Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-08
FORTIFIED BY FIRE.
A Defense OF New York Harbor
That Will Battle an Ironolad


Fleet.
The nation may have to go TO war at a
days notice. In such an event. immediate
defense of the seaports will be necessary.
Word comes from Washington that the fer
tile American mind has grappled with the
subject, and that the armored ships Of Eu-
rope will be held at bay by flooding the har-
Dor entrances with blazing petroleum con-
veyed under the ship channels through
submerged pipes.
A powerful company Of capitalists, al
ready organized, with millions Of dollars
behind 1t, has proposed TO the government
plan TO defend the entrance to harbors by
forcing petroleum to the surface of the
water through pipes laid at the bottom for
that purpose and igniting it with burning
bomb, thus creating sea Of tire, through
which the enemy's feet must pass. An ex-
pertinent will soon be made to demonstrate
the practicablity Of the plan, and the APP
paratus necessary is now ready. This is no
insane theory. 1t is revolution! 1t is just
what this country has been looking for.
Consider its application in the defense OF
New York and Brooklyn. An enemy's iron-
clad feet arrives off Sandy Hook. As long
as they can be kept outside the Hook there
will be little danger and people may go
about their business as usual, Tor, although
guns have been built that would throw pro
jectiles from Sandy Hook to Brooklyn, the
gun carriages on board ship do not admit OF
"A sufficient elevation OF the guns TO attain
that range. The enemy must come inside,
up near the Narrows, at least, TO bring us
guns 10 bear effectively. Their vessels
nearly all foreign, ironclads-draw between
twenty five and thirty feet of water. They
must mannuvre with caution, therefore,
and avoid all shoal places, entering only
through the main ship channel; the vessels
of lighter draught through the Swash
Channel perhaps. Buried in the sand on
the Hook and in underground passages on
the Long Island shore, the plants and ma
chinery will be established for forcing the
petroleum as desired. From each OF these
stations a system of many pipes Will be
laid, running 10 different points IN the main
ship channels at intervals of few hundred
feet apart beginning at the extreme sea
ward entrance of the channel. The pipes
will be fitted with valves, which Will be
closed by the water pressure, but opened by
the hydraulic power used TO force the petro-
leum from the reservoirs. Some OF these
pipes may even be brought To the surface in
shoal water and being pointed towards the
channel, the petroleum may be hred In a
stream from "A considerable distance and
fall in the track Of vessels at different
points.
The enemy decides to enter and forms in
column, one vessel ahead OF the other. 10
steam through the narrow channels. They
can only come in AT high water, or at the be-
ginning of the ebb. AS the leading vessel
approaches the entrance to the channel
heavy charges OF petroleum are fired through
the nearest pipes and, rising 10 tho surface,
spread over "a wide erea. AT the same time
the dynamite guns. placed in the proper po-
sitions, throw number of burning and in
eXtinguishable buoys, which fall In the
channel and set fire to the petroleum. These
huoys, being light, may he thrown great
distance from guns hidden from view, sunk
in emplacements on shore Capt Zalinsh
has proposed to throw such buoys TO light
up the water that guns on shore may be
trained upon vessels attempting to enter
harbors at night. The buoy scheme is per
fectly feasible and may be utilized TO ignite
the petroleum The fire spreads rapidly,
but the leading vessel dashes ahead, nothing
daunted, thinking 10 pass beyond the linn
its of the fire, followed by the ships in the
rear But as they proceed charge after
charge of petroleum will be forced through
the pipes successfully as they are approach
, ed and the flaming buoys will continue to
fall. The oil, spreading all over the surface
of the water, but thickest in the channel,
soon becomes "a lake Of fire, completely en-
veloping the ships
An iron ship may burn, though il will
make a good furnace. But the smolSe-that
must not be forgotten IL is well known
that smoke will be an important element in
future naval battles. Vessels of great speed
will race each other, friend sinking friend.
The smoke from the burning petroleum
will envelop the enemy in heavy clouds,
making il impossible for them TO see each
other or the shore. The harbor buoys will
| all be removed in time of war; and the Of
ficers, not being able to see the landmarks,
cannot get their bearings 10 steer by. They
may attempt TO steer by compass, but that
will not save them in narrow channel.
What will they doi They cannot turn in
the narrow channel! Signals cannot be
seen. If one ship stops the one astern runs
her down. They cannot get out again as
they came in. The utmost confuson-a
panic will be the result. Some ships will
get aground while cropping about in the
smoke and flames. Worse still, some or the
surface pipes will fire the petroleum high in
TO the air lasling it on the decks and against
the sides OF iron -clads. They will not burn,
of course. but the petroleum will. II will
be ignited by fire on the surface OF the wat
er, and the flames VIII creep up the sides,
setting fire TO boats and all exposed wood
work. The flames running up the side may
reach the ports and the guns
The gunners can see nothing. They can
not aim their guns, surrounded by cloud
of dense black smoke. The sitting fumes
OF fiercely burning petroleum will render
the crews helpless If IL does not suffocatc
them. And while the enemy's ships are
thus inextricably mixed up, bewildered and
aground, other means OF attack may be
used TO complete their destruction. The
dynamite gun mounted ashore on fixed
platform is acknowledged TO be wonderfully
accurate, and at known range shell after
shell may be thrown among the enemy's
feet Small, fast vessels, with their bows
strengthened for rammng, may dash out
from inside the Narrows, and with their
crews protected from the smoke may rush
upon the helpless enemy who cannot use his
guns TO keep them off, and thus sink his
ships. A fleet in this position, while il can
see nothing. can itself be seen from the
shore and thus be target for all guns and
torpedo boats. A few vessels of the Vesu.
vius type, however vulnerable 10 shot,
would be Of great service when the enemy,
shut in by the smoke could not train his
guns upon them Dynamite, fire and smoke
combined would leave nothing of the proud
iron-clad fleet Of the enemy. They may
come TO these shores prepared to Fl ght the us
ual weapons-guns and torpedoes but they
will not be ready, like Clusters cavalry 10