The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-10-04
Economy and Frac.icability Of the
+ M System Proposed.
4efs 1900 u 40 No


lef. he. Il dc. &C.
There ss not city in the United States which has
sAesn 30 dsparagingiy affected and weakened In q mil
~ point OF view, by the innovations Of the late war
ths cty OF New York. Before the conflict. as strong
hold New York had but little desire; few additional
works would have rendered it imrregpabe II not 20
now; its immense wealth exposed 10 destruction b.
sAa,o Of the lack Of the engines OF war introduced
and tested during the rebellion ess
X NEW YORK nPoEE -
Prior to the Application Of steam and Of iron plates 70
vessels OF war Now York inaccessible to the fleets Of
Iurope liz Narrows and Soupd its facle defence the
Happy for erscting batteries the tides, shoals
&C., secured 1t against attack. Now York was
favored city. But military art has overcome naturo's
rf aud has left tie city the mercy OF the enemys
expiration. Should not attention be given to us de-
Feseess we must bear in mind that attacks IRE no
lsnger made by slow maneuverug vessels liable 70 the
oapce Of winds and tdes bat by quick mooned cIa's
Il quasi IN penetrablc sides a. aea e..s
REVOLUTION NAVAL WARFARE
To Ericsson 70 Dupuy de LONE and to Faagut is due
NE revor,jon In the means and mode OF attack. The
two former gave the offensive and protective ideas, the
latter exenpliGed them and demonstrated the adyan
age Of steam "a power in passing batteries and
In cvadng submerged dangers. Ironclads have their
~In IN the failure Of the Sebastoro and he
ense Of the shell and heavy ordnance nEoducod In the
anerent navies Iron sides had 10 be pitted against
asonry forts 70 insure success, hence their adoption
eur naval purposes; shall with what effect.
Ne FLOATING ROY VERSUS MASONRY.
The attack on SUMTER though unsuccessful sufced TO
rovs the superiority or floating iron masonry
peusing power We have the evidence Of The Confcdsr
- who state thai had Dupont continued his attack
hav had. Tho
iies were passing through and through and the walls
we're crumbling Pulaski OF the best masonry forts
- The United States unable to resist the nrs Of
~ guns protected by earhworka II was The IRE Of
~ IRON cads during the late war; which brought about
- earthwork Innovation in marine deences; their sue
60 against masonry caused the adoption Of earth TO
- and protect the scientifically constructed batteries
Ass the attack on SUMTER Forts johnson and Moulto
100 thus masked and made impervIous; had the was
q Pulaski been 20 protected, 10 more than doubtful
washer the fort would have fallen. W
D1Escx AGAINST iRos crADs.
10 oppose iron clads and their heavy ordnance earth
~srs and their bombproof travcrscs were constructed
pus there ssil remained void In the basbor defeDces
~ ron cads with their protected sides could, without
nsoh risk pass BY the batcres Therefore, in addition
= sarshworks another innovation was required; one 10
psvsut naval svoiutons 10 the forts, TO make
sAsm dcuIt lastly efiecsuaiiy close barbcrtorps
aees answered the purpose @.e N - -
Notwithstanding the immense infcroriy Of masonry
Qualifications when compared TO those Of earth ,hey
nue have their ADJ COATES principally among those
Ue 10th part with the science Of their early training
mere n not the least doubt that will continue
= be in conjunction With and earth masonry
uGl also be tho foundation Of ironclad works. &C. but
- heavy expease = entails viii cause ne adoption 2,
Besides he esrthworks the stationary torpcdoes se
oehor and Important sddenda necessary. In shoa
n1er or where the tide powerful piles buoys
"a chain distractions he effectively used Bot the
most important additional defenccs those which
Sosomolve and serve the double purpose Of defensive
ond offensive operations, 70 wit the rams and torpedo
bosss. II was tne torpedo system which erectualiy
olosed Charleston barber and prevented the Monitors
hsm passing the batteries aud taking tho city.
- pEsEssIgIiITy.
Ua ing referred the military Innovations or the
Dsas rsbelnn twill now be well TO turn our attention %
nAeir application defensive 70 New York and
N.risan bays New York has three points Of attack
ehrigh the Sound, ,hrosga the Narross, and by tho
aAvance Of army landed Long Island The last
ny dismissed from confederation. mpos-
sdi at least IN this nelgnborhood where by OF
nnlsways million OF men could concentrate at a
ssu moments notice; tho telegraph clcs would suffice
- rouse them The nsins defences the things
rRxvrxrsa a nrocKspz
yf the defences New York ara Intended solely TO
pRxvent enemy rom reaching the civ, fortacaons
= uhc Nrrrows, a; and beyond Rikcrs and other Islands
- tbs vicinity, Of College Point and al prominent points
eong the sond shores closing the channels by iope.
Goes and otbsr artificial means would sufhce 70 place
Nov York Srohy q The mos, formidable naval opera
0ons II " natural, however to suppose that citi-
nsns would not rest satisfied with simple security from
attack but would be anxious 70 continue commercial
transactions by FAR the exigencies Of a with
foreign Power wold permit To do this a free com
DuBicntion, With the sea rs necessary aud TO keep
ouununIcaton the Bav or that part bNyond the Mar.
at entrance TO the pori. and the
ahe Sound the other must be placed IN condition
gsssst Inc advance OF any neet which, " once permitted
% secure the command of tbs channels and Sound,
oouh prevent the construction OF land floating bat
sses and Obstacles and thus close oil chances u mari
oca ". eraSsrts rNt
For instance let rs examine The channels leading from
E,s--Geanry's chanaci 10 the nearest 10 sandy Hook.
enc Of the only two points which, properly fortified,
e9s resistance invading feet 81 wooden
Eosvps ihe buoy on Fiyna's Knoll can pass sIv,esn
onadrsd yards from the batteries erected st The Hook
8 srsduaed 70 oniy ssssneen handra Yards The a..
onsos within which accuracy Of Ere 10 positive True
Aey carry far beyond hat distance, yet would be qua'
pssSess against thiny clad vessez Heavy rtasd guns
esuid b. used, nevertheless, with iitila chance ~
preventing clad vessels from going through espsca ally
q night *e
S'omd-The swash channel, the next nearest to the
Book eau be entered and passed hrouahby hu sng tho
wood he accuracy and penesra,on 81 smooth bore pro
Isrsies. or Of rihed ones Il the vessel II clad
TAyd-Easi AID fourteen feet channels are beyond
COMMANDING pont 70 TIE Narrows, viz Ccney Island
beach. Vessels drawing hteen fso At mean low water
can lass through the kSt chsnncls or ~ night fnss
through The swaEh without danger q rcpulse chetk
rcet could Thus aud ssict anchorage IN The
channels, between them and ne Narfo~s, out u
hsrior AZ New In going through thc Eart chan.
mel vessels wl b. four thoasans foar hundred yards
fron any Gomez islaDd dcfences.
Errfh--The East Bank channel, having from ten 20
steven feet OF water a. low tfe thousand eight
hundred yards from Coney Island distance crt
eer artillery 20 be effective aganst smorsd
Therefore the great distance cf tho channels from Ire
100 commanding points W tho approaches or the Mar
rows makes ID i'm operative 10 combine floating batteries
and obstacles tie land forsincatcns 70 kccp orsn com
nunicsiion with the sea
opxTRrrTf0xs ADMITTEDLY SxrEMAnf.
y~aat dIstancs Of the