, 1880-12-03
OUR TORTRESSES.

ing at its harbors silent surety for the
protection of its cities and their homes
and industries, labor goes quietly to
work to build and enhance its val
ues, and does not stop or hearken
with bated breath when the rude tocsin
OF foreign war is sounded. Long years
of peace with the outside world and
Jealous labor in building up local indus.
tries may, and in the very nature of
things does, overcome the broader and
more remote possibilities of o future
nsed OF 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
their two principal ports of entry, We
subjoin from the reports of the Chief
Engineers of the U. S. Army advance
sheets which have been furnished by
Col. Gillespie, u description Of the de-
fences that guard the hsrbcr of San
Francisco and the mouth Of the Colum-
bls, together with amount asked for to
i'h'iof c"Sh SAccIlNc ioT Ine 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-
bor. No work upon these batteries has
ham dana Givna 1914 60 &c l.,
and the imp rtance of an efficient pro-
lection Of the city of San Francisco, tie
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
800, 900 is asked for the next fiscal year.
FORT AT LIME POINT.
This fort. which has not yet been COM
meaced, and its detached ealthen bar
bette works, viz, Gravelly Beach Bat
terry, commenced in 1870; Lime Point
Ridge Battery, commenced in 1871; and
Point Csvallo 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 500, 900 will be re-
quired, $50 900 Of which can be profita-
bly, expended in the year ending June
30, 1882.
FORT on ALCATRAz ISLAND.
Alcatraz Island lies in the harbor of San
Francisco, two miles inside its entrance,
in very advantageous position for the
defense Of the channels on every side Of
il. In 1870 the work OF remodeling the
defenses 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 few years, when it was suspended
for want of funds. The last appropria-
ton S25, 5,000) was for the fiscal year
1875-76, although there was some work
done, mostly by the military prisoners
confined on the island, in 1877. The ap-
preparation 1850 0,000) asked for will be
applied to the construction of gun plat
forms for earthen batteries ready to re-
ceive them, and to the construction of
earthen batteries not yet commenced.
No work was done at this fortifcation
last year beyond its preservation, protec-
tion and repair.
BATTERIES AT POINT SAN JOSE.
One of the two temporary earthen bat
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 part,
fallen in. During the year the timber
magazine i'll the other eGrthen 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-
gineers for the Pacific Coast.
BATTERIES ON ANGEL ISLAND.
The three earthen batteries on this Is
land were built during the late civil war
for temporary use. The timber plat
forms and the timber magazines are
decayed, and nearly all the gun-car-
riages have been condemned. The bat
teries are practically unserviceable.
Bsrbette earthen batteries for the heav-
lest guns have been planned by the
Board of Engineers for the Pacific Coast,
to occupy the most valuable positions on
the channels leading to the upper part
of the bay, to the navy yard at Mare
Island, and to the arsenal at Benicia.
These constitute the defences of San
Francisco in their present condition and
as will readily be seen the menace they
offer to presumptuous invader is not |
practically formidable. We come now
to the
DkFENsEs OF THE COLUMBIA
As set forth in the report. These consist
OF Fort Stevens, an inclosod eartLwork
nc Point Adams. Oregon. on the south |