The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-02-17

OUR FoRTIFIoATIoNs.

En- Squire Ball
Union
OUR FoRTIFICATI0NS.
For some years past the action Of government on
this subject has been hesating degree approaching
indifference The adequacy of forticaons to resist pow
erful naval attacks questioned; their nsuffciency
almost aequiesced in. Hence coast deences meg
leced scanty appropriations at best were allotted to
their advancement sometimes all But the great
Of the last year Europe have shed light upon
the subject and have regret that the deences of
great and seaboard establishments have been
allowed to anguish that instead of most of them
being completed might easily have been the case the
powerful forts for the defence of Baltimore and Phadel-
phia hey West and Torlugas and San Francisco,
be said to be much more than begun; while the
works the Narrows Of New York. those for the defence
of New Orleans OF the Penobsco Of Hampton Roads, Of
Charleston Savannah and Mobile still Incomplete and
the defences New Bedford Whose shipping in the whale
trade 100000 tons and whose capital invested IN
that business alone eight and half millions
Of dollars) not yet commenced
While engineers have always admitted that the strong
fortress must in time fall before the pressure of land
attack provided that attack be made by properly appoint
ed army sufficiently numerous and sustained by artillery
superior that Of the fort they have equally maintained
that forts in good order properly and armed
viii always prove superior to any attack that ships can
make upon them Yet this last truth, plain that it is al
automatic, has been questioned and so befogged
by mistaken reasonngs and the citation of special
that the confidence Of people shaken and they
hesitated rely upon the massive walls of acoast
Notifications for the defence of exposed points from the
violence and insults of a maritime foe
Suppose fort to be attacked by land the beseger Ia
king f he succeed) bring the attack
superior artillery approaches the place in the covert Of
his trenches sheltered behind thick mound of earth
which round shot, shells, and hot shot alike bury them
against which they ike and
harmless he ceeps and nearer until he gets close
enough to bring his big guns bear upon the masonry
Of the walls; these guns convert the perpendicular
and inaccessible wall of forty feet in height into
of crumbling rubbish the scarp preached and the
way into the fort is open to assault But it is
with naval attack. Here there is no shelter for
the besieger His ship vulnerable in the highest de-
gree; solid shot win enter her sides distances
which her fire would be absolutely thrown away against
the thick walls of fort these shot be heated and
reaching the vessel red hot may fire to her they
pierce her shells will easily penetrate her sides and there
exploding, viii multiply destruction within her To such
diversified and formidable means of attack how the
vessel reply? viii she attempt fire the masonry
walls Of the fort by replying with hot shot? Will she
discharge shells against their massive thickness? If So
the shells viii be broken against the WALL but the wall
will remain intact There is nothing for the ship but to
fire solid shot cold And then it becomes contest be-
tween timber two feet thick and stone walls eight feet
Heretofore the contests between ships and forts may
been limited, secondary, partial want of preparation
vital defects the hand the other may have made
previous results nconcusve and unsatisfactory but the
recent demonstrations in the Baltic and the Black ad
init OF but Interpretation 1t will be wise if
profit by lesson which nothing and hasten
the ample protection which we now plainly see to
be within reach. If go to the Baltic, have in
Cronstadt fortified arsenal and naval establishment
its docks Tiled with magnificent ships, its storehouses
Astounding with all the munitions of war and witha
few miles beyond it. great imperial city crowded with
the nobility Of Russia adorned with the most magnificent
and costly edices of architectural art and teeming with
the wealth of and palaces These are prizes worth
effort They guarded by the Notifications oT Cron-
stadt six granite forts mounting 468 guns
watch the entrance These forts in respect better
than ours in particulars they known be in
erior For instance their guns having less aUrse than
ours, follow vessel much than half long
that is to three of guns in this respect good
FIVE of theirs Again, their embrasures ports
three and four times large ours consequently their
gunners three four times much exposed to be
struck by entering shot Nevertheless these forts
have eectuay deferred the allied fleets from the
semblance Of putting the question TO them.
Admiral Berkeley first lord of the admiralty defending
the ministry in Parliament against the charge of lettering
the Baltic feet by their instructions declared emphaca
y that the ministry had given that gallant admiral ina
pier, as bold and daring officer commanded
ship and whose family name conspicuous in the records
Of the English army and navy has almost become prov
erb for rash and headlong bravery absolute
blanche and afforded him every assistance and encourage
ment in whatever enterprises he thought proper attempt
He continued
The noble lord has asked why there been no bonn
bardment2 He Admiral b. knew the gallant officer who
commanded that fleet; he knew his determination for he
served under him. and he was certain feasible attempt
would have been left undone by him get the enemy
he was he felt like lion chatting in his den Ii was
very easy TO talk of knocking down Cronsadt but he
would read to the House Sir c. Naper
himself and from Admiral Chads who was known to be
one OF the most scientific officers in the service Here
what Admiral Napier said II has not been in my power
TO do thing with this powerful feet but attacking
either Cronsadt Sweabourg would have been certain
destruction. Admiral Chads says. After two DAYS in
specton from the lighthouse and full view Of forts
ships the former subs for the ships TO
make any impression They large of granite
Those fleets of formidable threedeckers and steamers
mounting s,726 guns with amounting to 30 $50
men, effected almost literally nothing The last news Of
under way for England The spirit Of the old lines
applies to them;
The fleets sailed up the Baltic sea-
The fleets sailed down again
Yet in numbers they had nearly gun, the forts
Now LET us look at the Black Here the fleets did at
tack sebastopo once and win from the.
count Of the engagement furnished by the United Ser
vice Journal Of England The fleets were engaged from
hapas' one to halpsst six Ton the nth October
The steamers and liners went to- dashed together in pairs
thus; Queen lis guns and vesuvius guns Vengeance
~. and Hgbfer. on nj nj