Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-24

detailed to make an examination on the
lower bay and the approaches to it, and
how best it could be commanded from the
shore
There is a deepwater pocket approaching
the coast of Long Island from the ocean
from which the channels navigable to great
draught run up through the narrows. 1t is
In this pocket that a hostile feet would
anchor in order to shell New York or
Brooklyn, and, therefore, it was this pocket
that the engineers studied to command with
the defenses which it was proposed to erect.
This anchorage is less than six miles away
from outlying wards of Brooklyn, eight
miles from the East River and one mile
further from New York. From this spot r
hostile ironclad with a modern gun could
infict incalculable, damage upon the two
cities, unparalleled in the history of war.
Good Places to Plant Batteries.
General Newton and his engineers found
that this deepwater, pocket, and in fact, all
tEhe water surrounding 1t which by any
possibility would float an ironclad could
be commanded by battery erected at or
near Conev Island. The erection of bat
terry on Coney Island or any other unpro-
tected part of the coast was not feasible
however, as it would be a plain and easy
General Newton and his assistants there
fore decided that Plum Island would be
the proper place for the battery. They
found that the deep water pockets could be
brought under effective fire in circle, hav-
ing Plum Island in the center, with radius
of six miles. They therefore recon-
mended that the Government acquire Plum
Island and the construction of battery on it
at once. This was not done at once, however.
But recently having secured the title to the
property, the Government is now endeavor-
ing to secure absolute control of the same
by having it ceded to the United States by
the State of New York.
The gun to be used at Plum Island is to
be a new pattern of a 12-inch mortar that is
known as howitzer. 1t is as are most of
our heavy guns the result of repeated trials
and experiments, and it was only after
many failures that the present gun was
evolved.
Terrible Proiectile.
The proiectiIe used in this mortar weighs
625 pounds and costs $500. 1t can be
dropped upon the deck of vessel-the
most vulnerable part-and would 60 right
through the best ironclad in existence
Eighty pounds of powder will .send this
projectile distance of eight miles The
gun VIII also throw shells containing high
explosives, and enough nitro-glycerine can
be deposited upon the deck of a vessel to
blow it into thousand pieces
In connection with the Plum Island bat
teries, it is the intention of the War De
partment to complete the fortifcations on
Sandy Hook. At present no work is being
lone on Plum Island. as The appropriation
mas run out. 1t is likely that
mortar batteries will also be placed
Vt Fort Wadsworth, which with
he Plum Island batteries will defend the
Sarrows, and on David's Island, which lies
between Long Island and the mainland, at
he entrance of Long Island Sound. This |
will control the entrance by the sound to |
Sew York harbor, and in time additional /
'att cries will be planted at Hewlett's Point.
fhich is the next promontory beyond Will |
ctt's and at Sands Point, on the sound. |
'he present line of defense for the city on
he north, or by way of the sound, runs
rom Fort Schuyler on the left to Willett's
'oint on the right. The new line with
)avid's Island on the left and Sands Point
n the right, supported by Hewlett's Point
n the rear will carry the defensive system
t least six miles farther out into the sound
nd diminish the chances of successful
of New York by hostile
eet.