The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-23
OUR PACIFIC Coasr DKFKNcEs.
How They Could bo Made Complete at
Moderate Expense.

i
Moderate Expense.
WASHINGTON. July 22-The striking testi-
mony given by Gen. Miles to the Senate Com
mittee on Relations with Canada, q summary
OF which has Just been made public, ought to
DO supplemented. in order to obtain n full view
OF the subject, by tho same officers testimony
before the Senate Committee on Const Detences.
What Gen. Miles said to Mr.. Hoars commit
tee bore largely on the present defenccless-
ness OF the Pacific coast. but to Senator Dolph's
committee he explained tho remarkable ense
with which that coast could be perfectly pro-
tected.
This comparative facility Of defence results
from two causes. In the first place, over the
entire stretch Ct perhaps 1900 miles Of coast
line south OF British Columbia, there are really
only about four points, and five Mt tho utmost,
Immediately requiring fortincation. These are
l'uEet Sound the mouth Of the Columbia. San
francisco, and San Diego. with the possible
addition OF San Pedro Bay. Along the entire
distance from Puget Sound to the Golden Gate
winch Is about 800 miles. the mouth OF the Co.
lumbia furnishes the only hnrbor for deep
draught war vessels such as alone need cause
apprehension. The coast along this distance
according to Gen. Miles. us very rough and
mountainous, with high bluffs near deep water.
and very few harbors' Tho three principal
ones, lie said, arc laRulna Bay, COOS Bay, and
trays Harbor. A fleet can enter any OF these
small harbors and find room: they can find
shelter near the island along the coast. bul II
they went into any OF these small harbors they
could do very little harm, because there Is very
little commerce there. These positions are not
10 be the centre of wealth and commerce as
Puget Sound, tho II outh OF the Columbia. and
the harbor OF San Francisco are" Thus.
a az the c9astwise commerce OF Caliior-
last, the problem Of an adequate defence of the
entire ocean front Of these three states is real
necessity OF fort at San Pedro, which is asked
Tor by The Los Angeles Chamber OF Commerce:
The Sontherh Pacific III IL Halfway p on one hat part OF
the Pacific coast But even this point could be
omitted from the scheme OF coast defence for
A second consideration is the remarkable aid
which nature furnishes for the defence OF these
Puget Sound, Gen. Miles declared to the Sem
ate committee that the positions arc admira-
BILE for defence Just as nature left thcm.' TAX
detail:
The sntranSs twelve mile: vide ard then varies
sHs 'SSn SSoms 1s 3 $1S
Of the e ep o water G ps q
s AZ ~ Ge mSP Narrow Admir- mir
lien through The Sopnd tho depth Is from a1to
tesn0ms A. this point Is Port IoERsend which quite
% are '5s straits e Fqf% and III" was nar5o%s
Gn where sI nGf' MIA
sen' w iT%' %
narrow pass where you could destroy tr entrance BY
that nf you'd oRy bot" 20 s
this point there are high bluffs from 800 to 10 feet
FOR guns and mortsrs The mort"r Gend the UiSs
tS .hp to ma p6sm Wien coming in here and
yet the ship would be under the Are of the morta bat
twelve miles
A hostile ship would be for n still longer
range under the fire, OF heavy rihrd guns frotp
those bIurs Gen. lilies estimating the distance
At eight miles outside and eight mics inside.
or a total distance Of sixteen miles. which. OF
course. is eQuivalcnt to its destruction. There
ing floating battery in the channel and OF
employing torrcdoes while this is ono OF those
points whore tho dynamite throwing tubes
rs to San Francisco. the entrance to the
Golden Cato ard the hnrbor is milo wide.
with bluffs on the south side 500 feet above the
high. The lattor position Is described by Con.
Miles rs. IA perfect Gibraltar" It is true
and throw sRes f into the e" city but te eo1i
not occupy the harbor and take possess
sion OF San Francisco without first re-
ing the city, which. as an act distinct
from attacking tho forts would be most CEN
s.urahle. 1t would be itself under the lire Of
so that 1t is imrregnable TO tho !
attack Il a landing party. At tn mouth OF the
for forttnrations. The distance across the |
channel will not exceed two miles and there is
would defend the city OF Portland and the |.
OF the great river Of the Northwest. !
Thus tho two leading facts are that the Pa |
by q modoornte outlay could ne perfectly de-
ended The two immediate steps TO he taken |
seem to TO those Of establi fishing navy yard |
m Puget sound and n gun factory somewhere |
lear san Francisco The construction Of the |
lnrbor defence vessel going on at that city is |
already an important point gained.