The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-01-28
The Presidents Message on the Arming
Of Coast Defenses.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20.
The President sent the following mes
sage to Congress to-day:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:
In my annual message Of Dec. !, 1879
while inviting general attention to all recon
mendations made by the Secretary of War
your special attention was invited to the i'm
portance of preparation for war in the arming o
our sea-coast defenses. Proper armament il
of vastly more Importance than Notifications
The latter can be supplied very speedily fo
temporary purposes when needed. The former
cannot. These views gain increased strength
and pertinence as the years roll by. l have
now again the honor to call special attention
to the condition Of the armament of our forti
fications and the absolute necessity for i'm
mediate provision by Congress for the pro
curement Of heavy cannon.
The large expenditures required to supply
the number of guns for our forts is thu
strongest argument that can be adduced fol
a liberal annual appropriation for their grad
ual accumulation. In time of war suct
preparations cannot be made; cannon cannot
be purchased in open market, nor manufac
tured at short notice. They must be the
product of years of experienced labor.
I herewith inclose copies Of the reports o.
the Chief of Ordnance and Of the Board o.
Ordnance Officers on the trial Of the eight
inch rifle, converted from the ten-inch smooth
bore, which shows very conclusiyely an eco
nomical means of utilizing the useless smooth
bores and making them into eight-inch rifles
capable of piercing seven inches Of iron.
The 1,294 ten inch Rodman guns should, in
my opinion, be so utilized, and the appropri
alton requested by the Chief of Ordnance ol
$250,O0O to commence these conversions is
earnestly recommended.
While convinced of the economy and neces-
sity OF these conversions, the determi-
nation Of the best and most economi'
cal method Of providing guns Of still
larger caliber should no longer be decayed
The experience of other nations, based on
the new conditions Of defense, brought prom.
inently by the introduction of iroR-clads into
every navy afoa-, demands heavier metal and
rifle guns of not less than twelve inches in
caliber. These enormous masses, hurling q
shot of 700 pounds, can alone meet
many Of the requirements OF the ma
tional defenses. They must be pro-
vided, and experiments on large scale can
alone give the data necessary for the deter.
mination Of the question. A suitable proving
ground, with all the facilities and cOnven-
fences referred to by the Chief of Ordnance,
with liberal annual appropriation, is an un-
doubted necessity.
The guns ready for trial cannot be tested
without funds, and the estimate Of S25O,OO0
for the purpose is deemed reasonable, and is
strongly recommended. The constant ap-
peals for legislation on armament Of fortii-
cations" ought no longer to be disregarded,
if Congress desires in peace to prepare i'm
portant material the want Of which in future
wars must inevitably lead to disaster. This
subject is submitted with the hope that the
consideration it deserves may be given it at
the present session.
(Signed) U. s. GRANT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Jan. 20, 1875.