Morning journal and courier., 1880-08-31
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. OUR :. HARB0R , DRlFRIN(Es. I 1 The Works of improvement
 Along the Coast. :. OPERATIONS AT NEW LONDON. New Notifications at Fort TrumbuIl
 Recommended. = Secretary Sherman at Cincinnati. His Opening Speech of the
 Campaign.
Secretary Sherman at Cincinnati.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

l THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
 Our Harbor Defences-Improvemen on
 the New England COast-FOrt Trum-
 bull at New London-Its Importance as
 a Protective Stntion-Further Appro- | priations Asked For. ~
 l WASHINGTON, Aug. 30.AThe following ex-
 I tracts from the forthcoming report of
 the chief engineer of the army are of partic- 1 ular interest to mariners, as showing the
 condition of our harbor defences:
 Fort Knox, Maine-The condition of the work remains organizing, no operations hay l ing been carried on during the last fiscal l year. The same is said of Fort Popham, | Me-, though both forts are intended to de- fend most important points. Fort Georges, Portland, Me.-This work, commenced in | 1858, is one of the series of forts designed I to defend the harbor and channels leading into the harbor of the important strategic position occupied by the city of Portland 1 Its construction was suspended for want of I funds in 1876 to complete seven harbatite gun platforms, and the mortar platforms re- main to be built and the interior of the case ! mate quarters to be finished. For this pur- pose an appropriation of $12,OO is asked 1 Fort Preble, Maine-The condition of this work remains unchanged from the close of l the last fiscal year; $35, ,OOO is asked for the | completion of the work. Fort Samuel Maine No operations were carried on during the | last fiscal year; $100,OOO is asked for the ] next fiscal year. The battery on Portland Head, Maine-The condition of this work 1 remains the same as at the close of the last 1 fiscal year; $50, 900 is asked for the next l fiscal year. Batteries of Cow Island, Port land, Maine-Plans for the construction of batteries for the heaviest guns on this island I have been prepared by the board of engi- l neers and Notifications, and it is proposed to commence on them as soon as funds are available; $50, 900 is asked for the next fis- 1 cal year. Batteries on Great Hog Island, Portland, Me.-The same plans apply to this ! work, and $5O,OOO IS asked for the next fiscal year.
 Fort McClary and Fort Constitution, Ports mouth, N. H.-The condition of the works remains unchanged from the last fiscal year l and no appropriation is asked for. Battery on Gerrish's s Island, Portsmouth, N. H-No S36,000 is asked for the next fiscal year. Battery on Jerry's Point Ports ! mouth, N. H.-Plans for the completion of ! this work have been prepared by the board of engineers and Notifications and approved by the Secretary of War, but are only par tially executed; $50,Ooo is asked for the next \ fiscal year.
 ! Fort Warren, Boston, Mass.-This impor- l tant work for the defense of the main chan nel of entrance to Boston harbor commands the anchorage to Nantucket Roads. The work is generally in fair order S1OO, GOO asked for the next fiscal year. Battery at Long Island head, Boston harbor-The bat tery occupies an important position in the l line of defence for Boston harbor, and it's ! guns bear upon all the channels of entrance: $6O, 900 is asked for the next fiscal year to continue &nd improve the work. Fort Winthrop, Boston harbor-This work is in fair condition; $50, 1000 asked for the next II Ind bor-The work as far as modified remains ! in essentially the-same condition as last year; $50, GOO asked for the next fiscal year. Fort at Clark's Point, New Bedford harbor, Mass Plans for new batteries for modern heavy guns have been completed. The work can be begun as soon as money is appropriated I $50, ,OOO is asked for the next fiscal year. Fort Adams Newport harbor, R. I.-No work has been done since 1877 for want of appropriations; $4OOOO is asked for next year. Defence of Dutch Island, Narragan- sete bay, R. Forty thousand dollars is the construction of a bar to the battery and for modern ordnance in accordance with plans approved by the Secretary of War Fort Trumbull, New London harbor- This fort, situated on the right bank of the Thames river, about two miles above it's ] mouth, commands the channel entrance. With Fort Griswold nearly opposite, it con- stitutes the defenses of New London harbor. This harbor on account of it's great depth of water, its accessibility for all ships either of war or commerce, and it's complete shelter from storms of every nature, is one of the important harbors of the country. The pres ent Notifications, though perhaps sufficient for the objects in view at the time they were designated, are now inadequate to protect the city of New London from destruction and the occupation of the harbor by a hostile fleet. Fort Trumbull forms part of what should be an interior line of defence. The city of New London, being situated but half a mile in it's rear, is easily bombarded from an enemy's fleet lying securely beyond the guns of the Notifications. An exterior line of defense could readily be constructed two miles further out by the erection of suitable Notifications on the mouth of the river Should the work of fortfying the exterior line be undertaken it would be none the less important to preserve and improve the defenses of the interior line, and to this end the modification recently designed by the board of engineers, and approved by the Secretary of War, for the earthen batteries at Forts Trumbull and GriswoId, should be completed without de- lay. No operations were carried on during
 the last fiscal year except the care and pres ervation of the works. The fort is in excel
 lent condition. Forty thousand dollars is
 asked for the next fiscal year with which to
 complete the new battery, now nearly ready
 TOT l5s arnanenG, ana to commence the con-
 struction of the south exterior battery These
 batteries are designed to receive the larger
 modern guns.
 Fort Griswold, New London harbor-Plans
 for the modification of this work, to enable
 it to mount the heaviest modern guns, were prepared by the board of engineers and ap-
 proved by the Secretary of War in 1874 but
 for want of appropriation the work of con-
 struction was not commenced. The modifi-
 cations of the work in accordance with ap-
 proved plans should be accomplished as soon
 as practicable. Twenty-Five thousand dollars
 is asked for the next fiscal year.