Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-11-07
orR PACIFIC COAST DEfESsEs.
They should Be Strengthened Against All
Possible Attacks.

WAsHISGroN, Nov. q The suggestion
has been r,Aie that San Francisco might be
benbsrded bv the var ships Of Child A
mat re ssaed, there il really h,sie danger
Ct .ueh : disss,er. That county aoa.i
have rs hsnds mere thsD full ia
protecting frem oar cruisers its osn
extended coast line, which stretches
frem below valdivia up 10 aud beyond
Arca mere than 1900 miles Near one
extremity Of that line is the nitrate reslcn,
ifs main source af ineame, And 1000 miles
distant is il, main centre Of p1pulAsIon sad
seat Of government Is crippled fleet
would hsve to be divided ter the protection
OF ths Sc i~o main regions. Besides. war
with the United States might revive domes-
tic diseords and stimulate Peru and Bolivia
to recover what Chill took from them.
Before Chilian expedition could reach
San Francisco We should have defending
naval force there. Tne San Francisco 10
already on her way thither; the Charleston
will probably be there this month on her
return from China. Other ships in the
Pacific would be summoned. The fret in
stallmente Of our automobile torped) )es
must eoon be ready, sDd might be cent by
rail across the continent to be used on iD,-
provised torpedo vessels for hsrbor defence
The high-power guns which the navy de-
psrime Mt is Aceun ulaiing for cruisers now
under construction could aiso be despatched
by rail, as the batteries Of the Charleston
and the San Ffaucisco were sent. These
gu1s have great range ard pereusrive
power. and could be mounted to the best
sdssnlsge for = plugging fire from the
bluffs aroupd San Ffsncitco. A supply of
l2.ileh breech-losdins mortArs Of the best
modern type could siso be Forwarded and
mounted,
But while these considerations may re
assure some who have been unduly alarmed
about the periIs Of San Francisco. it is we'll
to draw the proper moral fron, any feeling
of anxiety. 1t is u serious fact ,bxt San
Ffapcisco would be today at the mercy Of
. Chilian feet. Ard while existing facts
would enable Us preb,bly t, prevent The
spproach Of such hset and certainly to
punis!Dits temefiiy. the warning is none the
lee. clear to put the Pacific cosst in prop
per state Of defense. Chill is not the only
or the chief power to he guarded agsins..
And even defence sgainst Chiil's crippled
navy might take away torped0es, guns and
bortsrs intended for the Atlantic cosst and
perhaps needed here should the Captain
frst be free at tae right moment TO attack.
What. then, can be done to provide
proper defs nces for San Francisco, sssum-
ing that the present difficulty with Chill can
be safelv tded overs One specific thing is
the estsDl ishment st BeDecis. or elsewhere
in California, of government gun factory
like those now existing at West Troy for
the army and a. Washington for the ravy.
Testimony was given before the last Con
gress from hi th authority in favor OF such
q factory. Even Gen. Benet, who was uu-
defs;o0d to prefer The enlargement Of the
existing Watefvliet establishment, admitted
the heaviest cslibres for the Pacific coast
defer css would have to be sent around to
San Francisco by ses unless the railroad
bridges we're greatly strengthened.
Gen. Miles showed befgre the senate
committee on coast defepces that the Pacific
Rolling Mills Of San Franci.co could cast
ingots of steel weighing 81 tons. These
are nearly onehalf larger than the largest
ineo.s required for l0.inch snns, and nearly
large enough for ~ il CD guns. Practically
the IL inch guns are large enough for the
defence of the Pacific cost, especially as
the high grounds AT all the importaut
hsfb bors constitute admirable natural en-
placements The forniicatit ms Board of
half doz9n yesrs sgo advised for San
Fisrci.eo ten 16 inch guns, four H-inch
guns, twenty inch guns, sevsnsy- one
lO-inch guns, FIVE Sinch guns, and
1928 l2-incn mortars; fer Columbia river,
l2 10 inch, seven S.inch ard 32 mOrtsrs,
and for San Diego, four 10 inch guns, |
Since then we have had the importsn; de- |
fences of Puget souvd to consider. There |
are also a few minor points, namely, |
Ysquina bay. Coos bay, San Pedro harbor |
and Grsy's hsrbor. But there is nothing |
in these 10 attract an enemy, and the four
places first mentioned are all thai need be
considered In view of the great mum Der
of guns and mortars there required, ard
The growing importsnce of lhe Pacific
coast, it would seem wisc to assist that
coast TO provide Hs own guns, as it is
already provide its cwn guns.