The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-07-11
Governors Island.
Corr. 81. louis Spectator.


| You would naturally suppose that there
ought TO be very respectable garrison and
| armament at so important post as Govern.
or's Island. The Department of the East
includes the military points along the At
lantic coast all the way round 10 New Or
leans as well as interior places like Cincin-
natl, Pittsburg, Cleveland, etc. At head.
quarters, therefore, it would appear, there
shoad be some display little above the
ordinary, not Only because it is the home of
the commander of that department, but be-
cause it is an important point of defense in
the harbor of the American metropolis. You
will, l fear, be amazed when tell you the
garrison is composed of three small compa-
nies of tIoOps. This seems almost ridicu-
lous. The commandant, Gen. Jackson, told
me there were not 100 effective men on the
island. Gen. Hancock has no men about his
headquarters except bis staff, which is small,
and few clerks. 1t looks about as demo-
cratic and unwsrlike as the Office of re-
spectacle commission merchant. | had al
ways thought Of Governors Island as aplace
swarming with soldiery, bristling with can
stern requirements of military usage and
discipline. But the half dozen military men
| saw there looked as harmless as college
cadets, as there is not even the luxury Of a
daily parade nor of an afternoon concert by
a regImentsl band. Now and then the call
of the bugle sounds out from old Fort Co.
lumbus, but even that seems softened and
mellowed down to a musical tinkle by the
spirit Of peace that holds an undsturbed
sway. The artillery armament consists of
ninety five heavy guns, twelve brass field
pieces and two Gatlines. Some of the heavy
guns are mounted on Castle William and
Fort Columbus, but the greater portion Of
them lie on the grass in orderly rows, where
they have beeh for fifteen years or more.
Some of these are ten aud eleven inch siege
pieces of the ROdman and other patterns. A
few are riaed and were regarded as thor
oughly effective when the late war closed,
gun at the post that had been cast since the
war, and there was not one which was any
thing near modern requirements.
"They are only valuable" said he, "as so
much old iron that may be melted up and
made into something else" The same is
true Of the long, high rows of solid shot and
she'll that lie piled up near the boat landing.
On the little stone pier upon which heavy
articles coming on to the island are landed
lies stretched ont in its full enormity
twcnty-inch gun, the weight Of which is 49,
900 pounds. 1t was at the Centennial Expo
sition, and when brought away was left
where it is now, with the muzzle pointing
out to the water. When / asked an officer
why it bad not been placed in position he
said there had never been any money to pay
the expense of its removal. 1t Is, believe,
the largest piece of artillery ever cast in the
United States. In the matter Of artillery
Navy Yard at Washington, where there are
really some beautiful Hotchkiss and other
modern guns. But guns and soldiers, and
all the traditional "pomp and circumstance
of war; aside, Governors Island is we'll
worth a visit. That it looks more like quiet
and secluded park than a military strong.
hold is perhaps not to the dscredit Of the
country, but typical rather of that disposi
tion of our Government to make civil au-
thority pre- eminent in domestic affairs, and
to use every honorable endeavor to be at
peace with all mankind. A neat looking tug
flying the American flag goes over from the
foot of Broadway every hour, and if you are
respectable looking. and appear to have no
sinister intent, you are allowed TO take pas
sage free Of cost.