The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-12-04
The Need Of Protecting the Ooast Iin
From Cape Hatteras To Key West


:. From Cape Hatteras To Key West.
. WAsHINoToN, u. c., Especial lon
OF the most noticeable Recommendation
, IN the report Of Gen. o. q. Howard, a
commander OF the Department of tn
Atlantic, is that Tybee Roads and Por
Royal Sound should be defended h
works on Hilton Head aud Tybcc. Perry
ana st. Helena islands. With thes
would be joined, of course, submarin,
mines, aud the navy in due time mipb
furnish torpedo boats.
important steps have been taken fo,
the protection of tho Atlantic coast from
Portltnd down to Norfolk, and new bat.
teries at some of tho more important
points have been begun for the rcccption
OIL guns and mortars now under construo.
tlon. But from Fort Monroe to Kcv
West the seaboar4 is at present defence,
less. There is not even coast garrison
\ 6etxoan tho former poiot and Fernan.
thu coasr Is wSrsc tIruu uufbrc rnu't.ryu
war.
If VIC look at the Bermudas, where
England has strongly fortified naval
stallion and rendezvous. we find that tho
distance thence to Wilmington is GA
miles; to Charleston. 772 miles to Sayan
nah, SS4 miles; to ST. Augustine. 500
miles, North of Wilmington the dis.
tance from the Bcrmudas TO the coast of
North Carolina even diminishcs. Keep
ing in view the high speed now given
to war vessels, it is evident that n hostile
squadron, secretly assembling at the Bcr
mudas, which are connected by telegram
with Halifax, but by no direct cable with
the United States, could appear off our
south Atlantic ports after u comparativc
~ short run. Coaling at tho Bcrmudas,
1t would have an ample supply left for
operations on our coast.
1t must bo kept in mind that we really
arc not separated by the broad ocean from
the nearest possible European onomy, L.t
only by few hundred miles intervening
between onr ports aud such stations as
Halifax and the Bcrihudas, or the various
West India islands in foreign possession.
Tho recommendation of Gen Howard in
regard to fortifying the coasts of the
Carolinas, Georgia, aud Florida is there
lore based on palpablc facts. Tybcc
island is at the mouth of the Savannah.
and works there would protect the river
and the city. Broad River md Port
koyai Souud, little to the North,
always regarded as waters of Importance
as shown by the Hilton Head expedition
early in the civil war, become additional.
ly so from the now dry dock now under
construction there, while tho naval sta
tion is sure to grow in value from its sit
uation.
The Fortiiications Board of 1885 picked
out Oh this coast, between Fort Monroe
and the Gulf, for defence by permanent
works, Key We t, Charleston, Savannah,
Wilmington, and Cumberland Sound, in
that order of relative importance. Gen.
Howard is said to haS been struck by
the expectancy Of manniSSg, Fort T. SeuSr.
,'o son stitE2 Dry. Tortugas adj rors lay.or
iHch guns, ten f2-inch Pitts
i.et,afSe ettc batteries, thirty.two 12.inch
mortar,. six torpedo boats, and 1uanH-'
tv of submerine mines. The total ap.
propriaton estimated for this point was
| 49, 4O6, 500; for Charleston, $2,244, 800;
for Savannah, 81, 2,244, 900; for Whining
ton, 81, 942, COO; for Cumberland Sound,
1896, 600. 1t should be said, however,
| that some of these ports on the Southern
coast be partly defended against hostile
squadron by the interposition af obstruc
tions i'm the channels, SO that in this res
| meet their wants are not so urgent rs
| those of more important harbors on the
North Atlantic coast.
An interesting proposal is that which
is to he made by IA South Carolina Con
prcsman at tho coming session for placing
!, ia,i ison in Chaii,siou iiarDor nt rorl
Moultric. The proposition is II reminder
that for many years this important har,
bor, the scene of great military aud nava
operations both in the Revolutionary ano
civil war, has been without the service
of single company of artillcrymcn. N
doubt this lack will be supplied whe
not sooner sfhsyp guns to spare for 1t
in order of Importance by the F6ff}rRtta
. tions Board among the points south G
Fort Monroe until Key West is reached