New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-28
TO PROTECT ,UR COASTS.
NETWORK HARBR OFFENCES.
HOW OFFICERS FEEL ABUT PROJECTIONS IN
THE BY.

THE BY.
The recent efforts Of The Tbune to arouse popular
interest in the question OF torugh and complete co''
defence for the hsrbor OF New ork and to awaken ,o
country Ia the danger menacg it through '"e j"
sufficiently protected state Of Is chief seaport ''
city have been followed with gsi attention by Arn''
officers. and particularly In the Resent state OK AMIN
when the possibility Of war bhgs the question: VI
armament and fertilization to th fore. The chcers
who are particularly in sympath, with all ehor's ~
improve the defcnces Of the city nd harbor are toso
attached TO the Corps Of Engineers they OWING ~
the nature Of THEN duties are Intimately acquall'e'
with the needs and shortcomings ofthe local forum
lions Tie officers of the Corps ofEngneers In 'neir
annual reports have always urged Sd constantly IT,
eratcd the necessity Of sparing no money 10 IIaN0
New York uuspproachable 10 hostile vessels. lhey
have been aggreSsively in favor Of tr and feel gr'.
lied at the chance Of having popular interest awakened
on the Corp, OF Engineer, Of the Unitd states AIfny
depend, the duty VI erecting and imprying coast ue
fence, The coast is divided into what are known as
engineer districts and the officers who ave charge oI
tie district in which New. York City situated are
under General Henry l.. Abbot. Thar district 10
divided into three sections Authenticated G. H..
Gillespie has charge of that portion comprising Fort
Hamilton and sandy Hook Colonel ID. { Houston has
under his supervision Font Columbus on Governors Is
land md Fort Wad,wOTth Colonel King has charge Of
the eastern DIVISION OF which the main rne OF defence
Is between Throggs Neck where Fort schuyler Is
situated I'm We,tchester County, and Willet's Point
on Long Island, near Whestone.
OF the defence around NewNOrk Bay, the one
which /, al present ,trategically Tie most important
one f. sandy Hook and Tribune reporter Yesterday
had an interesting talk with LieuteantCol)ne Giles
pie regarding the possibilities for defence in sudden
emergencies, lie discussed the dehs of defence,
both from land batteries and submarine mines and
torped0r-. The latter engines Of var would play
such an important part In modern naval engage
mens that # /, pleasant To re )ord ina, the WORK OF
collecting them at available points, whlch has been
ouieIv going ON for some years has Ind the good
effect a, providing sufficient nuI'er to MAKE
II extremely difficult for invading vessels t. enter the
harb0r.
The modern plan OF submarine mines Is to lay long
lines Of ,orpcoes at distance Of about male from
the point u the cO1St which " n designed 10 make
lmpa sable. The torpedOes are connected WIN ono
another and with the shore Nv submarine cable lhey
may he arranged to explode either by impact or by
the electric spark and covering the entire line there
Are 10 be trained rupd-hr guns OF small caiLfe'
such A. the Hl,chklss Driggs schroeder, and Others
These guns are intended fr the purpose OF
mourning q destructive, ceasee,s fire on the enemy
torpedo launches. when they try :" DICK up the Suhc
torpedoes. As long as the small boats are pIc'o"o
fOm getting the torpedoe> ont Of the wav. the nehoi
war cannot PISS form Ia lihe OF battle anu "mio
they are dcla ed the big guns and moFtafs from TIE
land batteries can IT, brought 10 bear on them sue
| ces,fnlly Tie submarine cable connecting the Tor
pcdo,s can also be led the rlpdfre guns GOV ring
| IN. line II The nine so that An enemy approaching
under cover OF Darkness raise them would find him.
,,lf under lr, owing to the automatic discharge Oh
| the guns should vessels Of the American Navy ma
n necessary ~ cross te line Of t0rpeoes for any pur
nose the electric cursnt from the land can be shut
~ 80 mat the ship. can pass bv the mine without
danger Up 10 this tine heavy item Of expense In
he purchase Of orrcdoS and the necessary adlun'ts
has been the high cost Il the submarine ca0l' wmch
| conld b, procured O1y fnm England.
The nf,t line Of defuce for submarine mines
would be OF study HOOK with the growth OF New
York City and brooklyn. he line OF defence has been
| gradually forced further aud farther down IN" bay
thirty Year, AGO, when 10 vessel carried long range
| guns the NarIows considered 10 be suihciehtS
far away from the city 10 make them the outer me
II defence Now SANDY Hook is the place, and II Is
held that bOmbardng fleet must not De allowed u
| enter the lower bay.
Lieutenant Colonel Gillespie said that sandy Hook
wa, nj present the place OF Ill others to forufy.
Modern OF war had drsught Of from twenty four
10 twcnty-~iN feet u rule. and IN order to enter ue
,opcr bn} from the open Oceln. they must use the
main ship channel, running alongside OF ule
point of SANDY loOk The fertilization If sandy HOOK
and It, armament with heavy rihed cannon and
erurr mt owned lai amount Of land. 80 that the
area which might be covered by the works Is not cir
cum,cf.lcd AZ ALL and batteries may BE- mounted at
m,ry N-rcnt 90 10 command all approaches
keeping Il fleet uad,r lire continually Us long as IL
remained I'm range.
n tho fleet be sufficiently large. ii may, perhaps
completely cuNelop :hc Hook. This Is the only dan
cr but il Is not considered probable. and with the huge
and destructive alsteel brcechloadine rifles and NOR
tar, il 1, not thought That a fleet can approach
closely enough II the work, are well fortified. The
plan /, 10 have many detached batteries. At the
intc which their erection i going on. II Is cacu
lated that IL will take about year 10 buld each Uat
tcn In case Of emergency however, the corps Oh
engineers l. ready to have them erected III almost any
space Of time. II i only question OF gettihe
money and men enough.
At The rate which guns aud mprtnr> of the Latest
tvpc, are being turned IL l. rapidly getting 10 be
l,> question of armament IMAM oil iOtlhcauoh' alo
win the able officers the head Of affairs. II i safe
tD LAY that New York titA would soon be IN condition
10 d,N any attack from the most formidable power, i
The none, were forthcoming. The ability aud luowl
,,l., .,lr here. the natural advantage are great
nnlv a question of finances. 10 mount the extremely
expensive modern weapons IN obsolete torht atons
would b.. worse than fohN.
Mo npproach - Sew York by way Of the Long
Island sound defended b' Fort SCHUYLER and Wlet's
Point, Th,S sound /, narrow here. ard officers say
hnt the fertilization, ar" strong enough 10 make II
unlikely that a fleet could force that line OF defence
oven # an enemy .houd care to venture Into the IN
ricttc channel, with valuable men-Ofwar, which re
nuirr plenty of sea room 10 fight in. Fort Schuy Ter
ia, been improved recently and carries heavy guns.
though Of the Old pattern
THEY ID NOT EXPECT WAR.