New-York tribune., 1884-11-04
sEA COAST DEFENCES.
..pu NEwToNs RECOMMENDATIONS.
.D or BETTER nARDoR DEFENcEs-rHE pANaAn
OF DELAY.

-, orrrrR UARDoR DEFENCEs-THE DANah'
or DELAY.
.su,xcroN. Nov, 3.-Gcneral John New
s,., of Engineers has submitted his annual fepo,,
% w. secretary OF War. On the subject OF se" 'o"''
,.re frontier defences he says: .. ,.s bcen
o,c object of sea coast forts and batteIies oh
sent ne hostile fleets from approach,nS ,c ees Establish
r important sea ports to destroy H%oro rroontr,buon
"na to SAs s could Sc,t d
alone would probably 'iyh ihs i0pr IMPORTANT haOcrs Of the
oil TOE IN early periods these forts on .s,, sn s 70
Ses certain important If Gsvs Ss snccnt to gather and
iessnrse ie 70 drive the y, ccmmic
ships but n rmd S,as ss we're reduced minimum
ton on times the forts were placed near % % hown ihe
present sns + Considered advisable to place them not
harph ,ha" seven miles from the places 10 w
These coast forts s pesen system by the OF
!c1oes !caal11s that is submarine mines nhcno'@eu @ i"f
eanne enables the deienee 70 nsve s been icnoye or at
ai the means Of exploding them desttoycu& & n, n,rer
les these orpcioes are defended D" ow s"a nav al he cbn,er
saned and removed with inpnmH or 'ho ne ,nncdoes
ahsr electrical communications between the to
@ IN, shoc may be dragged for and the Whole ~
,smdeted innocuOus what is needcu ~ a n rasps
funds .nSen, & ior npora s for ali the principal halpor;
eases 10 he kept IN store ,endy 70 w.
Win explosive, sa,s s"d GssS ssa IS + Ss sfd ns orpeS
wnn % , shore stations and nainy used against vss,g @
engaged ~ !, ~ iupossibe to conceive how an in
nant In tor, edo eases could ever make shanEe ~
ihe iesn,s o,,o ~ Int wiih those who are determined 'o
have no defences any excuse IL sn'hc'eh'
now tnr nAnBons CAN NE PROTECTED
4. manifest that with the addition OF guns OF heavS
,ai,,e fotefy protected IN thef pa''e',es Wv oi
trance TO euf hahois can be naue
md int ease Of disaster, through hegec " maA'ns ",
s,e,,a,ts so mepestiy eneeiuni teiiip'e iespo"S'
, mus, fest enewhere hehe OF iha guns %s'hs %" ~ ie, y,
hod ~ least equal ne aes, f"Iod s ",ad" e he"ya,
man thai carried by ships Tue hna'iet s"t1 e
sIleies should be 80 protected ~ so' NM y" en ie
,hy heaviest guns ~ secure the ihAmuh i'e" '" n'p
Ion easements Win ports OF empiesuie, m 10 namneat'
@ earrlaaes-lhese with lihed mortar batteries "oulu ~
snnerai constitute the defence OF Tie most p"''"h
Tbose persons are greatly In who nagne that py
nfie''HiT nfi'is far defence csIi be made Were as well
nrepaed ~ many other Nations TINS ineu DC true, p
menesssry for naval power to commission Its ships II
wond require great many years for us to get tose.e
here for their reception. Passed events by no means
Justify the assertions made that our cot'oh ,tnu
no eneass in war with lis short period without the
nterrupfo OF their supI lies OF these articles: ~ sse @
nr cities under the guns hostile feet would
consume but few months, anu IN the ineantibc m
sisewhSre The modern system is to make war sudden
sharp and decisive and TO make the beaten par! pay pay
exnensos Let 1t well understood that 1t Is not SO sure
or easr with all the circumstances cnaeeu
makepriyateerng which was so successiu ID 81 e.c
eGcent or profitable. If a future struggle for suleinac!
I'm smppng should result In war; let us AT least enter ihlo
4, our harbors and cities we'll protected SO mat ou
merchantmen AM naval vessels may nave places o.
refnre without fear or capture at our wharNes. I
The Board of Engineers for Fortihcatons has pepaee
opnroxmae estimates OF the cost of fortifcaions IN
Guiding the ornaments OF modern heavy guns ana rine'
rorars for Portland. Boston New-fork. Pnladcipha
Joltimore Hampton Roads. New Orleans and san rfdl
cisco and another estimate likewise approximate lor h
preliminary works, earth and masonry without , aIio
machinery and guns TO serve as cmpiacemeh's ior 'n
guns. 400 ooo
The total estimate including ornaments Is
The estimate lor emplacement OF guns excluding arl"
guns and machiu cry is $l0,3SS,000. These estimates
fortifcatons including guns all harbors the
of sufficient Importance to tempt an enemy can be pre-
nored ot a coast not TO exceed S60.OOO0OO The sol'
1estion is whether the Importance of the place wouC
Justify the 1t is necessary further 10 say that
fhe present day mystery attaches TO the method
Constructing tuTrets and easements of steel and that tn
requisite ans may easily prepared by the engineers