The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-27
BURSTING SHELLS IN CONGRESS STREET
What Might Happen to Portland In
Case of War.
The Fortifications Board Want Five
Millions for Defences.
Description Of the Proposed Works
for Ports in Maine.
lSnecial to the Press. /

Of Senator Dolph's committee on coast de-
fences, which is now before the Senate, pro-
vides for the appropriation of the grand sum
Of $123, 100000 for the defence of the ports of
the United States. The expenditure of this
sum is to be extended over period of IL
years by the provisions of the bill, beginning
with 1891, when $21, 800, 900 would be expend-
ed. The expenditures will be made accord
ing to tn plans of the Notifications board
When the work is begun Portland harbor
will be one of the first places to be atten ded
to, and the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers
will also come in for a share. Senator
Dolph's bill specially mentions these places
for part of the first years appropriations.
The Notifications board classes Portland
as the 10th port in the order of urgency.
which is as follows: New York. San Fran
cisco, Boston, the lake ports, Hampton
Roads, New Orleans. Philadelphia, WASH
ingtoD, Baltimore, Portland, etc. Portland,
the board says, could be shelled from sea-
ward from the northeast Of the city to the
southeast, at distances varying from three to
four miles, in more than five fathoms of
water. There are also several good anchor
ages between Long Island, Great Diamond
and Peaks Island; and also between Great
Diamond and the mainland where foreign
man-of-war could lie and she'll the city at
easy range. There is also good anchorage
to the southwark at Richmond's Island har-
Dor, where man-of-war might lie undis-
turbed and she'll the city. AS Portland is
only six and one-half miles distant it is the
opinion of the board that a vessel might
lie at Richmond's Island and either
shell the city, or disembark a force that
might capture the city by land. In short
Portland harbor is about as defenceless a
place as there is on the coast, for all the old
forts in the harbor.
The recommendations of the Notifications
board, however, propose some things that
would render less easy any exploits of for
eign men-of-war about the city. They are
in favor of expending in all the sum of $5,-
305, 500 on the fortifcatiOn and defence of
Portland. OF this sum $2,096,0O0 would go
for earthworks and masonry. 100000 for
structural metal to be used in connection
with the mounting and protection OF the
guns, 81, 7S4, 900 for big guns and mortars,
$751;, 900 for gun carriages, $27S,500 for sub
marine mines and adjuncts, and $360,000 for
torpedo boats to be stationed in the harbor.
The great guns will be monsters. Twenty
Of them will be 12-inch fifty ton guns; ten of
them 10-inch twenty-seven ton guns; ten of
them 8-inch thirteen ton guns; and forty
eight 12-inch mortars. These are not the
largest guns that there will be on the coast,
since for New York, Boston and other larger
places ITO ton guns Of 16-inch caliber are re-
commended. They are, nevertheless. large
ana powerful guns. And they will be very
costly too. Ten of the Portland guns,
mounted on lifts. will represent when in
position cool 100000 each. The masonry
expense, representing $4,000 Of the 100000,
while the other $4,000 goes for the gun.
Thirty more, part of them mounted on a de-
vice which enables them to disappear by
sinking down after they are fred VIII cost
will cost $4,000. No plans have been made |
for iron turrets at Portland, but at Nara
gansett Bay and other places they are |
planned. These turrets, made OF chilled cast |
monitor, are in use for coast and land de-
tense in European countries.
Of submarine mines 1t Is estimated by the
Notifications board that Portland should
have $50 at cost of $l22500 for the mines
But to make the mines suffic-
iently safe in time of peace, and sufficiently
deadly in time of war, it is necessary to have
apparatus connected with them.
Four operating rooms would cost 100000;
then 16 electric light projectors would cost
1JO,UUU more 50 Judt bue uulucS WOulu CUSt
in all about S 27S,50O. These submarine
mines are an important part of the defense
system. The mines are connected with an
operator on the shore by an electric cable.
The operating rooms must OF course be
bomb proof It is also quite necessary to
have special light batteries, arranged with
electrical connections so as to be discharged
at any small boats of the enemy that might
meddle with the system.
The quota of torpedo boats estimated for
Portland is six, to cost 100000 each. Such
boats are intended to be of great use in de-
feating attempts against the mines by either
large or small vessels.
The bill reported by Senator Dolph's COM
mittee provides in the first appropriation for
the purchase of the land necessary for erect
necessary to purchase more land on Cape
Elizabeth or the islands is not specified.
On the Kennebec, at Fort Popham. it is
proposed to use for masonry and earthworks
$120,0O0; for guns and mortars, $S1. 900; for
$4,000; total Of $29S,OOO. This would
give three 10-inch guns for Popham.
AT Fort Knox, opposite Bucksport, on the
Penobscot, three more 10-inch guns would be
put in. costing $S1, 900, or $1OS, 900 with their
$l20,0Oo more are allowed, and for subma-
rine mines $4,000; total of $29S, 900 for
the Pen0bscot also.
These are the amounts that Maine will get
If the twelve. years plan of construction,
proposed by the Notifications board, is car
ried out. Senator Dolph's committee have
reported bill to begin the work in 1891.
The Notifications of Portland, the Kenne
bee and the Penobscot are obsolete. The
line-of-battle ship of 1910. against which
they were intended to defend the ports of
Maine, cost but $55O,00O, and was puny
thing compared with the iron-clads of today,
costing S5,000,000 each. To meet these i'm
proved vessels, more modern defences are
no