Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-09-24
Maj GEN. POPE.



His Opinion Concerning Coast Defenses,
Torpcdoes, Guns, and Cannon.
"
s'Are the facts as set ont recently by
Lieut.. Griffin concerning our coast de-
fenses %correct?
WELL" answered Gen. Pope with a
smile. ''those facts as now stated ought
not to occasion any general surprise,
for they have not long been known to
the business men of our commercial
cities. The defenses of San Francisco,
for instance, arc very poor. The guns
are few and small. There are some To-
inch guns which explode 100 pounds of
powder at a charge, but these are not
well mounted. / understand that a
congressional committee will come
here to look at'the works. Some OF
these committees so combine pleasure
and work as to eliminate the work, but
this committee will probably be an ex-
-ception. As 20 your question concern
ing the ability OF civilians to Judge of a
question Of defense better than military
men, the wisdom of the nation has
named a congressional committee 10
consider the facts and report. New
1OIk ililDO " t1n Apl bG ilutu MOTSG
defended than San Francisco is. Tween
ty years ago the d~efenses here would
command more respect than they do
now"
What would be tie probable cost
of making the defense of San Francis
co ~adequate?'
ooh. that | co1ld not say. l could
not even approximate an estimate. Be-
fore any figures could be suggested it
would be necessary for the engineers
to make surveys and for some plan to
be adopted"
"And what general form would the
improvement IN our defenses take?"
''There should be changes, of course.
But no nation has yet reached a con-
clusion concerning defenses. The con
ditions change constantly with the in
v%ention of firearms and ships. The
torpedo service seems to be moderately
satisfactory, but not completely so.
Experiments are continually going on
with large and small orpedo-b boats
and fixed torpedoes. The torpedo SER
vice can be made only auxiliary to the
land service. 1t is one thing to carry
OF torpedo experiments, under favor
able circumstances, in time of peace,
and it is another thing to try the same
experiments when an enemy is doing
his best to thwart you. The difference,
in fact, is about like that of firing at n
target for practice and firing at another
man when he is taking aim and firing
at you at the same time?n
"Are not certain kinds of torpedoes
found to be comfortable and nayigable
some distance from the shoreP"
yes, they appear to be. but this has
been demonstrated by experiments and
not by actual war, which is a different
thing. If the enemy will give you all
the time you want and allow you to
impose upon him all your conditions,
it is probable that you will be able to
blow him out of the water almost
every time. But he will be busy HIM
self trying TO foil your plans"
Are You familiar with the plan pro-
posed by Lieut.. Graydon for the de-
Tense of San Francisco harbor recently.
his plan being to attach torpedoes to
wire cables on the principle OF N
cable roads?'
II have not studied it. My impress
sion is that torpedoes can be only aux
iliary to the land service for defense.
At present we could not stop with our
land detanses an invasion b. iron-clads.
Such vessels could come over the bar
and into the bay. But there is nc sign
of foreign war now. Our nearest dan
ger in this country is internal, not ex-
ternal."
Has any new principle of import
ance been applied to the manufacture
of arms since Il civil WARP"
There have been improvements in
the manufacture of guns and in the
materials used, but do not think there
is any new principle in the manufacture.
Guns are made. larger and further
reaching. We have guns which can
carry five miles effectively"
is there any fort in New York har-
Dor which could withstand a lombard
ment?''
'No, sir. New York is better guard
ed than any other large seaboard city
on the Atlantic coast"
Are experiments made continually
in warliEo instruments in this coun-
tryP"
Yes, in torpedoes, guns, breech-
Loading ~cannons, ETC., and they may
lead to some advantage. '-LnterUjeU
l0th Gen. Pope, IN san francisco Bill
letin.