The New York herald., 1862-04-24


many 'ron-Oisd any natior. without sxsi
ordinary esor co.ld readily concentrst. agalns. "a
1. The creation OF adequate rIeans 10 eN Nuo 'lon
hhreols hostile Snaps, armored vessels incla ~ inaa
2 The providing of suitable means to detA d inNsu
armies on shipboard, when near important ol's
hcont time to enable army of tho unitsd s a'es 70
transported to the rnnt assaulted u
| ). The construction Of channels in which cOhH'
gnnboats from the Gslf Of Mexico mp ,he Miss'A pp -
Illinois rivers and from the Atlantic up "a en
son river into the lakes; and from one lake IN -
other.
The of fortress on the river ST. Law5a 'c
or AT inc foot Oh Lake Onsario, Of capacity AID psN
fully equal ,o or superior 70 that at Kingston the
posite shore, also fortcatons the Niagara or at 5
foot Of Lake Erie, of equal capacity
g. The construction, for tie protection of the Pacific
ocean frontier, OF first class military communication
between the river Missouri and the bay Of San Fran
cisco.
o. decided increase 10 means OF building aud rs.
pairing vessels-ow war OF manufacturing, testing and
repairing ordnance anu small arms OF all grades and Of
making and testing proeces of all kinds and for every
branch Of the service.
The duplication enlargement Of the military and
naval academies m datey after tfs extinction Of .he
rcoellon and the re-es iishment OF peace And
s. The constitution and permanent 1aaintenance Of
army and navy sufficient IN numbers and excellence TO
command respect both at home and a5read-s respecs
based reasonabs OF pk cal ability
promptly ropress domestic insurrecton and TO repe
foreign aggression.
Your coInmistee invite special attentG, 10 each Of
these points. They VIII be considered in their ORDER
In 1851 after careful survey Of what had been done
one Of the engineers declared in official spor that
an examination proved that the United Stass this
This probably no longer remains true but, If sei true
Il is none the less important 20 to know whether
fortfcations have sufficient strength to endure The
dern tests to which, in the event OF war With rst
class maritime Power, they would be instantly subjected.
whether in addti to protecting themselves, they
shield from the assaults Of clad vessels the cites in
tho adjacent hsrbors And this brings to the
alton of tha most npor ant point in system OF deencss
construct cd for the protection OF a water Iconer.
STRENGTH rIEsgST roRrnICAIosS.
l. VIII the fortincations COZ sructed by the United
States our Atlantic Pacific Gulf and lake frontiers
n WE iyef az INF
morsd ships-otwar from harborsy Could the orts.
even we arrsoned and heavily armed With the best
ordnance hitherto in the service prevent by day and
night the entrance II irsnclad vessels ch as
are now maintained on European peace establishments
INTO either one OF our haroors and from shens he city
located within IL!
IRoScfAp STEAMSHIPS or WAR MAY RUN Wy rosrs
II WAS very clearly shown by Lieutenant Dab gren o.
The navy, (in report made by him in 1851, that
skill u naval commander of powerful feel OF steamshi
of the line cosld pass into the inner harbo OF York
tsef ia despite OF The utmost opposition that cold be
made by the forts located at the Narrows. Your
mttee do not believe that the Increased weight range
since given to ordnance placed III important
forts has increased the effectiveness Of the forts to
greater degree than the armoring OF steas s has in
creased their power Hence il consiered
in the highest degree probable that IL in 1851 ioet of
itoncad steamships Of ths line could force into
New York harbor, especially if ther Commander
wiling 10 sacrifice few of them to effect the passage
o. Of sriEorel steamships by similar sacrifice, (and
probably single ones without sacrhce), achieve
SYSTEM nEpENcEs pEERcuIvR
Here thsn, is the FIRST defect present system OF
frontier ueenc6. IL - vulnerable The fOrttnCationS
cannot shsld the cities they built protect they
cannot protect the objects they specially designed
shelter against the assaults of few vessespor-
aps, not against one Or tHc.
80 far as can now be dscernod cannot rely our
rtdcations FOR reasonable protection they canno.
icieny strengthened TO be effective then they must
superseded by what can be shown 10 be adequate. A
nedy FOR this defect should found without uuneoes
delay; our cities csnnot be left open 10 sudden in
sons rom every petty princpeity which has money
redit enough to build or bsy ron-cad ship. We
lot fail to perceive that hereafter leading maritime
lain la N nrf fta.,..x
establishments, fset OF vessels not only able 70
our forts unniurcd. but, armed With the fifteen and
ynch guns now likely 70 be introduced, able, pro
70 defnoil'h me Forts In all ages Of the world
zion and rapacity have fornd occasion to- pluudsr
= elsss cities TO be able to maintain our indie
= 'e 10 live ~ safety, and to preserve peace, our
- deiencss must be ADEQUATE to afford protection
70 all attacks, except those of unusual ma extra
- ~ powef.
ADDITIONAL DgYxNcTs.
Oh aoy the Venledyin2 Of the defects OF oar
ob system OF dsfsncss which Teccu : eyanis
eVeaied 10 Us, will not necessarily, be vsry
Asa ve. fhe remedy may possibly be lound
a w additional forts, in armoring with iron
, tn o!d ahd the new oneE and armina thea with
hc~a ieit ordnance a.ainable b. art. Besides shcss
nIAs may be found necessary g. add r0n-clls asat
basA .is ana steam rams in AID OF tsforts apc alzs.
ms uahger To aDrhor RATS entirety across shs
ant1 saling into the harbors, or close them gi.h
iaGas es. The RATS properly placed yssnli ~ sgs
srsr OF hostile vessels when IL front OF M ferss
IL, ~ oIrect ite Of their gus Thus de-iined. The
as retire o:-"onsen, 10 he destroyed; for IS not
II bsA tlat snip csr BE- constructed possessing as
ah ef "a car Ia sives. - first class fo.tfcatsn
s ps'e . OF reiod ct engineers means obs.rz
a.sbSA ), iSsreto nsxed.
'ossibly an sntrciy system of do.snses may BE-
nd bes1 tiiss how ever, is scarcely 10 eypsc.sd
n in tisa ago ws ndsrfut mechanical csntr srcrs
ing pu-sl Vrsstso OF engineering, amt tho unasd
ties hasTg & sots Of engineers and &C naval cslG ~
ner Icy Of onhdcnce, the eom,ittee recsn,-
nd the rsiat or hs subject TO them. with di.ac.
ns to devise plan which, wnen fully ,secs-s. vail
able tho 0nsefSais 70 exclude hostile fleets loS. al
;,or taiss iisrto5on several water fr, ntsrs.
Inc cosasnisee viii not withhold m sxpre.slos OF
inon that pogeria ], perhaps en,i1ay adslrats,
gs os defence, ors us. in character and sin 80 in
DcAiioB may be IN and 70 Iepel the pow sr.ul
els and arma snis. We have reason 20 believe ma
"a viii be iouno To true, though aitusior
lich are noN under exarolast'sn, would he rscas-
lxroeI.Ncs og sursaB-x Dssfyos-
sad Secretary Poins stt-
We mus. bear n miad the, s de., sh,,
lnortant points on nts ols would A,one cost moro !h,
nounl TO- while ire - npoy sccdps ion of others woald
se far ssrps sang Of he rrejec.ed
f'uces
these reflections Of this en- nent man being SQUAD ',
mo, spenss wiih detens We works merely beeaus e
their expense. Tha ong question really - dir
b.. on is what system q srcncss w be atequftet 20
- snd Ia view :
sscncAnG. oF coSsrrvci NC ADEQUATE sA-'OsAl Z DE-
II is objected that it Is site IsPractcabls-.or - rty
vulnerable io- frontiers - extensive thssa q tho
= tod states TO objections cf this class Mr. - ere
AIRY vonsett replied tb1t;--
would appear on snF1 raca view, TO Be sgsanJ and
saI u cass a. that q the mite aud GGsqs i not
impossible, 10 rTYip 51eh 1!t- 70 sarslastL defend
ne worAs necessary for tlSt pu yose.
Bst laid Mr. Poiusott.-
The las oil hc lntd sifi q Ihf1ughoi IS extent
but few points icn fin - " e ds iae against
gulsr anu powerful at.agH. y .osldefaclo YI OF Il j.
essible 70 large N5is - vit cAp H -. The lerr
,aOnsof parties N Df. ~ 4 sa,.i - ans
hch interur wpf an fti1At a5h ~ 80 ne
and well org nlAei .Ai N-si9 - VII ~ hent pro
The only portions 20 sa lUh tA1S detcude ~
permanent WORKS ~ splt sfeosh -ir Af w o. th
great eommeria iai cilis l W naval h "tis y esaJsn
nents, the dcEtrii0n o. rhih Wol4i e rious loss {
the country. aud re5fr4 ~ " Nhf'y - equiva
for tnc cXpep.e q BteSt eru1hiheu - shown, also
that the number o. nleh It9'lita ~ -. est scale, 70
the defence OF the 70 a-Wheh cYli III he MI
that would o nece tf "4ls. - q lis an Ousifel
able. TIE local nilta -AAea ~ le" irs AMI drec e
~ engineer ana artlHtt +Hl+ liA previous train
Do slfey ihtrusied Niti ta9 t' 'e' inc OF
cannot be 100 earnestly Tsca ~. ~ mailer ber
will he required o deienl tsfsf a.
yar one that entirely unprotce4 81 4 that such sy-
tem will enae us, acrcr5ln-ip nc E suttuns
to enpoy the militia eaecusly tQe The defence OF IA
country
ygonl three causes ths nun2sef OF important posn,
FtNN .s...i- -. in~raa.aI tr Ia, a.. -