The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-04-19
Alilitarp affairs.
Our Sea Coast Defcnces.


for March contains some interesting facts rel
atvc to our sea coast defences. Beginning
in the eastern part of the United States, the
writer of the article alluded to gives us the
designation and location of each fertilization
upon the coast around to the Mississippi, to-
gethcr with the lake offences on our north
ern boundary. In addition to this we have
an account of the number of men necessary
to garrison each fort, the total number of
guns now mounted in each, the amount of
money already expended upon and the "a
mount necessary to complete each Of the forts
enumerated. We think the writer has omit
ted one fort on our extreme eastern border.
at Easport, Maine:
The first fort enumerated in the article in
Putnam is Fort Knox, at Bucksport, Maine.
Situated at about twenty five miles from
the mouth of the Pcnobscot, at a marrow"
IN the river it completely prccludcs the pos
sihility of passage of hostile ship. There
have been expended already $l30.442 and
5000 600 more are required to complete it
according to the original plan.
Portland (Me) harbor has been prepared
for partial defence by the two forts. Scanned
and Preblc. built at an expense of Sill ,l37,
and mounting III guns. To complete these
works s. 800 is needed.
Forts Mckinney and Constitution command
the harbor of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
They mount in the aggregate but 80 guns,
and were completed at AN expense Of $3S,
273.
Boston harbor and city are defended by
three forts and two batteries, mounting in
all $50 guns. On these an amount of 81 ,6SS,-
l63 has been expended, and $l24,573 are
yet required to complete them.
New Bedford Mass has one fort Of ii
guns, completed at an expense of SIS 900.
Fort Adams commands Newport, Rhode
Island. 1t mounts 464 guns, has already
consumed Sl,GGl ,343, and requires $50 900
to finish it.
Fort Trumbull is the defence of New Lon
don, Connecticut, mounting SS guns, and
completed at an expense of S250.94l.
New York is defended by seven forts and
four batteries. These in all mount 1000
guns. To carry these works as far towards
completion as they at present arc carried has
cost 50 81 ,4G4, To perfect them 1891 ,52G
more are required.
Forts Delaware and Alifflin, on the Della
ware river, are provided with 2O4 guns.
There has been expended on them the sum
of S62l 9l3, and S5S2,O00 will be required
to complete them.
Fort Monroe, at Old Point Comfort, and
Fort Calhoun, Hampton Roads, have 595
guns. have cost S4,O61 ,4G7, and require We.
.SO4 ,332 to complete them.
Fort Washington, on the Potomac. and
Severn and Madison, at Annapolis, mount in
all l33 guns. They have cost 1896, 1858
The first two arc completed. the last rcqui-
res yet an expenditure Of $50 900.
There are two forts prepared in part for
the defence of Baltimore Carroll and Nc
Henry. They mount 233 guns, have cost
1881 SOB, and require an outlay of $SG5 900
yet.
There is Il fort (Alacon) OH the coast of
North Carolina. at Beaufort. 1t mounts GIL
guns, and has cost S4G0. 100. To finish it
So 900 are needed. There is another at Oak
Island, Smithville. Fort Caswell, mounting
81 guns. 1t has been nearly completed at
an expense of SSH ,22l. 1t will require ST.
600 to complete it.
Charleston South Carolina. has three forts
-Pnckncv, Moultric, and Sumptcr They
have 225 guns, and have been thus far COM
plctcd at an expense of S19j,7lS. 1t will
take Sl50000 to fill out the original plan of
these three forts.
Forts Pulaski and Jackson dominate the
Savannah river. They have lG4 guns. and
have cost 81 003 $50, and need an cXpendi-
ture Of 1000 more.
On the coast of Florida are seven forts from
Cumberland Sound around to Pensacola. On
the ramparts of these are O4l heavy guns
These forts have cots S2,4l0.32l, and vet
require for their completion the sum of So
2l3, 500.
Forts Morgan. at Mobile Point, and Gaines,
at Dauphin Island, coast of Alabama, have
22l guns. They have cost 81 232 $50, and
need yet an expenditure of 100000.
There are seven works of defence on the
coast Of Louisiana. They have in all 446
guns. have cost $685., l0l and require
S1l5, 500 to complete them.
Forts Wayne, at Detroit, Porter, at Buifa-
10, Niagara, on Niagara river, Ontario at
Oswego and Montgomery, at Lake Cham
plain, have an armament Of $40 guns. They
have cost $6l2 $50 and require now 1858 GAO
to complete them.
Thus we have of batteries, castles and
forts on our whole coast sixty one, For a
war garrison for all of them they require 80.
400 men: they mount 6,lS9 guns; they have
cost SCI ,272, 1856; and the amount required
to complete them is S6,43G, 732.-National
LteHieencer.