Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1891-07-24
BOSTON LETTER.
Our Coast DefenCeS--The Work
Already Begun.
Over $S,OOO,OOO to be Ex-
pended on Boston Har-
Dor Alone.

Ill IOrlncf IctlGr 1 made some
remarks concerning the difficulty
Uncle Sam was experiencing in the
matter of securing the necessary
site for the batteries which are to pro-
Iect Boston, and incidentally q large
portion of New England. 1t seems
the matter has been amicaby
settled, the deeds recorded, aud the
preliminary work has already begun.
The magnitude Of this undertaking is
much greater than the public has gen
orally expected, and if it is as effective
rs ii is reported, New England need
have no fear of foreign invasion frcm
this quarter. The cost of the two
foritications will be 81 100000, and rs
the plan of defence is 80 comprehensive
no doubt your readers viii he inter
rsted in a summary of their equipment.
They will include two mortar batteries
Zach of lG Pinch guns, and three
'.ceI horiz ntal firing guns, also >
l2-inch-@j in ALL Zach Of these bat
tcrics will be surrounded by 4 parapct
30 feet high, and measuring $50 feet
by 402 feet, in rectangular form.
Near the four corners will be placed
groups of four guns, and in the ccntrl
If the pNrapCt area will be located tho
magazine. communication from this
being had with all The guns by under.
ground galleries. The magazine, as
well rs the galleries and the walls Of
Tho several pits will be of sold con-
rctc-the latter being 10 feet thick
md backing up the great mass of
earth in front
The mortars in these pits will be
short guns, only 10 l-2 feet in length.
They will be entirely hidden from any
approaching enemy by the high cm-
oankmcnt in front. Upon tho ap-
prOach of any hostile ship signals will
be given from an observation station,
elliug the exact location of tho enemy.
The range will be obtained upon the
'cvclations of modern science.
The batteries are absolutely pro-
my man-of- war, because of the pits
which they are located, while the
accuracy of aim by the and batter G.
s such rs to almost insure destruction
Should the whole battery of Ii gun,
DC discharged at Oucc-thc position OF
lie vessel having been properly de.
.crmincd at the observatory, and prop,
erly 1ignallcd-onc-half, at least
eight 6oO-pouud shells, would fal
lpon the deck. Either one of these
vertical shots would be sufficient to &C
through the deck and down througl
he hull Of any war vessel ahoa'
evcn if it did not explode before
t had passed through, a wa,
ship would be powcricss to comba
A battery of this Kind, because i
would he impossible to fire vertically
In the first place, such attempt wouI,
work disaster on shipboard, and again
t would be impracticabIe to Obtain
'angc IN this class of firing Whel
.hcrc was no tixcdncss of position, sucl
is is obtainabc on land. Thcs
nortars are capable of great aCcurac.
Up to distance Of six milcs, Rnt
when any vessel attempts to apprOac
Broad sound -hc will find very diff
rcrent CONDITION of things than dl'
he English mCn-of-war when the
battered down the soft, thin walls o
.hc forts nt Alexandria, which ha
none of these terrible accOptremCnt
If modern defence.
On Growers cliff, near the morta
batteries, is TO he located three Il
nch horizontal firing battery, of steC
guns. They are to be located in pits
he face of which will be composed o
10 feet of solid concrete, faced by
feet or more of earth. Down bcueat
e .hcse so guns will be hydraulic lltt'
[ and when occasion comes for the
Use they will be quickly lifted int
position. so that their muzzlcs wi
project over the top of the parap'
s But before they are thus lifted an 800
I pound shell will come by hydrauI
/ power from the magazine, so feet b
Iow, and thrown into the breach, TO
owed by the charge of 400 pounds
c powder, both being rammcd home al
t The brcech closed IVY machinery.
> After firing, the gun ia lowered OF
G Of the way of all horizontal iirIr
., from the enemy, ready for anoth
- charge. This operation can be +
{ peated every ten minutes, so that fro
l. Inc three guns Is proiectiles can
sent out every hour. These steel gu
cost about 100000 each, and it W
{ cost about 1925, 900 to put them
Fl position, q total of 1925, 900 for 4
i,rover's cliff horizontal firing la
terry.
= Tho cost of making the 80 riff
t mortar guns will be about $4,000 eac
i and the cost for the construction
, the works is estimated at about Sl2C
900 for each battery of l6 guns. I'll
: makes q total of $4,000 for t
i mortar batteries at Winthrop.
c The plans for forttication of Be
$ ton harbor include 1913 mortar gun
placed at every available point fro
which Broad sound and Ship chanr
! can be reached, with so horizon
. firing gums, 10, IL and l6 inch'
: placed also in commanding position
. Reckoning the cost upon the ba
:, of the Winthrop works, the TO
y amount to be expended around
e harbor will bc some 80 100000 I
p mortar batteries and about Sc, 6,25O,O o
90, hnri1nnIol frino Guns. or Il tO
. of some S9, $50 900.
:, | have taken the above Gcscrlpti
Il of our forlilcations from recent
+ sues of the daily press, and they
probably as trustworthy as it is r.
, sible 10 obtain. 1t makes Interest,"
reading, and the big guns, which "
/" be put in position within the NJ