act, they will at
least finish tho works that have been begun.
deemed it, therefore, Of the utmost Importance
to make at the outset, such permanent arrange
nents for the execution Of these works a, would,
far as practicable, ensure the faithful, juioious,
and economical application OF large sums OF money
that have been and may be Appropriated for thss
works to the imports pur possfor which they
intended
Experience has shown that for works Of this d..
sc-iptioD, In which large sums are disburssd, and
which require for their execution . combination
science and prastjcA skill, 1t is, rs a general rule
ssfer TO rely on officers Of the army (sidei when ns
cesssry by civil ss,s,auti) than civil agents o.