The new North-west., 1888-09-28

~S~ANAAA~AO>ss
structed 1O0-ton gun, using $50 pounds Of
powder and firing a projectile weighing one
ton. In 1884 the monster Armstrong gun,
firing en- 1,SO0-pound projectile with 800
pounds o. powder, was first constructed and
satisfactorily tested. At 1000 yards distance
the solid ball penetrates thirty inches of
wrought iron In 1885 the great Krupp steel
gun was completed, weighing 119 tons with
bore of 1874 inches; and the French arc
now trying their ingenuity on the construc-
ton of a gun which is to weigh 124 tons,
have caliber of nearly 10 inches and fire a
projectile weighing 2:645 pounds with SIS
pounds Of powder. But its success is very
doubtful, as the limit in that direction is
probably reached.
All this time the ingenious have been ex-
perimenting with new explosives and pro-
jectiles. The latter are now made chiefly of
chilled and thoroughly tempered steel.
Powder has been improved, and dynamite,
melinite and other dynamics tested in prac-
tical use till such efficiency has been secured
that another complete revolution may be
looked for in few years.
As fast as the destructives have progressed,
the defenses havo almost Kept even pace.
Ironplating increased from four to twenty
five inches, and when the limit in solid plat
ing was reached, compound plates were en-
ployed. The demonstrated results alarmed the
Americans 1t was shown that the projectile
of an 8O-ton gun, at an easily obtainable
distance, penetrated twenty-five feet Of
granite and concrete masonry, and thirty
two feet of the best Portland cement con-
CRETE The conclusion need not be stated.
Every such fort on the American coast is
worthless. And, worse yet, the increased
range of projectiles makes the forts near the
coast cities worthless in any event.
Only a vague uneasiness was felt by
Americans till 1883; then for time there
was something like panic. At the opening
of the congress of 1885, the Hon. Samuel ].
Tilden addressed letter to the speaker Of
the house urging immediate action, citing
the well known facts that the twelve great
coast cities Of the United States were prac-
t;cally defenseless, and that in them s., ,0oo,
,OCO worth of non-renovabie property
was subject to destruction. The naval de-
partment has since put forth considerable
energy, largely in the line Of improved coast
cruisers and torpcdoes; a::d with recent de-
velopmcnts abroad, the government now
knows what must be done. New York is OF
course the chief point to be defended; and
the merest tyro has but to glance at the de-
fenses of the upper harbor to see how com
plctely obsolete they are For convenience
sake the city's defenses are here considered
in inverse order-that is, from the city south
ward to Sandy Hook Hook and the open
ocean.
As the c1cursionist starts down the bay
Governors Island rises directly in his way,
but half mile from the Battery, sixty three
acres of trap rock covered with soil of rare
fertility, straight south of the Battery, and
so near the city that it is within the bounda-
ries of the First election district Of the First
assembly district, First ward, ard residents
otherwise qualified register and vote there
In the United States official list it is known
as Fort Columbus, and is the headquarters
for the military division of tho Atlantic,
Mai. Gen. John N. Schofeld in command. 1t
was long the official residence of Gen. Win
field Hancock, who died there.