The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-11
our COAST DEFENCEs.

TIE yoRTIPICA1T0Hs NECESSARY F01 TIE rRoPR
ssxa1ea 8 lS56.-Rsad, referred 70 the Committee ON
Military Affairs, and ordered 70 Be prinsedl
War DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON, March !, 1866.
AR-Iu answer the resolution Of the Senate OF Feb
suay IL ls56 That the Secretary OF war b requested
% report to the Senate whether any and any, what
.Dce and protection Of the city and harbor Of New York.
"a q S fsd
for the Objects specined m the resolution
is sssa sro re e construct xn prs.s
That the treat Of Ia this case is to
sssAeh. With sds view the fortidca Cons originally
s5uc.ed in the harDor Of New York have long bees neg
ssestrg impossible barriers the great avenues Of
approach from the to the city For this purpose two
q TIE Narrows on the southern or ain channsi and
ne other sbout sixteen miles from the city, st rkeogs
Neck at the entrance into tho East river from Long Island
Sound. these be made paasabe to hostile Eeet, the
ssssit4ss resulting from land attack may be left with
sut much apprehension 70 the which win al
ass and IL not believed 10 be clsi ming too
0s pstotisu, ths si, and the vaor 0f people TO
Ssss a. Il the city Of New Yosl, an invading army win
Ave TO choose between the alternative Of captivity or
sgravs.
dered necessary for the city Of New Yor has relations
TO itS commerce, to internal eenmcnic snon ana me
naval operations the United States In oonnection With
- haThor Of New York such ~ probably 70 bring II
Within the purpose Of the resolution, and it viii therefore
b treated d In this report Proceeding then, to consider
tAe various works in the order Of their rea i've mpoe
taAee, would lMmend, first, the completion OF the
works newunder construction ss ssen s.ana a.a Inc
foct on wilkins Pein:, opposite Fort Schuyler on
Thsogs Neck. Third the eompstion and repair Of the
works In the hArboF OF New YORK. Fourth, the con-
saueton Of the fort Sandy Hook; and fifth, the
srueten Of .orks on the shoals beyond II shoald IL be
found practicable to erect Thorn at reasonable cost.
Dirscti ug attention to the mAin channel, ind
a the Nasro~s seven miles from the lower P Of the
sssse Of ~ dassse sv
70 elOse 1t against enemys heet AMI fulfil all the
quisenssts q tbs FIRST and great oSjsct Of dsfeace and
to the city sad harbor Here TOR the space
a mile, the channel is about mile wide. Favorable
this position s yet it Possesses thu die scvsntge Gin
connection with the object in view Of de2 water from
shore shore and being straight adts the passage
Of ships the greatest draugdt at all hou-s OF the day
and night in every condition OF the tide With al the
psdi.y that their CT propulsion can impart This
position selected accomplishing at comparatively
small eos1 the trst and great OBJ c. 10 view .. M
permanent works proposed for this end those finished
Forts Hamilton and lafayette on the Long Island
side Of The channel and batteries auSs5n and Norton on
Staten Island To complete the deieDces there rem ain
Staten Island the completion If Fort Rishmond whcl
IL nader construction and erection OF F-t rompkins
1al0 by the s ate of New York Nhen sn these perm,
mont works finished they will, with the additional
senporay and works TO ne thrown up wnen nos
tts imminent eectuaiy close this channel Of ap
yroaeh-
BY water berg incomplete the construction OF Fort Rich
and Of Fort roppkius claim attention rst and their
erection should Preceds tha. Of all o,hec works.
These crtfcations in addn IN TO protecting the city
asd hArbor Of New York against atack Dy WAGER,
abe southern avenue IF approsch limit to the BEACH Of
= ESd s,s under a.
Of Long Island which be approached by water from
Ne water Is shoal along the whole OF this beach, and
dces not admit the approach Of fest nearer than one
ne TO she shore The erection Of temporary batteries
and oshfr defensive must under such irsustaa
ces defeat any attempt to land even Euppcsng aid
or diversion from the water sde Even the hsayestgass
u the leet AZ the distance OF mile cou not destroy tha
satlories dive out the forces occupying them
The advantage would be decidedly in fAvor OF the
lens Rrse the exposure o. Inc enemy IN csowcea
DISASTROUS defeat. NO other position coult be 80 ayora
he 70 as for fong such an enterprise The proA nifty
nt and the distance from the shore at wich the Acct
must he renders IL vastly stronger than more disans
ndpg place which would, doubtless be sought IN pre-
srenee by enemy, either the south shore OF Long
Inland outside the rosdstead, or in Ioog island SOUND
greatly increased the facilities and probabilities OF
ssaek ey Eater by Long Island Sound The Esss river
Affords posr.isns susceptible cf strong defence The best
having Ia vies all the attained is at the
entrance from Long Island SOUND sixteen miles IF
e lower pert Of The city The plan OF defence for thi
position proposed tho erection Of works one each
side OF the enamel. That Tnro-'s NeckFort Schoy
lar, powerful workis nearly completed. Iha fort
posed TO be erected opposite Sort Schuyler on Long
Island has not yet been connsnced, and prompt
gsruction recommended in order complete the
ourity from attack on New York BY water from this
erection.
These works win not only accomplish tbs dsst and
principal sought for in the defense aud protecti
~ New YORK bat Will aid materially IL preventing At
tsek by land the bearing they have upon such eater
prise BENG eeAy shown in the report of Bssader Geae
~ 10 ten, Chief Engineer.
ne great errepgth OF Fcrt SCHUYLER aud the
CT the channel under Its guns readers the de
kee at this point probably than that by toe
main or southern channel the present condition OF
the works there; and appropriations are lot MADE at
the same TINE tor the addltiona forfihcatons required
both chsnnele that for the works the prin -pe
avenue should be made frst.
The works in the harbor of New York having already
hak ant -nto
the condition proposed by the Chief Engineer uot
The completion Of the exterior barriers shall have re
moved the possibility OF an enemys feet entering the
harbor.
The completion Of the works Just enumerated, 10 the
Engineer .hoe report 70 this department the subject
Of the resolution lie annexed TO this comnurct on to-
geher with such batteries and as cso
be thrown when hos tes tAreG wu 1t ia be-
Beved efectusy protect the city OF New York the
shipping in its har6or the city Of Brooklyn, tie
tack BY aset They do not dispense with Tie necessity
in THE of hosses, Of strong land iorcs Long
island, the occupation OF lines Of eonce thai
siaId and defensive Arrangements to prevent landing
Nor any stern Of defence BY fortcaoa or othe
means, dispense With them.
Earrows and Sandy Hook entirely without defence
Its occupa ion, b. snemys feet 70 WHICH IL Is nov
New York would interrupt tie interior water communal
cation with the Delaware; would rive him great scvap
mercantile and military and would deprive navy OF
the advantages to be derived from lis use for similar
purposes These obec however desirable TO be gained
may properly be considered Interior to the projection
uf the city from attack by water aud land.
To this roads'ead 20 use and 70 prevent
the losses and hazards following It's occupation by
enemy the entrance must be closed by forts suitably
places upon the shoals adoning the channels 10 advance
OF Sandy Hook, and upon the extremity Of that point
In many respects the general position JUS DESIGNATED s
the best for attaining the objects sought in f,ryng
the Narroys since fleet attempt TO pass 1t only in
rbe day Q during food tde and the ships must
sesearily slowly and cautiously through the chan
nels Except past the extremity Of the Hook they ud
Sra pA wOnhG sHhf ny1dn ri
Of divided attention during that time they
could attempt pass the ocs before sensing them
Bat rom the number Of chsnnel and tina character Of
the the shoals the complete defence of this po
siton would be very costly.
With he view OF keeping out enemy from the road
stead and securing IT 70 aad % prevent
sttemp to land at Gravessrd Bay The Board Of Engineers
projected two works these shoals in addition To the
temporary work TO be cd Sandy ok upou the
prA