The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1863-05-28
Ships Against Forts.

While a~gitating the subject of national de-
lenses, let us not be blinded by so strong an admi-
ration for our iron navy as to believe it a panacea
for every evil. We shall fall into a fatal error
when we trust TO ships. gunboats, or floating
batteries alone, for the defense of our harbors or
seacoast- All writer's on military art agree on
one point, that a land battery is in every way
superior 10 one that floats. While the latter has
to contend with an uncomfortable element, affect
ing the use Of its guns, the precision of their aim
and the safety of its men from numberleSs causes,
the first can fire from a firm foundation with a
certainty of aim, and with a protection to its
men that cannot be rated at less than ten TO one.
We Will pass 10y the wooden ships in our calcula-
ton, and enter only upon those of IRON, and vet
not fail to see that vulnerable points are presented
upon everything that floats, no matter how care
fully constructed, that utterly outnumber the
weak points of the weakest Of our old stone forti-
fcatiOns.
The growing belief in Monitors and gunboats
for harbOr defense may be somewhat ahated, if
We look u little into the history Of the last half
century, and examine the records where shius
have been brought to bear against land batteries.
In 1874 the Fortitude, "a, and the Juno, 35,
attacked the town of Martello. in Corsica, which
was defended by one gun in barbette and a gar
rison of thirty men. After Il fight Of two and a
half hours the ships were obliged to retire dis
abled. The tower was unframed, and its garri-
son without injury.
In 1877 Nelson. with eight vessels and 400
guns, attacked the wretched batteries of Santa
Cruz, IN Ieneriffe, and was defeated with terrible
loss, a single ball instantly sinking one of his
ships and carrying down Il hundred men.
In 1889 the French attacked an English work
on the Island of Maroon. with a force of 80 sail
and 900 men. The garrison consisted of $50
men, defended by ten pieces, ranging from n four
to thirty-two pounds. The French were defeated
with great loss, while the garrison had only one
man killed and three wounded.
In 1901 an English fleet, carrying 500 guns,
ttn.lal l. -. L - IN--l lr ct
siras. Though the English had seventeen guns
to every one of their opponents, yet they were
defeated with immense slaughter.
In 1903 the English garrison at Port Royal
Bay, with 100 men and Is guns, beat off a French
attack of two seventy-fours. Il frigate and Il brig,
assisted by a land force Of two hundred men.
In 1906, the English, with $50 guns and | 300
men, attacked a French battery on Cape LicaSa
of two guns, and garrisoned by % men. The
loss Of the English was thirty-scven men and one
SO-gun ship, while the fort and battery were
entirely uninjured.
In 1914. when the English advanced against
Antwerp, they established a small battery of two
guns at the Folder Dyke. \ French SO-gun
ship, attempting to diSlodge them. anchored
within 600 yards. The result was that after Il
combat of five hours the ship withdrew disabled,
with a loss of Al men, among whom was her
commander.
TO come nearer home with like instances we
will cite the attack of Sir Peter Parker upon
Fort AIoultrie, Charleston. in 1916. with a fleet
of nine vessels, carrying go guns. Moultrie
was armed with % guns and garrisOned by about
$50 regulars and militia. The result was the
total defeat of the British, with a loss of 2O5
men, while the fort lost but 80.
In 1914, a British feet of four vessels. % guns,
and Il land force of 80 men, supported by Il bat
terry of two guns, attacked Fort Boyer, at the
entrance to the Bay of Mobile. The garrison
The enemy were repulsed with Il loss of IS men
and one of their largest ships.
In 1914, a battery of one 4-rounder and one
lS-pounder repulsed Il British fleet of l34 guns,
a loss of 20 men, while the garrison lost
only eight.
The attack on Baltimore in 1914 was conduct
ed by 40 vessels, carrying 1000 men, but was
obliged to retire from Fort McIienry with great
after Il bombardment of % hours.
In 1915, Il British fleet assembled the MiSSis-
to reduce Fort st. Philip, a small work of
twenty guns, but was obliged to retire with
heavy loss after nine days fighting.
In the war Of 1912 there was but one instance
Of the reduction of a fort. which was that of
Fort Washington by the fleet that assembled the
to burn Washington city. This work
deserted by its garrison on the first British
and the commander was Immediately dis
the service for his cowardice.
The only victories that have ever been claimed
Or ships over forts are those Of Copenhagen in
1901. COnstantinOple in 1907, Algiers in 1916.
san Juan d'UllOa in 1898, and 81. Jean d'Acre
n 1910 each of which, if examined in detail,
Will prove 10 be no victories. The first was an .
Lction against ships, the second u diSgraceful re-
reat, the third was ended by negotiation at the .
moment the attacking party was exhausted and
fraid TO renew the contest, the fourth 4 surren-
er in consequence Of the explosion of the maya
inc and the consequent terror Of the garrison =
nd the loss Of nineteen Of their most effective 4
uns. The fifth, that Of St. Jean d'Acre, was c
ecided from the same cause, more terribly eX- .
ressed. the magazine having exploded with a
900 casks Of powder, destroying a space of 81
1000 yards, and killing over Il thousand Of the
lrri>On. -
Having cited these instances to show that in &
ie experience Of the past stone walls have never !
wen way TO wooden walls, we can still give n =
road margin to the advance of artillery, and !
that PARROT guns and ColumbiadS may do
hat long 32-poundcrs cannot, and yet have a
llance in favor of the land battery armed the
as that which floats. The finished and pro-
works of New York HarbOr are intended -
7 LOCO guns. If this armament is of the
yht metal and properly served, no fleet which
4 world combined can produce, can withstand
long enough TO do the city any serious damage.
lie idea of landing an attacking force anywhere
on our shores. is simply an absurdity; any
rm that can be offered US by Il hostile nation
list be by destroying our shipping at sea, or by
attack upon our cities. In defending the first, not
T new-made iron navy will have work enough; {