The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-21
OUR KARBOR DETEKCES.
THEIR PRESENT STATE OF EFFICIENCY.
DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE FORTS.
.-~---~-------~~~~~~~~
WORKS FINISHED AND IN OPERATION
Strength OF GarrlsOns and
Armaments.
Necessity for Alterations in The Old Forts TO
Receive Heavier Guns.
10. 90. 90.

period public mind entertained suspicion that the
existing Notifications Inadequate 70 The demgn Of
securing impregnaohty from assault and at
present. with every advantageous position fortified the
opinion held by those most competent TO Judge Is that
1est Of is essential for cooperation with the
forts
The harbor has nov eleven defensive works, TWO Of
the largest being process Of consructon and the rest
for the greater part undergoing improvements from
year 10 Whom fully completed and equipped, is
calculated the Of al the and batteries
will comprise thousand guns OF The heaviest ca,bre.
This enormous power aided by feet OF effective IRON
saads operating in the inner harbor and rendered still
formidable by shoals Of brsng torpedoes lurking
In every channel, should while inspiring wholesome
fear in the minds OF aggressive nruders, duse
Of security among oorsclvcs Some Of the Notifications
have been long time buldina-longer than was
quusd BY works Of the magnitude essential 70 har
Dor Defence but then delays for the necessary appro
praons have occurred and again suspensions Of labor
have been ordered pending change Of plan in the
ructon the latter being applicable OF
forts upon which operations for the present have
ceased The building however Of Notifications 10 nvs-
EiAbly slow, involving does vast expenditure Of
Goth trained and uDskiled labor. Excavations Of i'm
onse proportions have he made mountains OF earth
thrown up and fashioned or in various geometcal
lines and masonry OF the most finished and ponderous
kind TO be erected All this takes time skin and more
especially liberal appropriations The outlying
those upon which must almost wholly rely for effect
I've Defence in the event OF their failure 10 Tepel
sacmy's feet and In the absence Of ron-cad vesses
the city would lie at the mercy OF those far
Rsacbipg projectiies Of modern gunnery. IL 10
possible emergency 70 seal up the bar
sss and render imprssnab'e. Tho exact width
the channels and their depth At all stages Of
tAs uds accurately known The engineer aloes,
saAha,Ag them dstsrnine the precise locations in
vAssh 70 moor ebstrucsions and thus aetas vessels
ssAer steady Are from The forts Tho probabilitiss
AswsveS are ShAa ne foreign Zoe having any knowledge
- vbaA awaits him viii have the tsmerity 70 seek
Assps acquaintance with the frownins fortressss In
New York havboE.
eovERHoR's erAnD-sn PHMzHT usEs
The avss and most familiar OF those mmotabe seStries
= Governors Island ditch tho chain Of de-
fsaces bot 70 b nssd u 10 hoped. - dewier
rsssvs for resistance In the days Of short range ord
aass The admirably adapted for defensive pur
posea both from liz conformation and posop the former
ysssntns natural gacis in the chief possible direction
- aDsask and the latter enabling TO oct shield TO
xsw York and Brooklyn. The staad is At prcssu, d.
vsasd Mts two departments -the arsenal ordnance
yarA and Fort Columbus with recruiting depot The
fssDsr commanded Colonel A'dley and the latter by
Gsasasi Hayden. The garrison composed Of thrce
pAniss numbering three hundred and ninety ave
ms forceis intended exclusively for guard duty, and
Together with troops David and Bedloe Islands,
numbering 10 all six bosjrsd and seventy i've men,
constitute what termed tbe depot under the supreme
command Of Colonel Hayden The island is the largest
recruiting station in the country recruits being received
n OF from thirty 10 hundred day. Prom
lhs esh Of December TO the present date n little
three have been enlisted sent TO the island
sd After undergoing inspection, transmitted to various
nanfa Couth nd asst Lash sew re-
crsi had previously tarried al Quarantine brought
~ unwelcolne visitation OF cholera 10 the garrison,
producing a mortality Of hundred victims
me number Of heavy guns IN the arsenal rs very
srgc. They ranged ON slope in long, even lines.
saa graded according 70 In adjacent plot
pyrmda piles Of sho, and shell diversity the display
" ordnance rhe magazines stocked with ammuni-
ssoa and the qusrtermssiers department amply sup
pscd with military stores Towards the expiration OF
sos summer improvement Of much needed
nature wa~ begun the Island On It's southern
nd soalb western side the land has been yielding
N nsroraole tribute the reUcr.e.ss encroachnenis
q the ssa In she lapse Of destined 10
AFH hut vsstee Of s former self To aver this inev
uAsAs result .wan Of enduring masonry project
= e s.clcss shs sIpo 60 beach iss Ss-soeo, one
Nscs u granite placed In transverse layers 70 height
- eleven fss resting basis Of souting or broken
ssek and backed BY congiomerste Of ocncrets limo
"a earth eight feet in thickness The summit of the
vn b on level the Of the fold slope
cd psses % obstacle 70 Ne range Of The guns IN Fort
Columbus
cssrLs vulixs.
sammAnced n leoS and completed 1871 IL forti6ca-
osn 81 greatly impaired pressssiess IL incapable Of
1sgss1mg hse and must Depend for support on the 70
vs~sss ~ ssisssssd looking walls Il 10 easy 70 an,ie
Dais feeling Of apprehension al the prospect Of being
within while nfesn inch shell was knocking for sdms
sen from without last the interior OF the casemates
sadsvwspt thorough rsnovacu beang painted repaired
a.d newly fitted Up Us armament comprises cssema-
battery Of twenty 10 inch coiumoisde and babetts
pssssry Of nesp pieces Of similar ordnance The
e ustsr commands is very extensive, but not en-
~. Il i purely an oSsn.iv. work and probably nigh,
prove exceedingly 10 " an assniant covered way
ssds rom Css,s w,sm y o ~ , ~ aao,a
OF being dfycn out Some engineers consider The
s~besss battery cf heavv coiumbiads too wcgh,y an
for the wallis of the castle 20 sustain taking
inse the uncertain strength OF the masonry and
ns strsning reco Of the guns intended that the
- van in process ~ erection shall pass around the
fson, Of the castle acsns guard against The under
miainG influence Of The wafer Several Of the case.
.aae are devoted to the reception and confinement Of
aceereEs from The army.
RON col upsrs
me great buvars OF cosetnos island Is situated Of ~
nerthwessrn corner II b of isdrangusr SHAPE with
projecsipg esstions at zach angle extensive
srea Of ground embracing vide ditch spacious para
enter slcps extending towards the water oonoess The
fovmdsbls proportions Of the fort. lesvior exposed
surmountsd by heavy layer Of brick and crowned by
aooBpsct mas 81 sodded earth The armament COO
iseh Rodmans aha rss compris. on. hundred ooun,~r
Fssrotn and ms ordinary sIht inch bore These suaa
bear apon every eercevable spprosrh the fo-tifcs
uss ana earh exterior angle monster afecu inch
Rctman mounted ON . massive iron carriage frowns a
sullen defiance Actoes the watss The approaches 10
she for are ws guarded and the ditch scro.s which
vossureus enemy suppcsed 10 20 seeking closer
acquainiApoe With the garrison, Is unusually wide
NJ necessary that the outer parts Of such
. WORK sbeuid prsssaa every obstacle 70 the
ssccs~ o. . sscrnne column an enemy in possesscs
- such stronghold coed treat The city al discretion
The onlv Improvement Carried durng the past year
been she istyoduction u ave nneen.nch guns II
n In contemplation 70 uorsss shat number by i've gums
- duilar oslbrs the nedeeusy being apparent for
wcrk - retired possss ornance Of heavy metal and
lonx pres 10 enable 10 tara active part in coope
sxsne with the oyts the hsrbor These guns
wvvSdsd with shells weighing 32b pounds weight
" metal thst cond hardly fall vi mt 10 mska strk
ING impression
sssn~fsd on The ses side az GovsrpoSs Island more