The Wilmingtonian., 1886-12-04
Our Coast Defenses.

SuE SOhSb otltuS6bs
Why should Samuel J. Randall still con.
tinue TO shrug his shoulders at the idea Of
any fair expenditure on account Of coast
defenses.
Undoubtedly Admiral Porter is right when
he surrects that old bugbear Of a state
ment, viz, that Chile could this moment lay
the city Of San Francisco under contribu-
tion.
The Esmeralda, belonging to the Chilean, the
strongest and swiftest gunboat afoat, might
with the supremest indifference to all our
mighty power, cast anchor In the bay, and,
undeterred by the presence of the whole
United States Pacific feet shell the city at
leisure, and 1t would not pay to let a single
government vessel within rife shot of her
guns.
Samuel ]. Tilden's latest pronunoiamsnto
was upon this topic.
Last year commission upon this matter
was appointed by President Cleveland. Mr..
Endcott, Secretary of War was president Of
the Fertilization B ard, General Benst,
Chief of Ordinance, being second.
The report Of the Board was submitted to
Congress, calling for an appropriation Of
$l20, 900, 0C0 to establish coast defences. It
is said that Mr.. Randall never showed so
much agony in his face during the most ex-
cruciating attacks of gout as he did when
he heard what it would cost to properly pro-
tect our defenceless coast. He seemed 70
think, 80 his colleagues on the appropria-
tions committee put it, that he had got to
pay the entire amount out of his salary as q
member of Congress. Since then, until to-
day, the admirable work of the Fertilization
Board has been shelved.
In regard to the new crusers, Chicago
Atlanta and Boston, and the despatch boat
Dolphin, Admiral Porter says $50 far
the new vessels have given no evidence OF
great speed, aud it is feared by those most
interested in the matter that they never will,
which deficiency will render them useless as
commerce destroyers, although they may
serve the purpose of guarding our interests
among the smaller Powers which have no
naval force. The building of these vessels
was step in the right direction, az they
we're planned with the idea of having certain
classes of ships that would be most useful
in navy like our own, and out of the mum.
erous experiments made by naval powers
throughout the world to evoke system
which would render our navy less subject to
criticism than that Of any European ma
tion.
"For the past twenty years We have con-
tented ourselves with watching the nations
of Europe build ships, sending officers
abroad to examine the improvements which
have been made in construction and ord
nance. We have obtained drawings of al
most every impoI tant vessel built in Europe,
but in spite of our great experience, acquir-
ed with so little expense, we commit more
mistakes than were committed by any of the
European States in their efforts to build up
a navy"
He sees no reason siuce Mr.. Herreshoff
can obtain twenty-seven miles an hour in a
vessel of only 2S tons, why one Of 5000
tons should not be made to perform just as
we'll. He added that government proposes
to build thirteen knot gunboat carrying
four guns. This vessel he says could not
overtake anything, aud powerful Chinese
gunboat would be more than match for
her.