Morning journal and courier., 1880-11-22
Long Island sound.

The Nations HarbOr and Sea Coast De-
 fences-An Important Report.
 From the very able report of the Chief Of Engineers of the United States Army, just issued, we are enabled to present very in teresting resume relating to our sea coast and lake frontier defences. MT. Wright's emi- nent official position reflects credit on our little State, which furnishes so many men to responsible places in the nation, as he is a Connecticut man and spent several years, ,pri- or to his appointment to West Point, in this city, receiving his appointment while living in this city and in mercantile employment here Two of his brothers are residents of Clinton.
 During the past fiscal year work upon our sea coast defenses has been limited, in ac- cordance with the terms of the act of March 3d, 1879, to their protection, preservation and repair.
 These works are subject more than any other national structures, with the exception perhaps of lighthouses, to the destructive and deteriorating effect of the sea, and the amount heretofore appropriated for the above mentioned object has proved insuf- icient, many necessary works of repair and protection remaining unexecuted at the close of the fiscal year for want of funds.
 No progress whatever has been made for several years past in the construction of new, or in the modification of our old works Quilt before the inventions of our modern ordnance and armed ships), for want of ap- propriations therefor.
 The importance of early and reasonable ex- penditures for coast defences cannot be m ore strongly urged than by reiterating what has been stated in former reports by the depart ment, and therefore the following remarks on k1,ac 10 aroTOnnnta and statements contained in these reports, will when neces- sary be freely used.
 The United States separated from the rest of the world by wide oceans. pursuing toward all nations policy strikingly characterized by it's pacific tendency, its impartiality and justice, contracting no political alliances, confning her intercourse with the rest of the world rigidly to the letter of such temporary arrangements as are dictated by reciprocal commercial interests might, at first view, be regarded as too remote physically, and as politically too insulated, to be endangered by the convulsions which from time to time dis turb the nations of the earth.
 Neither our geographical position, howev- CT, nor our forbearance, nor the equity of our policy can always avail us under the re- lation in which it is our destiny to stand to the rest of the world.
 Experience has shown that even the inter- course of traffic, much as 1t conduces to our DrOSO6f1GY, Cdn D0 4uuu1SCO OLAy h0 bAO AASh of obliging the nation occasionally to assume belligerent attitude, and of surrendering to the spirit of contention-which seems to govern nations as it does the natural man portion of it's fruits The certainty of the return of periods of embarrassment and strife with foreign nations, similar in their origin to those which have visited this nation, affords sufficient reason of itself for secur- ing ourselves in the best manner against the more serious evils of those unavoidable col lisions No one acquainted with our history can hesitate to ascribe much of the wanton- ness and duration of the wrongs we have en- dured to a knowledge on the part of the na- tions of the scantiness and inefficiency of our military and naval forces. It is certain that in our present condition injuries to our citi- zens abroad and insults to our flag could not be resented with that vigor and promptitude demanded by the dignity and honor of the nation and justified by knowledge that our fine harbors, important navy yards, rich com mercial cities and depots for military and naval stores were guarded by 1mpregnable Notifications and Instructions.
 It concerns the honor of the United States, when involved in controversies with other powers, to be able to appeal to the sword, but that appeal should be accompanied by the consciousness that the weapon appealed to would not be inferior to that held by the adversary This relation of inferiority may
 
 comparatively weaker power.
 When the great change in ships and their armaments was initiated after the commence nent of our late civil war, Great Britain did not hesitate to appropriate 10000, GOO for the defence of it's most important harbors, and we may well profit by her example.
 There is nothing so costly to nation as 8 lack of preparation for war. In fact to be prepared for war will often prevent it. and though we may not feel the daily imminence of war with great foreign powers, as England did, yet with incomplete or inadequately armed defenses for our great seaport cities, even the attitude of belligerency, which we not infrequently have to assume, has not the imposing effect it should have, nor is it ac- companied with justly founded self-confi- dence on our part. The neglect of suitable preparations cost France many millions of treasure, portion of her territory and great humiliation. The same must inevitably hap pen to the United States if it does not push forward its coast defences and provide them with guns like those possessed not only by the great powers but even by smaller nations.
 To be continued.