The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-22
Tho Forts and Guns.

The FortiIlcatlons bill has shared the fate
Of tho Navy bill, in getting considerably
smaller allowance from the House commit
tee having charge OF it than tho depart
mont estimates had called for. SO far ms
the heavy ordnance ia concerned the esti-
mates Of Gen. FLAGLER are In several cases
fully met and probably he has obtained In
some particulars quite as much as lie
expected But in others there has been a
marked reduction.
That there should be no relaxation In the
work Of coast defenceis OF course admitted.
Adequate protection for the shores and the
boundary lines is still very tar distant. and
there is no reason why the present Con-
kress should not do its share of this work
Its completion will probably cost in round
numbers 500. 0Oo. 900. The sum OF S4.OOO,O00
year would sec it accomplished only in
fifteen years: and even that average would
he. In the earlier years. in consequence Of
past neglects. not adequate to meet existing
necessities at the points most important.
Besides the recent experience of the coun-
try has warranted greater, rather than less.
expenditures. The controversies with Italy
over the New Orleans affair. with Chill over
the Valparaiso affair. and with England
over the Behring Sea affair. have shown the
need OF protecting our coast line.
The leading items In the pending bill are
for sites OF Notifications. for gun and NOR
tar batteries. for heavy ordnance and am
munltion. and for the equipment OF the
south wing OF the Watervliet Arsenal: but
after mentioning the sums required for
certain purposes 1t is provided that not moro
than $500 shall be expended for them
during the next fiscal year. 1t is fair to
say that the contracts Which can be au-
thorized under the bill go much beyond the
$2.212.s76. which would be its amount Of
immediate appropriation: but this amount
certainly contrasts strongly with the bill OF
the House appropriating $2l. 900 for riv-
ers and harbors. and authorizing contracts
which will require the expenditure Of
double that sum In subsequent years.
TO propose SO small q fraction OF this
amount for the defence OF our ports Is to
reverse the order OF Importance in these
objects OF expenditure. and 1t may recall
the words OF SAMUEL j. TILDEN written to
Senator HAwLEY half q dozen years ago:
The apathy Of Congress this subject would be
credible II It did not confront II contrasts with tho
rivalry. which conspicuous to insst taking
high toward foreign nations every occasion
o; difference between them anu II contrasts also
with the favor which is shown to sehsmes Of prodiea
ity aud schemes to waste the public resources
things known TO be absolutely useless Among the peo
pie the desire for liberal appropriations toward tho
means Of public defence wellngh unanimous. am
wall informed to the popular feeling from tho
cnmstance that than 100 newspapers from all
parts OF the country and representing all political par
ties containing expressions upon the subject. have
been sent to me-"
In public letter to Mr.. CARLISLE the
same statesman. pointing out the fact that
III twelve seaports. which he named. the
property exposed to naval attack was not
less In value than five thou slnd millions OF
dollars. declared that "to provide for sea-
coast defenccs Is a paramount necessity
which ought to precede the reduction Of
the revenue;" and he further suggested
that laying out liberal sums on forts and
guns would DO "setting in motion impor-
tant industries and giving employment to
labor" 1t Is only Just to acknowledge that
such appeals. which formed the last public
work Of Mr.. TILDEN. really had al effect in
breaking up the apathy OF Congress- and
tho home industries devoted to the work OF
coast defence were at last set In motion.
There Is no reason to doubt that 1t Is as
true to-day as when Mr.. TILDEN wrote.
that "among tho people the desire for
liberal appropriations toward tho means 0;
public defence Is well-nlgh unanimous"
largest OUTLAWS it may mako for this pur-
pose will render its economies In other re-
spects the more noticeable.