The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-09-05
COAST DEYExsEs AND THE
srKPLUS-

The puFz5eafion Of President sleve-
Lands message 70 congress IN favor Of
refzli4aoa mSy possibly have one
god result, IN that Il viii put IN end
10 this Sly hsnsfer aboas sas Plus in
the treasury. A diseassion Of the
question cannot fail - lead % n er-
animation iato the ztreagfh Of our
seaeoast defenseA Retaliation IL
pretty certain 70 result IN an anpiezs-
ant friction between the two countries.
With the closing Of Anser5can ports to
Csnafisn vessels Canada. vexef ard
desperate, VII neglect no opportunity
- harass aad annoy American fsh-
ing vessels. Our war ships vii be
seat - protect our fishing dses. and
under the strained relations bound to
exist. it is not i.npro5aiae that fool
lib fraeas or encounter will be re
corded Thfsog csur~e wiz be bat add
ing the most inilamfnahle fuel 70 the
FIRE. and var. although nor wlthi4 the
rauEe Of probabilities. wia nevsrtie-
less be discussed IN al is Iights and
bearings.
The first question wlIich we are
likely 70 SIX our elves i. rrgsr.liEg the
strength Of our seaeoass defense. An
examination wiil reveal the fact that
We have none. The startling truth
Wit dawn upon Us that the cities
bordering on the harisors of Portland.
Ne, Portsmouth. BostoR, Newport,
New London. New Haven. New York
Philadelphia. baltimore. Norfolk, VII
mingt0n. Charleston, Savannah. -
Augustine. Mobile, Nex Orleans, Gal
weston, ran Diego, san Francisco,
Portland. Or. and Puget sound ports
are absolutely without any modern
defensive works whatsoever. and
furthermore. that there is in these
cities approximately six thousand
million dollars Of property which
might he destroyed by the fire Of a
hostile feet. What a city may be
compelled 10 suffer from modern
lombardInent was shown in the
maneuyers OF the British fleet before
Alexandria
A large navy even would not pro-
tect Us, inasmueh as our vast coast
line offers too many points open to at
tack. This was well illustrated by the
maneuyers Of the British fleet last
year. The naval operations which
followed the grand review during the
queens jubilee eliminated in a divi-
sion Of the teet and 4 mock attack on
the British coast By the weaker fleet
under Admiral Freemantle. Within
twenty-four hours from the declara-
ton OF war Falmouth was captured
ard the shipping destroyed. Al at
taoks By torpedo boats ediscoyered
and frustrated. the coast defense flo
tilla was captured; the Channel squad
ron under Admiral Hewitt vas succe -
fully eyatieti, the hostile fleet entered
TIE Thames aud cTectually shelled
the London docks Admiral Free
mantle, in commenting on the result.
said: The only safeguard appears to
be a better system o. coast defense"
We have to-day I've thousand miles
.of seacoast unprotected. While We
had one OF che best systems OF coast
defense in 1850, il is nos obsolete, neg
lected and almost useless. To what
better use could our troublesome sar-
plus be put than the beginning Of
strong and substantial line OF de-
lenses oar harbors must be sup
Piled with the heavy modern ord
nance. properly mounted behind Sc
cure earthen cover with masonery
magazines and equipped with the
latest appliances for handling guns
and ammunition. Our channels OF
approach must be well studded with
automatic electric torpcdoes and pro.
vision made for the naval contingent
Of torpedo boats. gunboats, floating
batteries. monitors and war ships.
The establishment OF such works Of
defense cannot be done in few
months. Expert engineers have est
mated that eight years woull be re
CURED 60 render our protection com
plete What better opportunity is
there than the present for Inaugural
ting the work There Is surplus in
the treasury aud the first steps can be
taken without additional taxation. ~
our coast detenscs had been what cir.
cainstances demanded the people OF
the country can rest assured that the
tsheyies question woul,l have been set
tel long ago and not adversely to
American hshermen. Therefore. let
us hear less Of reducing the surplus
and more Of protecting our live thou
sand miles 90 Saacaast