The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-11-02
ARMAMENT OF sEAooAsT BATTERIES.

Ma EDITOR; II is said that a board of officers has been
ordered to assemble Washington for the purpose of es
tabshing the cabre and number of guns entering into the
armament Of our seacoast batteries Heretofore this arma
men has been regulated after the fashion OF nan-owar OF
one two, three decks Fort Pickeus in this harbor
may be considered wo-decker for il presents the
channeronts two tiers of gunsone in casemate and one
en- respectively with the gun and
spar decks of rgate Fort McRee the other side Of
the channel is threedecer having tiers
and one en- barbette Now in frgaes and ships-ohene,
obviously necessary in order preserve the centre OF
gravity that the spardeck guns should be of lighter cabe
than those Of the first gun deck and again lighter
than those of the lower gun deck but the necessity
does not exist in fort for the only grary in danger Of
being disturbed would be that of naval critics in observing
the landubbers whilst they armed their forts like ships
Castle MeRee has 42pounders in the first tier Of
mates 32pounders in the second tier and 24-pounder
babette President Jackson with his usual sagac asked
the writer why if 42-pounders the effective
guns they placed in every tier of the work. The
only that could be given was that board of Off
GERS had determined otherwise and the
fixed and all of important works that began show
some signs of Wilderness after years of ardy construction
were furnished accordingly
proposed years ago but received response that
8 and l0-nch columbiads and those OF IL inches
should compose the chief part of the Of
great and little forts whether placed in Classmates
Following the old Yauban and other ancient masters,
engineers provided s and l2pounders for the land
fronts These professors of the of defence seemed not
know that whilst the old Vaban Co had reason for
what they did, their American followers had Nau-
ban and the ancient masters had to defend their fronts OF
attack fortresses which covered inland cities and from
tiers and they provided OF cabres assimating
with IL, 49, and 24-pounders being equal if not
superior in calibre to that which besiegng army could
drag along with it bad roads and from great dis
But the siege of an inland fortress is very differ
ent thing from that of maritime The latter is sui-
GENTLY the for guns Of the heaviest cabre TO be
landed and used in preaching the walls Hence it is evil
dent that land front could be easily destroyed unless
heavy guns those presented by the besieger OPP
posed the attack and yet in face of this obvious truth
of works if not all of them exposed to be be
seged by land, provided with few pop-guns of IL
and spounders placed in the bastons This is the arma
ment of the front of attack Fort Pickeus An enemy
superior in naval means could land l0nch guns St
Rosa island, and placing them in battery at 800 yards
the of the gacs plough up and destroy
the glacis and rampar and break down the scrp wall
and scatter the materials amongst the garrison who would
remain powerless with the IL and lspounders provided fol
their defence The breaches made would be so practicable
of assault that the garrison would not be justified in resist
ing for a moment
Here important work. constructed at great expense
and designed to protect great naval depot left in sucl
condition by those adherents of old Nauban Co that
would be able protect ITSELF exposing its garrison
be beaten out of it in hours after enemy had ar
ranged his forces and batteries.
If the present armament be not condemned and one es
tablished embracing guns of the heaviest cabre for tn
land as well for the channel of ortihcatons
would be better blow those works up than to leave
them exposed TO be captured and occupied by en-
envy.
The adherents of Messieurs Nauban 4 Co should rec
oect that Bis peccare belio lic and that din hos
tile operations to be prevented by much eau
ton as il it rrerievable.'
WIN II, CHASE
Major of Engineers.
Pensacola, Oct % 1851.