The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-05
NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY DECEMBER s. 1ssa-rR1p1E SHEET
The Military Defenees or New York;
TO fHB EDITOR or THE HERALD. W

WAsaroros, Nov. II, 1859.
beg leave 70 Offer . few remarks in regard 70 the
military defences Of New York, apropoe commuuica
non that appeared your journal o the 10th inst signed
TX )" upon that subjeci Such remarks are not do
aed BY any desire 10 and fauk with the communication,
which Is eminenuy sensible aud worthy Of attention l
seek only to point out TO correspondent that others
hong IN advance Of him, investigated the subject III
question: and 70 clear sour leading men, who your
respof dent thinks lido not heed OF cue
age" from the impua,son Of neglect In that regard
which, from ignorance Of the facts no doubt cas-. upoa
them IN his communication.
For two years the Notifications OF New York has,
been the object OF especial socitade on the part Of the
present Secretary Of War, Ex-Governor Ftoyeh who
examined them 10 person In the fall Of 1851 I've resul.
o. his investigation may be best judged OF by study OF
hs remarks On "The National Defsncss,o IN his annual
report 70 Congress Of December & 1858 [sea message
and documents, part 2, lS5S5s New YoRg HaRAiD
Il tmnk) December l2, 1855
That report was Of extraordinary holiness. promuI-
gated strategy and Fertilization which h4a
before been broacbcd, AZ home abroad, aud which
were IN direct oppo oo 70 those Of the Engineer Bureau
Of the army The Secretary assumed DOING heavy
responsibility II vi the time deemed BY nearly all
our engineer officers that be gravey mistaken.
dsuns engineer, Major Barnard, wrote pamphlet
the current Of public opinion which, nstinctively
set strongly IN favor OF the cheap defensive system
mended by the Secretary, and the similar, perhaps Dor
rowed, views that have been in British jour
mas IN regard 10 the defence Of that State, and above all
The events of The Italian war, which demonstrated the
ruth OF his warning, that the steam navics Of France
and England would furnish them with great additional "a
Critics for the land invasion Of other maritne States
combined to relieve the Secretary Of any anxiety he
may have felt on The Of the responsibility OF taking
the matter OF coast defence of the hands Of the En-
eineer Bureau But is right thai after assuming the
risk he should have the cred that attaches " the
he enteriaiDe upon the subject
These views which demonstrate the necessity OF pro-
vhng against desccnts upon 81 hostile armies
cooperating with steam fleets, and OF protecting New
York and BROOKLYN 10 particular from the calamliies
which would result from such descent Long Islam by
lice OF field works around Brooklyn" embrace most Of
the recommendations o. correspondent The chief
difference lies tbs, that the Secretary proposes
lily at present only the key points, Of the line leaving
the intermediate breastworss be thrown up when &C
casiop requires.
In conclusion let refer such OF your readeas as are
Interested ia this subject for full Information regard
it, 10 The herald Of February 10, April II August
OF the present year and 10 4 memoir by Lieut. Norton
Of the army on the Changers and Deiencs OF New York
CITY, which forms the twelfth document appended the
report OF the Secretary Of War ahove TO- whch
rs was recommended by the Secretary Congress may
be considered " be faithful exponent of his views