The New York herald., 1861-12-17
OUR COAST DEFENCES.
Important Communication from the
Mayor Gn tho IAarbor Defences, &c.
BOARD or ALrERMEN


This Board net ast evening, prssment Genet in the
chair.
Tho following communication was received from the
Mayor and referred 10 tho Committee on National
AGhgs--
MAYORS OFlor, NEw Yoss, Gee. i6, 1861.
70 TUE tIoSoRA THE G. Mmon COUNCIL
GRNnEafS-ihe present critical condition OF for
eign relations. NJ time when domestic troubles have
paired tho national strength, calls impera,iyey for
prompt and Judicious action desire awaken un.
necessary aarm, for have an mistaken confidence IN
sno unwayerng courage aud patriotism OF the people o.
Now York. What now is 10 DO done should have been
done years ago Cn the 4th OF February 1865 apprecn
thug tho insecurity of this city from forown INVASION,
iet my duty to call tlre attention e the Common touh
Gil to tho subject Of tho vast mpo Of securing tho
cRy from hostile attacks. The recomucn taons theron
contained are, In my Judgement, based on an rretn able
oandaon Of sound policy and thor reproduction now
called for by pubic emergency which admits OF no
delay
H.. OUR pEFGScEs,
"fp time Of peace prepare fr war; was tho advice of
. man who combined In an extraordinary degree tho
qualifications OF patriot soldier and statesman. Wo
should heed this fathery counsel and adopt with
romeo and Obedience II is peculiarly applicable at tho
present time TO this city Our geog aphcal position and
commercial importance woad make this the spot upon
which would be nraed tho boldest effort tho
most cllectvo power at the command of an enemy New
York OF al Atlantic ports would be tho object o attack
ey sea or land Even during tho late war with Great
Britain, when our capture would have been Of ritng
com aratiye national consequence tho special
object OF British vengeance which intended for the
attack which afterwards made upon Washington
ctty Indeed, IL difficult 10 conceive that any nation
With sufficient maritime force and military prowcss to
undertake cur subgaton would not make this city the
great point To which would be directed concentrated
eIort. Hence is well to remember the advice OF tho
Fathcr Of his Country and prepare for war IN mo Of
peace. fn la
is true that New York has not boen left unproteced
She il for from being entirely exposed Nature the
construction Of many well placed works make her.
now one Of the stronghelds OF America There much
error in tho public md regarding her present defcncrs
She has already in position more guns OF heavy cnbre
than ebasopoi had at the attack Of The allied armies,
hoo Pit IL
% accomplished necessary TO u complete defence Much
remains to be done in the way protection aud peven
iion from assault by the erection OF works Of peculiar
character, and in certain positions. fo this subject
nave given some thought AMI ves alton. Deeming it
mytduty and contemplating illusion TO 1t in this
mnnication have hd recourse 10 tio advice OF expo
rieuced and skfui officers whose knowledge Of military
affairs il entitled TO tho utmost confidence Major Gene
raj sandford whose intelligence and position give great
weight to his suggestions, has furnished valuable
randa, IN WHICH Lieutenant General Scott fully coucurs
In the Judgment Of these gentlemen the approaches
eho city Of New York, by tho Narrows Long Is,ud
Sound capable OF being thoroughly anu successfully
do. ended. Nature has done much u.s. and the pruc
pal points Of defence have been skfuy occupied BY The
Lasineer department Of the general government. The
batteries at tho NarroWs, with tho additional works
erected at the southeast point Of staten Island he period
Of the Oregon controversy the direction that ne
cOmplshed officer Coonei lee tho United States Err
neea. could be speedily pnt III condition to rendcrs
pass we'll manned too hazardous for any force az
tempt, especially when aided by such temporary oang
batteries as we could III by the of river steamers
aid other craft strengthened with timber and mounted
with guns Of large calibre.
General saudtord thinks that in addition to these de
fences at the Narrows the entrance the lower bay by
Tho main and Gedney channels shonld DO protected by
strong battery upon Flynn Knoll the Southwest Spit
and the attention Of the general government should be
drawn to this subject as such q work cannot be con
structed in time OF
The admirable work at Thrcg's Point with such tenn
pefay batteries as could be erected at H,lgatc with
natural difficulties Of that pass would prevent an, ap
proach in that direction; but the importance Of having
surveys and plans made under direction of the United
States Engineering Depa tment is suggested (we il can
DO done with due examination and delibcration and
copies deposited here as well at Washington OF sch
temporary batteries at He'lgate Us wouid enable us
70 avail ourselves in The best CT the local ayau
tages of the pass The NEST important point Of or %
fences remains to be considered In the event OF war
with England her immense marine OF armed steamers
and transports could concentrate ut Bermuda aud Ha
fax, and land upon the south side Of Long Island suf
ent force TO cross the island and take the
heights opposite 70 New York in a few hours
~, IS now matter OF history that this plan was actu
ally maturcd by the British government during the war
Of 1872 and would have been atcm ei but tho cree
ton Of the line OF deienccs from Fort Greene to Butter
milk channel n,er the direction Of General Swift and
tho call Of 26 900 Of tho militia Of the State into service
under tho orders Of Governor Tompkins The forco des
tined for this service aerwad attacked Washington and
taitmore, ana subsequently was defeated by General
jackson at New Orleans.
Our revolutionary history also reminds us Of the land
Ing Of tho British army at Graves nd Bay and Of the un
,uccesG resistance to their approach by Putnam
and Lord Sterling (who wero in command during tho
sickness OF General Grccne in consequence OF their want
knowledge OF the topography Of the country they
alod on 10 defend.
Bat now the immense steam navy Of England could en-
bie her to land nfy thousand troops on long Island with
and certainty than in 1914 sho could and ten
housand And the line Of deences which we then threw
and occupied is now covered by the city Of Brooklyn
nd, III case Of any Similar emergency, must occupy
distant, and consequently extended limo OF
ircumyaiation embracing the hills between Brooklyn
nd jamaica and resting upon Fort Hamilton on the right
nd Newtown Creek on the left.
Such line requires careful deliberate and skul OK
nnation, and should from its Importance extent
protected by few permanent works on its most con
)cuOuS ana Ct tmMandng yciatS, and with
gcs and the intermediate breastworks and Temporary
ttterice, would enable militia resist with cont
nee the vctcra OF the CrEca their ancestors did
no veit rams Of the Peninsula
II a therefore only necessary to provide the required
terror line Of protection and the batteries and other
,rks referred TO. so far the personnel required for
sstancc Is concerned city surpass in tho nc
ssary material from which TO make soldiers Wo boast
Tn sufficient grounds Of possessing some Of the best
tciplned militia corps in the Union. Nor s IL upon tn,
guar militia companies alone that we would rely at til,
ur of need Our almost countless target com, nni,s
n, companies, &c.-nada up Of brave ana noble men
no know net fear and never shrink from iuty-wouId
sent such an obstacle TO the entrance OF enemy that
tnce and England wond have good cause to hesitate
NDrc attacking.
e is with no vain boast that assert tha. no city has
hin itself population which sach time would
nee moro military spirit, both as to obedience OF or
and fearlcsncss of execution II would rally to the dc
fce OF TINS metropolis with successful force and
man, regardless of sect nativity party. New York
en- united is rrrsistibie and at such time human
;er could divide It.
again call the attention of the Common Council 10 his
otant matter and ask their immediate application to
proper department Of the general govcsnneat ror tho
;tp;al execution OF their views.
FERNANDO w0OD, Mayor.
resolGtion adoytcd complimentary to tol James
iugan the gallant defender Of the stars and Stri ca
rendering to INN tho hespitates Of the city.
no following statement from the Comptroller sh, W.
condition Of the city Treasury
nee beccmoer 1..,..t...........,,; 50 $50 ,139 80
,ipts .......,.................. 293 6lo AZ
e.
'tal. 1921 Gao Il
nents. .....................,,... $40 507 81
dance December 14.........,.......S H. SO T13 SAL SO
Bard concurred with the touucmcn to appro
3 To $25 600 for maintaining tho Central Park
ioard also corcurred with the Counclmen 10 dc.
so ,009 10 the Hebrew Benevolent Society-not more
one third 10 be used in The erection oi the building
Journcd to Thursday next
BOARD OF CoSNClLNEN,
uoN OF RESOLUTIONS CALLING rpoN GOVERNOR MORGAN
ORGANIZE THE MILITIA AND DEFEND TIE FRONTIER
IS Board met last cvenmg--the President Morgan
3 Esq., presiding The minutes oc the previous
ing having been read and approved, q number OF
portant reports were presented and referred
Lent offered the following preamble aud resolu.
ereas, lato advccs from Eorope seem to indicate
war between England and the United States is i'm.
Vt; and whereas, tlstant and clfcicnt prepa alton
he same time the best means Of meeting OF pre-.
lg the.ihteatencd emergency, be it, th refDre
oiyol, That we, the Common 9 uaGt Of th1 city Of