The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-12-09
QUE rORTRESSES.

The defenses OF country are IN some
manner indicative of it's greatness and
certainly are the safeguard of it's pros
perity. When these are adequate, stand
ing at its harbors d silent surety for the
protection Of its cities and their homes
and industries, labor goes quietly to
work to build and enhance it's val
ues, and does not stop or Aearken
with bated breath whom the rude tocsin
of foreign war is sounded. Long years
OF peace with the outside world and
jealous labor in building ~ LEGAL indus
tries may, and in the very nature of
things does, overcome the broader and
more remote possibilities of a future
need O; defense in the popular mind, but
governments should never lose sight of
these If they would insure themselves
against the possible calamity OF sudden
onslaught. That the people of the
Pacific Coast may understand the nature
of the defences with which the United
States Government has seen fit to guard
;leir two principal ports Of entry, we
subjoln from the reports of the Chief
Engineers of the u s. Army advance
sheets which have been furnished by
Col. Gillespie, description Of the ds-
fences that guard the harbor of San
Francisco and the mouth Of the Column
bia, together with amount asked for to
render each effective for the purpose
designed:
FORT AT FORT POINT.
This casemated work, commenced in
1853, and its exterior earthen barbette
batteries, commenced in 1870, form the
defenses of the south side of the Golden
Gate, the entrance to San Francisco har-
Dor. No work upon these batteries has
been done since 1876, for want of funds,
and the imp rtance of an efficient pro-
lection of the city of San Francisco, The
navy yard at Mare island, and the United
States arsenal at Benicia, warrants an
early and.adequate appropriation there
for; and for this purpose the sum Of
$780, 900 is asked for the next fiscal yea.
FORT AT LIME POINT.
This fort. which has not yet been com
menced, and its detached earthen bar
bette works, viz, Gravelly Beach Bat
terry, commenced in 1870; Lime Point
Ridge Battery, commenced in 1871; and
Point Cavallo Battery, commenced in
1872. constitute the defsnses thus far
designated for the entrance to the har-
Dor OF San Francisco on the northern
shore Of the Golden Gate. In order to
complete the batteries as projected, and
to include rebuilding the wharf and
wooden reservoir tank. and for repairs of
steamer, the sum of $780, 900 will be re-
quired, $50, 900 of which can be profta-
bly, expended in the year ending June
30, 1882.
FORT ON ALCATRAZ ISLAND.
\ 'catraz Island lies in the harbor of San
francisco, two miles inside its entrance,
in very advantageous position Tor the
defense of the channels on every side of
it, In 1870 the work of remodeling the
dsfenses Of this island to adapt them to
modern ordnance-this work, consisting
of the construction of heavy earthen bat
teries-was commenced and carried on
for a few years, when it was suspended
tion 1925 ,0O0) was for the fiscal year
1S75-76, although there was some work
done, mostly by the military prisoners
confined on the island, 4 1877. The APP
$50, OOO) asked for will be
applied to the construction of gun plat
forms for earthen batteries ready to re-
ceive them, and to the construc lion of
earthen batteries not yet commenced.
No work was done at this fertilization
last year beyond its preservation, protec-
ton and repair.
BATTERIES AT POINT SAN JOSE.
One OF the two temporary earthen ba
teries at this point, constructed during |
the late civil war, is wholly unservicea-
BILE. The timber platforms are decayed,
and the timber magazine has, in pant,
fallen in. During the year the timber
in the other earthen battery
has been rebuilt, and three timber plat
forms have been replaced for purposes
Of drill and practice firing. Projects for
new earthen batteries Of heavy guns and
mertars for the occupation of this impor-
tant point in the second line of defense
for the bay and harbor of San Francisco
have been prepared by the Board of En-
ginesrs for the Pacific Coast
BATTERIES ON ANGEL ISLAND.
The three earthen batteries Cd this Is
lard we're built during the late civil war
for temporary use. The timber plat
forms and the timber magazines are
lecayed, and nearly oil the guinea
riages have been condemned. The |
teries are practically unserviceab'c.
Barbette earthen batteries for the heav-
lest guns have been planned by the
Board of Engineers for the Pacific Coast,
10 occupy the most valuable positions on
the channels leading to the upper part
Of the bay, to the hayward at Mare
Island, and to the arsenal at Benicia.
These copsti.uta the Iefences Of San !