The New York herald., 1862-04-24
Important Report of the Military
Committee of the House.
The Utter Uselessness OF Stone
Eortiheatiocs.
What the Military Committed
RecomINend, 4.
Ac A &c

tnem to "examino the whoL system Of permanent
ssnu.' s the country for In purpose VI ascertain
20 iepel the improved means K attack, and to report
tg,snrwise have gvsnt ais subject crela "a
til, ana Instructed 10 sUbmiL the loloWnl
pyr. ana accompanying bhI-
.AhF ulhefasty 20 all attacks Xeept those OF an
tf&ordnary character ia ths IN ,st perfect insuri
astainable by a poWerfui ana nos cefui nation aga
tho calamity OF war An stn ok upon &
nl.tsry nation, to be dapgsro u, requires
TOT preparation, and thus aT,r Is time for
P~1'ns 'iargs means OF defence. Hence It
:veI peer the aim of military encju eers to const
rontier deienoes competent ouy ,o ,sist the grsa
snorts which could be made srddeplv by the forcs
iinariiy at the command oT nowsrn,, rival nato
oAhs care that the fortiicst!ons shorId DO capapl
o4Argenent TO any desirable extent m making
aoraihAry delences is usually left to the occas
'hlch demand them II il not safe. how, yer, for
81 TO forget that, as the science yesIn 4, populs
na power OF leading governments incrss Sc, 50,
sst, ultst thc strength Of this ordinary ds euces
reased; nor must it be forgotten Tint vo,E, incap
oemg carried by sudden assault one y- n may
s~ applications Of science and OF mechai o. j arts
,ita Vulnerable tho next.
To aid the HeIse IN forming an t,.a,,i,.,. idgn
'on the merits OF our present system ~ s-o ltieI
lce5 The committee have coilectcdand appende fhe
Verai leading reports Of army engineers ami ms val
~, ana also ths; Of Secretary Cas- urou tb1. uh
these reports elaboratcly discuss tho subject oi
% ue'encos, III ail It's varied bearings, with !
ished ability and they arc scarce aud dtlac, Il
eain The printing OF extra number OF them s 81
reooinlAended They are worthy Of the attentive
letatloh OF every military man 10 the republic
ch cons liberation may lead to profitable suggestions
FIRST pEfESoEs.
VI dfe lew sSa coast iOrtifcatons built 4
ring the Revolutionary war, few remain and al a
Most OF the harbors On the Atlantic ulf frontier
,re snpliied with small protective works after ,ht
BAKING out OF the French luton of lTse this ia a.
fences.
sEoosp sYsTEx OF DEFENCE
rfor 10 the war Of lSl2 appropr were made esx
uicat.ons Nand there was not town of any mag,li-
40 upon Inc coast NOT provided with moro bee-
PES these works called 'sthe de.spces of t,o
ond system, and though much better than the first
ae, says General Tottsn, smal and weak > .'bsing
t. Tor The sake Of present economy of cneer ms.sr
s1e workmanship, wero very perishnble." ''The
srnment aware OF this weakness. called out TO their
pport, during the war; vast bodies of militia, at
| Geld works
rns in aeauacy of these small works even when aided
large bodies Of militia, and She large cost ef fe and
,osy tier aS-aknsss occas,cned, demanded and
! ved attention the closed
4 THIRD SYSTEM OF nETESCEs.
rbe creation OF the present. third system OF frontier
fences ihus described by General Toten Chief Ensi
or United States Army
rhe with England hsirs over he gov.rnms prenp'
entered upon se.a Of coast defence IND 70
y end osrd Of engnsefs VAN S ~
chez ensaeer and sancoa q the secreT ef Wa.
The course OF sgecati6n, and as we shall se. wei
,es included positions for dock yards, naval depos 6e
wal oGcer OF rank ans experence were assor @ =,
,ePors and 9ost nss ,So,.n M, s
sins kf,erwars they sucienl In advanes oi he
ecutcn ysen apply most OF thsir ni.n 10 ho
ors p IN rare aes il has hs penea d s s Plan s
been m4ss sndeT ~ dcaT ne AZ o. dASns
ssy ssrssa members o fom her ndidna.
er sc INTO classes according their view Of the rels
s san q s e The
VI Jae system with the exception OF ONE cass n & =
s e@ scC. .dS,eS 0l 81 he board Tor r
tor.ihcations nade annually % Cons.ess ne IN ~
~, ,n pT wne en Ba, since Mah s. ISL tho approp
peep p1 spTs ; 1s 1eas @ eery new S
bel ing made he object of app p. T ~ 4 TX
spscial Of Congress- upon reeommenoa'i'" - wa sum
sy ooniss sx,Ss AND NODE OF rus DEFENSIVE sYsrSS.
Tn. csnmittee cannot better set forth the neshs gay
mode recommended by ths Board Ct Eng'nee!s 80. vi
defence OF tho maritime trontsrs oi me e; Sne"
and adopted than by employing tne louoTins eA'rae
,roro raporl made In 1926 hy General Be:nsfd Ahe
toloas. To.ten members of he board:-
We proceed consider the means soG he %Sse ss rs s'
Sat 70 adopt The means OF defenc; for the seaooIa
,6s s6axs Sn'a rs navy second fcdcaon, third iero
y sad and 1n s'er s and nSy .SqTa; ms BE pso
rssy ,,ss nna n Te sas construction and re
"a ra'r ss Nv foraes,oSs deicned ~ resT .toc
End na .ad supp r5 E,,n 's Being I he Only srso
OF oaensve force compatible with our POLE ne @ -
mar Which i,s early achievements have proa sec an
which is nigh destiny WI ssd an Snare HEN
Our military and commercial marine Second Hust a. pt'
sa eseay ( g. AL aTb 1i5Ga5 a aar
ms alau himself during the war ana kee ,as , Mo ~
& Hsr IN FSarah must prevent ble n
sntra1ss into tie ocean Fifth tn GOES
wise interior navigation by closing tn, @ nat & ~ c ~
runrs ION And thereby further aid the navy IN Fnte ~
.ne nsya a1sabshmcn,s Iaerior commun
sonGuct with certainty te aece s,Ty sapps. o anu u IN
taSshments FOR construction and rerair Tor " e Use oun
The sis q. tsSenrao ahs sSs q a Tar
u troops from 10 nt % another ,s i,I T. s
paired tie Interchange OF dones,ic zen & %
Pi9n Iore.her ~h the marine, constitute the vital pin
ole OF the system From thi- seich y oAnt
rous reciprocal relations with each oiner, ano Wiz .
whole constitute its excellence. One clement - @ s'ar
more teoendent on another than the whole = stem : ~
one Withdraw toe navy and ne defence becomes % I'M e
I'm and lie navy cease In measure, 70 D. ac'
ior tf Ta for want OF timely rein crcem ns
draw forti6catons and there remains only sca''e'eu
w,.h ,v., sxp.risnoes or the Disadvantages Of Zee
,ro,ected frontiers, the United states though aoo
under the burden OF hsavy seo, nm coss Of the
Tbe po,rd OF Engineers who planned the present sys
was constituted for that purpose a. tns v'ry s' s's
az Congress after pea was proclaimed
rjsts az the fortincatons proposed 30 be construs
under the sew systsia, together with estimates oi
peace and war gsrrso,ns &c, Sis ,sb ,his
TIE interior communications desired oy so.erhI
were mscadanized roads. one from Wasains'Un ,
along the Atlantic coast 10 New orleans, another
,yssn the same points but running oy tns wsy ol NJ
vile another from Nov Orleans, by the way .l ieh
and ksrtuCky, TO buHhio anu lakS
Srorn Cumberland 10 ST. louis. These with the ordil
,oad, Of III. country .t was supposed would gre
y.eitale tho mov0msnt Of uoots and suPp,iss, y, y,
.,.n, az var ~ tic fortiicati0rs and naval dspos
ths several water frontiers. Neither or tho Tour
svsr built though large sums OF money ce.pei
90 the last named before . was nnaly ao.nooncu'
In The detailed plans some errors were thaae W
occasonsd some nrdlcioIs x2snditarss on tne ior.
tons These are md Gated IN the following rsnis IS y
Sn report OF one Of tbs sngussrs in 1sol'--
In planning the aew works sests 70 have ooea 's. ~
rr araDed many Insurance.. that esch w0rk nust ue
n saf without chance nf succpr from forces oefzuh
~. vear and HANKS Work thus cousi uc.i 70 80
sies. from ten afiy days, ~ tne midst ot a pnPuA
rom which relief the inycEtsc work could be draw
tw.nty tour hours The expansive srrn cement OF
Land defences have greatly iucre.'~ re cys o nc
slreaay from their uaure costly, abd a. hls Gay
,Ls s1rprl.s Of the professional examiner acquainted
.he vas, Of cot serA defence ossessed ~ the VI
Htatss that anything should nave ueen required
most security against assault ~ escal
But on the whole thsre to he little % regret
chs contrary ths engineers seem 70 have shown rsm
bic ccmps,snce and spt,igdc tor thor extensive aud
rssysusibls duties.
since the initiation Of the tnrd system VI troniiS
Sopcss forty six years have rassed away In that p