Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-12-07
SEA.COAST DEFENSES.
Some Timely Suggestions by Samuel j.
Tuden.
New YORK, December 5th.-Ex-G Governor
Samuel j. Tilden has sent the following
letter to Hon. John G. Carlisle:
GREYSToNE,


New YORK, December 5th.-Ex- Governor
Samuel J. Tilden has sent the following
letter to Hon. John G. Carlisle
GREYsroNE,
IoNKERs n. Y, December l. 1885
Dear Hr Carlisle: As public opinion points to
you as Speaker of the next House OF Repre-
sentatives desire to SUI nit Il suggestion as TO
one of the public objects for which an appro-
priation ought to be provided, and liberal con
sidering the state and management of the public
revenues. The subject involves questions wheth-
er we shall extinguish the surplus by reducing
the revenue, or whether we shall apply the sur
plus to payments on public debt, or whether we
shall seize the occasion to provide for our sea
coast defenses, which have been long neglected
l am of the opinion that the latter is OF para
mount necessity. which ought to precede the
reduction of the revenue, and ought also to
precede an excessive rapidity in the payment of
the public debt. The property exposed to de
struction in twelve Seaports-Portand, Ports
mouth. Boston, Newport, New York, Philadel-
phia, Baltimore, Charleston. Savannah New
orleans, Galveston and San Franeisco-cannot
be less in value than 50 eco 600 Coo To this must
be added the vast amount OF property depend
ent FOR Its use on these seaports. Nor does this
statement afford the true measure of damage
which might be caused to the property and
business of the country by u failure to protect
these seaports from hostile naval attacks. They
are centers not only of foreign commerce but of
most Of the international trade and exchanges
for domestic productions. TO this state of things
the machinery OF the transportation of the whole
country HIS DttOult duiptcU. ! ne llterruDilOn
of the currents of traffic, the occupation of one
or more of our principal SeaportS by foreign
enemy, or the destruction Of them by lombard.
inent, or the holding over them the menace of
destruction for the purpose eXacting contriblI-
ton or ransom, would intlict upon the property
and business OF the country an injury which can
neither be fofeseen nor measured.
The elaborate and costly fartifica ions which
were constructed with the greatest engineering
skill are now practically useless They are NOT
capable Of resisting the attacks of modern artil-
lery. still greater defect exists in our coast
detenscs The range of the best modern arti!-
lery has become so extended that our present
to1tiiicatlons designed to protect the harb0r of
New York, where two-thir3s Of the import trade
and more than one half of the export trade of
| the whole Unite States is carried on are too
near to the great populations of New York City
Jersey City and Brooklyn 10 be of any value us
| protection To provide eflectHal defenses
would be the work of years, for IL would take
much time to Construct permanent fortifca-
| tions. The small provision Of the best modern
| guns would take several years. Neither of
| these works can be extenporized in the pres
| ence of emergent danger. One million soldiers
with the best equipments, on the nights sur
| rounding the harbor OF New York in our pres
| ent state OF preparation, would be powerless to
| resist small squadron of war steamers This
state of affairs is discreditable to our foresight
and prudence. The best guaranty against ag-
| erosion, the best assurance that our diplomacy
| will be successful and pacific, and our rights
| and honor be respected by other nations is in
| their knowledge that we are in situation to
| Nlnulcale our reputation and interests. While
we may afford to be deficient in the means of
oticnse We cannot afford to be defenseiess
| Notoriety of the fact that we have neglected
the ordinary precautions of defense invites
want of consideration in our diplomacy, and
| injustice, arrogance and insult at the hands of
| foreign nations.
1t is now more than sixty years since we an
| nounced TO the world that we should resist any
| attempts from whatever quarter they might
come, to make any new colonization on any
! part of the American continent; that while we
Nfr1I
| the people of the different nations inhabitinp
| this continent from every attemp. to subject
| them to the dominion Of any foreign power or
| to interfere with their undisturbed exercise of
| the rights of self-government This announce
ment was formally made by President Monroe
after consultation with Madison and jefferson
| 1t was formulated by John Quincy Adams Our
| Government has fairly adhered to the Monroe
doctrine, and even as late as 1865 warned Ma
| poleon III. out of Mexico. 1t is impossible to
| toTesee, in the indecent scramble of the Eu.
| ropean powers for the acquisition of colonies
| how soon an occasion may arise for our putting
in practice the Monroe doctrine. 1t is clear that
| there ought to be some relation between our
! assertion of that doctrine and our preparation
| to maintain it. 1t is not intended TO recommend
| any attempt to rival the great European powers
| in the creation of powerful navy The
| changes which have rapidly occurred by the
dlmlnution OF the relative resisting power of
| the defensive armor of ironclads, ard by the
! increased efficiency of modern artillery which
| on the whole, has gained i'll competition. sug-
] SSot tIldt NC llOt AZ enter
into the creation of armored vessels or in qlles-
| tiOns that beset this subject. Until they have
| reached solution, we can content ourselves
! With adding but sparingly to our navy but what
we do add should be the very best that science
and expert. nee can indicate This prudential
view is reinforced by the consideration that the
annual charge of maintaining war vessels bears
| an important proportion to the original cost of
| constructing permanent Notifications and in
providing an ample supply of the best modern
artillery. The annual cost of maintenance is
| flnrn III
| are in the original outlay of construction
| If wesdo not make the expenditure necessary
| to provide for our sea-coast defense when we
| have surplus and have no need to levy new
| lures when We will have no larger surplus in
| the Treasury. To leave our vast interests de-
fenseless in order to reduce the cost of whisky
to its consumers, would be a solecism. The
present time is peculiarly favorable for provid-
| ing for this great national necessity, too long
| neglected. Not only does the surplus in the
| Treasury supply the means to meet this great
public want without laying new burdens on our
people, but the work can now be done at much
| lower cost than has ever before teen pcs sible.
| The defensive works would consist almost en-
| tirely of steel and iron. These materials can
now be had at unprecedentedly low prices The
| vast supply of machinery and OF labor called
| into existence by the great yicissitudes of the
steel and iron industries Offers itself to our serv-
| ice. We should have the satisfaction of know
| ing that while we were ayailing ourselves of
supplies which would ordinarily be unattain-
| able we were setting in motion important in
| dustries and giving employment to labor in a
period of depression, with the announcement
| and guaranty of work. Perhaps by the Govern
ment itself furnishing the plant, The inventive
genius of our people would be applied to the
| creation of new means and improved machin-
cry, and establishments would spring into exist
| ence capable of supplying all our national wants
| and rendering us completely independent of ali
other countries in respect 10 the means of na-
tional defense.
endeavored to impress these IDEAS upon Mr.
Randall the last time had the pleasure of see
| ing him.
| With my highest regards to Mrs Carlisle and
yourself, remain very truly yours.
| S. J. TILDES.
| WASHINGTON, December 5th.-Speaker
| Carlisle, when asked for an expression of
| opinion regarding Tilden's letter, said: g |
have not yet received it, although it may
now be with my mail at the Capitol. ANY
| suggestions made by Mr.. Tilden conce, n
| ing public matters are entitled to the most
respectful consideration, and when it is re-
ceiyed | shall give it careful attention"
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has proved Ayers Cherry Pectoral to be the
most reliable remedy for colds. coughs and
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