Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-12-02
OUR COAST pEFENSES.

The Chief of Engineers in His Report Gives
Some Facts as to Our Coast Dcfenses.
WASHINGTON, No-. 27.-In his annual
report 10 the Secretary of War, Brigadier
General Duane, Chief of Engineers. says
That during the past year operation at the
sea coast and lake frontier defenses have
been restricted to those necessary for the
preservation and repair Of exist " works.
The subject of the defensive system of the
country SO far as regards the ports at which
Notifications or other defenses are most ur.
gently required, Is sufficiently treated in
the elaborate report made 10 Congress by
the Fertilization Board, showing the utterly
defenseless condition of our sea coasts and
lake frontier. General Duane expresses
the belief that the failure of Congress to
make appropriations for this ali-impOrtant
work has mainly arisen from the difficulty
in determining the best method of pr0cur-
ing armor plate. He says the preparation
of sites, the construction of masonry fOun-
datiOns. the building of mortar batteries
and work equally as necessary as that of
procuring armOr will demand much money
and it is earnestly recommended that funds
be at once appropriated for the emplace-
ment of turrets and easements for rifed
batteries for twelve inch rifled mortars and
for submarine mines, all of Which can be
accomplished before armor plate will be re.
CURED. The estimates submitted aggregat-
ing 81, 043, 900 are based on the present de-
fensive system of our sea coast. The
amount estimated as necessary for the pres.
ervatOn and repair OF Notifications being
required to prevent such modern batteries
as we now have from going to ruin and to
maintain old work, many Of which can now
be considered as relics of historic past.
Attention is called to the estimates for tOrpe-
does. For the present it is said our principal
reliance for harbor defense in case of war
must rest upon fixed mines and it is very
necessary that there should be full supply
Of these on hand at the principal sea ports
OF the Nation. Owing to the failure of
Congress to make appropriations either for
Notifications or tOrpedOes, for the present
fiscal year, it has become necessary not
only to suspend torpedo experiments, but
also. to great extent the practical instruc-
zion of the engineer corps in the details of
this service. These experiments have been
in prosecution for some years and system
Of fixed mines has been developed and
gradually improved until it bids fair, before
long, il funds are available, to reach the
highest point of excellence. Touching the
work OF river and harbOr improvement,
the report says: The funds with which
these works were prosecuted during
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1885, were,
owing to the failure Of Congress to make
appropriations, derived mainly from such
balances as remained on hand from the APP
preparations made for the year 1884, and in
many instances these being sufficient only
to provide for the care of public property
appertaining TO the works, operations were
necessarily suspended, to the detriment of
the works. The estimates of the engineer
officers in charge of the works have been
revised in the offices and amended where it
was deemed advisable, having regard to the
most economical administration of the
works and keeping in view the average of
the grants by Congress for such work dur
ing the past year.