Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-17

threatened point, that no hostile force Is
| likely to seek an encounter with us on
our own soil. A small army sent upon
| our shores could not hope for success; it
| is not proba BILE that any large one will
| incur the risk. We have, there fore, lit
tie to fear from Invasion, and ere free
from the necessity of maintaining large
standing armies or Of fortifying against
| land attacks.
But our long coast line is peculiarly
exposed to an attack from the sea. So
| long as an enemy can reach vulnerabl g
points without exposing himself to our
land forces he may infiict blows which
wa are unable to parry, and which may
cause losses i'll to be endured. No great
civilized nation to-day has more just
eau Sc than ours to look well TO the con-
dition of its coast defenses, and none,
since the civil war has so wholly neg
lected them. 1t is a matter of oougratu-
lation that this national deficiency Is be-
ginning to excite the attention it merits,
especially as time, even more than
money, Ia necessary for its proper rep
aratiou.
A modern land battery constitutes a
permanent defense upon q battlefield,
chosen in advance, where no thanking i5
possible and where an enemy must force
his way or abandon the attack. In such
a contest ships OF war are placed under
every disadvantage. The channel is
selected where their deployment is diff
cult. while they are at the center OF
concentrated fire from many dispersed
guns. Modern inventions in the use of
electricity, high explosives, and in rifed
mortars, have resulted strongly in favor
of the comparative resisting strength OF
1np tinn 81
force. They can not be blown up by
dynamite nor sunk by vertical fire. They
can support any weight of armament,
and can protect themselves by any
weight of earth or stone or iron. For
accurate aim they have the solid earth
for q foundation. They also have the
cooperative aid of our own navy, of
torpedoes and submarine mines, aud
other accessory means of defense. When
our principal cities, our harbors and our
navy-yards are thus protected, then our
coasts will be safe, and our navy and our
increasing commerce will have safe ports
of refuge, where they can be repaired,
recoaled and refltted.
The efficiency of land defenses is no
experiment. 1t was the former wise
policy of the government, previous to the
civil war, to maintain coast fortiiica-
tons entirely competent to resist the
vessels of war of that period. They are
the cheapest to build; they are the
cheapest TO maintain; they are always IN
position, and ready for service. A
modern land battery when once con-
structed and armed needs few lepairs
and no renewals. Outlays for coast de-
Tense are investments which yield large
interest in the form CT insurance, with
little deterioration to principal. As the
sole object of harbor Notifications is de-
Tense, its construction should at least
keep pace with, if not precede, every
other preparation; for it has been well
said that "while we may afford to be
deficient in means of oifense, We cannot
afford to be defenseless.
Under the fertilization act of last
SESSION positions for forty eight mortars
three of the new long-range guns will be
prepared in New York harbor; for one
group of mortars and one gun in Boston
harbor; and for one group of mortars
and two guns in San Francisco. AS this
is matter in which makeshifts from
year to year are both expensive and de-
structive of the object to be attained. /
trust that fixed policy may be adopted
in the line of q reasonable yearly appro-
praton for the completion of the work
on which the nation is but just entering.
With such policy manufacturers could
safely put in the necessary plants and be
able 10 furnish material at a cheaper |
rate. With an annual appropriation OF
eight to ten millions-only little more |
than that OF the present year-the con- |
struction and emplacement OF guns and |
mortars, works of torpedo defense, for |
the whole coast, can he carried on, and |
in ten years our principal harbors and |
cities rendered reasonably secure.
ORDNANCE.
In tine matter of armament fsir and |
promising beginning has been made. The |
gun factory at Watervliet Arsenal has |
already turned out completed steel guns
OF 80, SO, and 10 inches caliber,
Which have been entirely satisfactory SO
far as their tests have proceeded. The
Pinch breech-ioeding field-gun meets
with general approval in service and the
firing tests of the and l0-iuch type
guns manufactured at Watervliet have
given excellent results, both as regards
accuracy aud range, and have satisfac-
torily demonstrated the capabllity of the
gun factory TO turn out modern high
power rified steel guns equal to the very
best. Two type guns, one or l2-lnch
,aliber and the other 10-Inch WIRE
bound steel gun, both breech-loaders,
and l2-inch Il. L. steel mortar are
now under construction at tie gun fac
tory. 1t is to be remembered that the
work so far done has al! been accom-
plished in shop improvised from an old
timber store house and with q limited
equipment and that the experience gained
by both officers and operatives will prob
ably lead to valuable results in the new
gun factory.
Under the present contract about thir-
.een twelve inch cast-iron mortars
hoped with steel can be furnished per
innum, and as there are other plants in
he country besides that of the present
contractors which are capable of turning
,ut these mortars, it is only necessary
hat sufficient sums be appro-
1riated for the manufacture OF about
fifty mortars year, and the production
If mortars will keep pnce with that OF
guns aud the construction of emplace-
nents. No fear need be entertained that
he plant for this work will not be in e6-
stence when needed.
The manufacture of the forgings for
he eight-inch, ten-inch and twelve-Inch
lreech- loading guns by the Bethlehem