St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-27
SEA COAST DEFENSES.
The Chief of Engineers Urges Their
importance and Necessity.

The Chief Of Engineers Urges Their
importance and Necessity.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 26.-In his annual
report to the secretary of war. Brig. Gen.
Duane chief of engineers, says that during
the past year operations at sea coast and
lake frontier defenses have been restricted
to those necessary for the preservation and
repair of existing works. The subject of
the defense system of the country, so far as
regards the posts at which Notifications or
other defenseS are most urgently required, is
sufficiently treated in the elaborate report
made to congress by the fertilization board,
showing the utterly defenSeleSs condition of
our sea coasts and lake frontier. Gen.
Duane expresses the belief that the failure
of congress to make appropriations for this
all-impOrtant work has mainly arisen from
the difficulty in determining the best
method of procuring armOr plate. He says
the preparation OF sites. the construction of
masonry and foundations. the
BUILDING OF MORTAR BATTERIES,
work equally necessary with that of pro-
curing armor, will demand much time, and
it is earnestly recommended that funds be
at once appropriated for the emplacements
of turrets and easements for rifed batteries.
marine mines all of which can be accom-
plished before armor plate will be required.
The estimates submitted, aggregating
81. O43, 900. are based upon the present de-
fensive system of our sea coast. the amount
estimated as necessary for preservation and
repair of Notifications being required to
prevent such modern batteries as we now
have from going to ruin, and to maintain
old works, many of which can now be con-
Sdered as relies Of historic past. Atten-
ton is called to the estimates for torpedoeS.
For the present, it is said, our principal re-
lance for harbor defense in case Of war
must rest upon fixed mines. and it is very
necessary that there should be a full supply
of these on hand at the principal seapOrts
of the nation. Owing to the failure of con-
gress to make appropriations either for for
tifcatiOns or torpedoeS for the present fiscal
year. it has become necessary not only to
suspend torpedo experiments, but also to
great extent the practical instruction of
the engineer troops 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, if funds are
available, to reach the highest point of ex-
cellence. Touching the work of river and
harbor improvements, the report says the
funds with which these works were prose-
cuted during the fiscal year ending June
80, 1886, were owing to the failure Of con-
gress to make appropriations, derived
mainly from such balances as remained
ON hand for the appropriation made for the
year 1884, and in many instances there be-
ing sufficient only to provide for the care
,t,1rr 41
works. operations were necessarily suS-
pended. to the detrment of the works. Ths
estimates of the engineer officers in charge
of the works have been revised in the office
and amended where it was deemed adj
visable having regard to the most economi-
cal administration of the works and keep
ing in view the average of the grants by
congress for each work during the past
year.