New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-25
PLANS FOR SEACOAST DEFENCES.
GENERAL CASEY DESCRIBES THE WORK OF TIE

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ASKED
Washington, Nov "a epeciaD-The Chief OF tue
Engineers OF the Army General I. l.. casey ha' o
mitted to the Secretary Of War his recommendations o'
the seacoast defences. His estimates contemplate INC
continuance OF the plan for which Congress u"rins
the present session has made an Appropriation VI
81 .22l O0o The next years work, according TO zen
eral Casey's estimate, would cost nearly S3Oooooo.
No appropriations had been made until last august
for the construction of works of se3coast ueieHce'
The sums appropriated for the preservation ana repr
OF Notifications applied ~ the most urgcn. "o"
Of that character including also the renewal OF pat
forms for heavy artillery practice. The CHER OF rne
neers says that some Of these defensive WORKS '''s
cared for be utilized in the system OF defence
and that all possess some importance as parts OF
system, which, though antiquated. forms the ony
means Of land defence until supplaned by WORKS Oh
modern type II is urged that these works, LOT u'is
reason, should not be allowed TO go to ruin.
The system OF coast defences remains as last
year, and has been duly forth in these dispaches
The works embrace ornaments of the heaviest rhea
guns, submarine mines. and batteries Of rapid firing
guns OF small callbre for the protection of the ruined
Projects for those works relating to gun de
fence provide for mortar batteries barbette batteries
of three types, according as they are armed WIN
guns mounted disappearing carriages or hi's OF
In ironcad easements and iron or steel turre's'
General Casey holds that the construction OF these
works, emitting for the present those OF iron ana te
turrets, should keep pace with that OF their arm'r
ments. The supplemental estimates of last February
were based the number of high power breech
loading riHed guns and mortars, which IT was under
stood the Ordnance Department would have com
pleted By January 1, 1892. Congress provided that
the appropriation should be divided among emplace
ments at New York, Boston and San Francisco, the
amount to be expended at New-York being S726'OOo.
1t is now recommended that the additional ordnance
iiol, Tod Nv 1
placed in position at the three points named and also
in the defcnces at Hampton Roads, Va, and below
Washington.
1t is believed that two12 inch flve-lOinch and six
8nch rifles and twenty -scven 12-inch mOrtars VIII
be available by January l, 1893, and for their en-
placements estimates submitted as follows ::
New-York harbor, SAT- 600; Boston harbor e205OOO
Hampton Roads, S16s,000; Washington, 100000;
San Francisco harbor $5s5.OOO The increased cfiec-
tive range of the modern heavy rife has made
necessary the advance of the exterior line Of defence
to distance Of from eight to ten miles for the object
of defence where mile was at one time more than
ample. This advance will require additional sites FOR
defensive works and IL is estimated that 10 acres VIII
DO needed at the five points named II Is found that
the half million dollars appropriated last year for the
purchase Of land is not sufficient aud another nan
million is asked for to aid the requirement Of the
territory.
During tho year the construction Of torpedo case
mates and cable galleries at defensive works in the
harbors at New-York, Boston az San Francisco has
continued and the appropriated are reported as
sufficient for works already begun. For constructing
additional works OF this character. however at these
and other harbors, S25OO00 is asked No further
appropriations for operations at Fort Niagara are re-
quired. The sea wall and earth embankmeDt at
David's Island will be completed within the Sf1 900
appropriated The sea wall at Governors Island will
be completed within the appropriation.
The estimates presented by General Casey aggTe-
gate 81 00s 600: divided as follows Construc-
tion OF gun and mortar batteries at NewYork HarbOr,
Boston 1Iarbor Hampton Roads, Washington and san
Francisco S.735 900; purchase of land for fortified.
Notifications. s175ooo preparation OF plans for forIif
cations 900 protection OF the shore at Fort Monroe,
S7 900: aresian well at Fort Monroe Va, $4,000
purchase Of submarine mines and necessary appliances
10 operate them for closing the channels leading to our
principal ports $3.50 600 needul casemates etc,
frOm which to operate mines, S25O0OO; continuing
torpedo experiments and for practical instruction OF
engineering troops In the details Of the service $50
torpedo station at Ycrba Bena Island, CAL, $4,000