Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-11-08
NUMBER 40.
Coast Defenees.

| OF the I'd Inst, Is tlled with q very inte-
resting article oh the subject Of coast de-
fence, hom a historical point Of view,
showing what have been the results Of
maritime invasions at various times and in
various countries; and the deiences Of
| land forts against the invading fleets.--
We can afford room only for aammarS
notice - ti
In 1899, the English and French made
descent upon Holland, with fourteen
ships Of the line and Ten frigates, carrying
| |, 100 guns and lan9 force of $4,000
men. The Dateh naval forces were soon
overwhelmed. The defensive army never
reached above 2s,oce men, The allies
failed to get pessession Of 4 single strong
piaoe, and the expedition Was totally de-
feated.
In Isoi. Nelson, with thiTssaS ships Of the
line, Two frigates, and thirty five smaller
vessels, rhad6 an attempt upon the French
harbor of Boulogno, but was fcpulsed,
The English Walcheran expedition of
1909 was one Of the largest undertaken
during the French war 1t was Intended
to seize upon Flushing and Antwerp, and
and the defences of the river Scbeldt.--
The, attacking force oousisted of 81 ships
Of the line, 23 figates, SO sloops Sf war.
I2S gun, mortar, aud bomb vessels, 80
smaller vessels, 82 gunboats, innumerable
transports, and 4e, 900 men. Antwerp was
badly fortified, and had but a few hundred
men for garrison. The English landed on
the Island of Walcberen, and had laid
seige to Flushing. The defence Of Flush.
ing lasted is days, and part Of the feet
succeeded in getting past an their way to-
Antwerp, bhi the delay enabled the Dutch
to fortify Antwerp and gather defenders
there, and after months fruitless opera.
tons on the river. the English were finally
forced to retire and gait the coast !.
The following is gives as suhmary Of
the trials Of strength which have taken
place within the last ffty years between
ships and forts, fa
In 1902 considerable French s9uadroh
attacked Cagliari, whose fortifcations were
so dilapidated and weak as scarcely to de-
serve the hahe of Defence, After bonn!
bardment of three days the heet aban-
doned the attempt and withdrew. =
In 1794, two British ships; a, seventy.
four and d thirty two, attacked d small
town in Corsica, .defeRded by one gun il.
barbette, and only thirty men, and were
compelled to head off much damaged, and
with loss 81 life. The garrison did MOI
lose man. ri,s .0,at . e,f
In 1897, NelsoH, with eight vessels and ,
four hunded guns. attacked some weak
batteries at Santa Cruz, Island Of Tene:
rife, and was beaten on with u loss Of two
hundred and fifty mem, ,g7iae ~ > $500
In 1889, d French fiotilla of 52Ibrigs
and guhboats, manned with seven thou;
sand men; was beaten Oh. from the Island
of Maroon by an English fedohbt WITH
ten guns and two hundred and fifty men;
sinking seven French gun-boats. with the
English loss Of only ohe niah killed and
and three wounded. -.
In 1901, three French frigstes with six
thousand men were after a seige Of Ave
mouths, beaten OF from Porto Fefraro, id
Corsica, by ffeeen huhdred men, in badly
constructed forth.
In the same year, a French battery ,6f
twelve gHhs dt Algesiras, beat off an Ed;
glish Hoatihg force Of one hundred and
ninety-six guns. ~, 49,
In 1903, an English garrison 1T Dia-
mond Rock. near Port Royal Bay, WITH
fifteen ghns and one hundred men, re-
PEELED d French squadron of two 74s, d
frigate and d brig, Assisted by iand at
tack by two hundred men. The English
did not lose man, the French lost fifty
The place was afterwards subdued BY fam.
inc.
In 1906 French battery "a Caps Lfcos
sa, with 25 men and two guns. one Of
which was useless after the first FIRE, drove
off d British go gun ship and two frigates;
The Frehch bst hot d man, the attacking
squadron lost 81 heh killed and wounded;
In 1908 French land battery. heat
Fort Trinidad, drove off an English IA gtid
ship aided by bomb vessel, -, III,
In 1913 L6ghorn. with slight defences
and a weak garrison, drove of an English
squadton Of six ships and 800 guns, with
al aiding la1d force of 1000 men.
In 1914 tho Franch attehipted;. With at
80 gun ship, to dislodge the English from
small work, with only two guns, on the
Scheldt. Only one guh, a howitzer, coda
be brought into action by the Bhglish.
Aftet d Ave hours uninterrupted lombard
ment by the Frehch ship, she, was drawn
off with III killed and wounded The En-;
glsh gun was hot dismounted, and only
man was killed and two were Wounded.
These are the leading exathples during
the last century, Of, fesdlts of floating at.
tacks upon coast delences They seem al
most incredible to those who have not look
ed into Tie principles deducea BY Military,
scleIiee and experience ffoni the nature Of
the opposing fOrces.--N D. PicayHne. q
~ h---r---..+----.1- -;-----t ei'
RIB Hot sa5f, ,-Lwhsh red hSt shot
Iare fred tho ordHauee used is slesaIsd 70
the position desired before the gin is shot.
ted. The powder in the euii is kept from
explosion by means Of the waddiHg, Be.
tween the explosive substance and the