New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-06-20
FEurbor Defenscs.

WtsIrGTUF Tuesday Juno 10 1866.
Tic Secretary of war slai 90 Che Senate to-day, in
answer 90 ar.s,ptoa OF tas 10Th inst, communication
from the Secretary OF Die Nagy, covering Che report Of Gle
Jor Board OF Army and Na,y officers relative 70 ha,Jor
defense. The j. lnl consists OF Eel-Adu.iras c. T..
Davis and j. A. Dahlgen; Capt james Alden, L. s. Al
Bc,e, liaorGcna y. g. Bernard. 2. b. Tower and y. s.
Alexander Secretary Wci.cs fvors the continuance of
c invostrnon and further d orsson of the questions
which tha i1r'1don and experience Of the war have
brought llr solution.
Ttoc invention ho a7-mcs have oc,ls0ned discus ions
rrl rrreruous nbr0ld. and produced uany puhcoiioni
. 3. . lr and Ir.e.f. of Offensive and defensive WlI
frc lie suggests tic c1p'oInc1t OF tie lo1fd Jy tle
.s l,rl fr..ti.-.. rr Il f,rn,l,c. 'Coacarnin-
te astuaued topic olrd is asked 20 settle approx
ID o. llliar Di tines. Vessels AeC-ss! as
i, rft.ries fa~ iroors no Board do not undertake
f, rti, of r,e on ,tlor Of Harb3r Gce8scs bni lle
.sf-el Ir1l-.fts U0Lg4 Ut defense must &.
llsel pala.ltliy ltre. te cannol vice and the
d0rhful heter le destructive acc- Of modern arlel
has sept pace with tle nsunc ity Of uoncaI vessels
ialfIi ~ IA feDJi auc tulrc - Danger LA one OF more
asl.l vessels might ac. e 90 passing between iols ana
blerc qua taat therefore system o. distinctions
lc aeoealf defense 4le! GO! 10 30 90 be lesfet-eu
tlt iot L.c .t i AgN-l0r h!llr oAa oit bsai are,
Cd ic-Ffic Ilft Na.ln were N'i' aver lI'ohtu tAl,
ncn1 rendered vaU0ls lg hmediaey succeeding de-
ye.opmcais a. tie possT OF a4...ei{.
~. report mys uEIel: I is bcieged that guns haze now
reached heir urximnm limit 81 lWel cast for naval Use,
aid tha experiments indispensable to determine the re-
ssaace Of and the beat methods OF u
turo construction for neither toe proraced experiments In
England ~ ih iron targets those made by our Navy
Department throw much light upon these subjects they hay-
inC been made with other objects
Of Tie efficiency Of channel obstructions seems
be st In dispute While admitting that they have proved
failures undertaken by the French for instance ~ the road
stood ~ The Island Of AK they credit e failure to their Oelng
attempted the 81 tie moment without preliminary
study and experiments IOrpcdoes we're used successfully
dung late In defense of harboTs and rivers upon our
elaern coast Tie most attained by sensitive
percussion fuses on simple mechanism arranged as 20
produce explosion by contact th toe vessel passing over them
Probably Tie certain means OF exploding torpeaoes
w0aa DO by OF gal, anic or magnetic electricity
Though derived knowledge OF topsdoes from
fho Rebel tis knowledge b very limited Before they can
successfully employed oannci dcienses series OF ex
crleEtl AL Be necessary 10 ascertain Tho pest manner
courucon avoid leakage the best materin for fuses and
thou arrangement in connection wan the battery
wires nua 70 test methods oil nDchoring
tten iu rapid clrTcuts exposed 10 ocean waves,
The Board ay the uaod wealth OF our popaou cities aao
great national Importance OF naval establishments
make 10 an cooperative duy Of the Government 20 eneetnay
sut oso vast against destruction BY hostile
lel captgrn but Of important hn bors would
Involve tc os Of private and public property mT beyond the
eoai VI ola coast doeuses and would prove serious de
l4c.t to military and naval power