Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-03
Major General PODe.
HIS OPINIONS CONCERNING COAST DEFESsEs
ToRPEDoEs, GUNS AND CANNON.

HIS OPINIONS CONCERNING COAST DEFESsEs-
ToRPEDoEs, GUNS AND CANNON.
From an Interview In the San Francisco Bulletin
"Are the facts set out recently by Lieut.
Griffin concerning our coast defenses correcte"
"Well," answered Gen. Pope with a smile
''those facts as now stated ought not TO occasion
any general surprise, for they have long beer
known to the business men of our commercial
cities. The defenses of San Francisco for in
stance, are very poor. The guns are few and
small. There are some 15-inch guns which eA-
piode 40 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 to eliminate
the work, but this committee will probably be
an exception. As to your question concerning
the ability of civilians to Judge of a question of
defense better than military men, the wisdom
OF the nation has named congressional COM
mittee To consider the facts and report. New
York harbor cannot be much worse defended
defenses here would command more respect
than they do now"
"what would be the probable cost of making
the defense OF San Francisco adequatee''
"Oh, that could not say. l could not even
approximate an estimate. Before my figures
could be suggested IL would be necessary for the
engineers TO make surveys and for some plan
to be adopted"
land what general form would the improve
meBt in our defenses takeg'
"There should be changes, of course. But no
nation has yet reached a conclusion concern
ing defenses. The conditions change constantly
with the invention Of firearms and ships. The
torpedo service seems to he moderately salts.
factory, but not completely so. Experiments
are continually hn going on with large and small
service can be made only auxiliary to the land
service. Ii is one thing TO carry on torpedo Ike
under favorable circumstances i'm time OF peace
and ii is another thing 10 try the same expert.
ments when an enemy is doing his best to
thwart you. The difference, in fact. Is about
like that of firing at a target for practice and
firing at another man when he is taking
aim at and firing at you at the same time"
Are not certain kinds of torpedoes found to
be controllable and navigable some distance
from the shore?"
monstrated by experiments, and not by actual
war, which Is different thing. Ii the enemy
Will give you all the time you want and ALLOW
you to impose upon him all your conditions, 4
Is probable that you will be able to blow him
out OF water almost every time. But he will b
busy himself trying TO foil your plans"
Are you familiar with the plan proposed by
Lieut.. Graydon for the defense OF San Francisco
harbOr recently, his plan being to attach torpe-
does to wire cables operated on the principle Of
our cable roads?"
II have not studied it. My impression is that
torpedoes can be only auxiliary TO the land ser
vice for defense. At present we could not stop
with orr land defenses an invasion by iron.
clads. such vessels could come over the bar
efgn war now. Our nearest danger in this coun.
try is internal, not external"
HAS any new principle OF importance been
applied to the manufacture Of arms since our
civil war?'
"There have been Improvements in the mann.
facture OF guns and In the materials used, but
do not think there Is any new principle In the
manufacture. Guns are made larger and fur.
ther-reachlng. We have no guns which car
carry five miles effectively"
"ls there any fort i'm New York harbor which
could withstand a bombardmenf?"
mo, sir. New York is better guarded than
any other large seaboard city on the AtiantM
coast"
"Are experiments made continually in war.
like instruments in this country?"
"Ycs, i'm torpedoes, guns. breech-loading can
mons, etc, and they may lead to some