Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-12-12
TILDEN TO CARLISLE.
An Argument in Favor of Sea Coast
Defenses.
Application of the Surplus Revenue
to Works of Fertilization
Suggested.

New YORK, Dec. 4.-Mr. Samuel j
Tildcn has sent the following letter to
Hon. John G. Carlisle:
GREYsTONE, Yonkers, N. Y, Dec. 1.
DEAR Mr.. CARLISLE: - AS public
opinion points to you as the speaker Of
the next house of representatives, l
desire to submit suggestion as to one
of the public objects for which an ap-
preparation ought to be prompt and
liberal. In considering the state and
management of the public revenues,
the subject involves the questions
whether we shall extinguish the surplus
by reducing the revenue, or whether
we shall apply the surplus to payments
on the public debt; or whether we shall
seize the occasion to provide for our
sea-coast defenses, which have been
long neglected. 1 am of the opinion
that the latter is a paramount necessity
which ought to precede the reduction
Of the revenue, and ought also to pre-.
cede an excessive rapidity in the pay
ment of the public debt. The property
exposed to destruction in the twelve
eaports-Portland, Portsmouth, BOs-
ton, Newport, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, New
Orleans, Galveston and San Francisco,
cannot be less in value than $5,OOO,-
100000. To this must be added vast
amount of property dependent for its
use on these seapOrts. Nor does this
statement afford true measure of the
damage which might be caused to the
property and business of the country
by failure to protect these seaports
from hostile naval attacks. They are
the centers, not only of foreign COM
merce, but Of most of the internal trade
and exchanges of domestic productions.
To this state of things the machinery
of transportation of the whole country
has become adapted. The interruption
OF the currents of traffic by the occu-
patton of one or more of our principal
seaports by
FOREIGN ENEMY,
or the destruction OF them by lombard
ment, or the holding over them the
menace OF destruction for the purpose
OF exacting contribution or ransom,
would infict upon the property and
business of the country an injury which
cannot here be foreseen or measured.
The elaborate and costly Notifications
which were constructed with the great
est engineering skill are now practically
useless. They are not capable of re-
| slstlng the attacks of modern artillery,
A still greater defect exists in our
coast defenses. The range of the best
modern artillery has become SO ex-
tended that our present Notifications
designed to protect the harbor of New
York, where two thirds of the import
trade and more than one half of the
export trade of the whole United States
ls carried on, are too near to the great
populations of New York City, JERSEY
City ard Brooklyn to be Of any value
as a protection.
To provide effectual defenses would
be the work of years. 1t would take
much time to construct permanent for
tlfications. A small provision of the
best modern guns would take several
years. Neither of these works can be
extemporized in presence of emergent
danger. A million of soldiers, with
the best equipments, on the heights
surrounding the harbor of New York,
IN our present state of preparation, or
rather, i'll our total want Of prepara-
tlon, would be powerless to resist a
small squadron of war vessels.
This state Of things is discreditable
to our foresight and to our prudence
The best guarantee against aggression
the best assurance that our diplomacy
will be successful and pacific and thai
our rights and honor will be respected
Oy other nations is i'll their know ledge
that we are in situation.
TO VINDICATE OUR REPUTATION
and interests. While we may afford t.
be deficient in the means of offense, we
cannot afford to be de1enseless. Th,
notoriety of the fact that we hav,
neglected the ordinary precautions O
defense invites want of consideration
IN our diplomacy, injustice and AFRO
gance and insult at the hands OF foreigl
nations. 1t is now more than sixt