Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-22
The Need of Coast Defenses.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
beg pardon for asking admission to your
columns again. but the old adage teaches us to
strike whilo the iron is hot" and now seems
to be good time to tell the American people
some good, wholesome truths. Twice in the
past year have we approached perilously near
the stirring scenes OF actual war; and again We
are confronted with condition that is
full of menace. Adler writers than
myself have shown that if hostilitos were be-
gun with England she could have her steel
clads and deadly guns upon our lakes inside of
aweek; that virtually no point along our ocean
fronts is in a state Of security from sudden
attack, and that is what we can surely expect
should war actually occur, for John Bull is no
SLOUGH about wading into fight when he has
the advantage.
The greatest directors to strong national de-
lenses, both seaboard and naval are those who
live in the interior of the country. They do not
look upon the matter in the proper light and
give due consideration to the thought that a
city.destroyed upon the gulf or the Atlantic is q
loss to the whole nation; that the whole ia equal!
to the sum OF all its parts, and the more of
the parts are taken away the less of the whole
will there be. Neither do they fully consider
the vast importance Of the open seaports and
the incalculable loss and stagnation to
business that would certainly result from their
closure capture or destruction. The closing
%
in accomplishing the overthrow Of the confed-
eracy. 1t was literally starved out for mate
rails Of war. While our country is now in
better condition for supplying military neces-
stiles than at the beginning of the civil
war, vet the greater effectiveness of modern
weapons lengthens the time for their con-
struction exceedingly. What would have been
the result and when would the end have been
reached if as much time had then been
required to construct a large gun
as is now necessary? l am told
that it requires at least year to build one of
the twelve-inch guns like those now in process
OF construction at the navy yard. We have
many guns now; go down to tho navy yard and
you can see them piled out in the open air by
the score, some OF them that have talked bust
they? We nigh; just as well arm our little
boys with old-fashioned pop-guns and
try to check q modern navy by that means
as to attempt such a thing with those old relics
OF the glories OF the past generation. Con-
gressmen argue that there Is no use to authorize
the building OF any more vessels before 1884 as
the material cannot be obtained; but could it
not be procured sooner and cheaper now, when
thousands OF men are idle, than in the heat and
excitement of war, when every available man
was wanted at the front?
A few more words for my neighbors from the
interior. The Mississippi and its many tribu-
taries are Mt present open highways without an
effective gun upon any OF their banks.
What would prevent dozen well-built rapid
gun boats of the style of tho Bennington and
Concord from making sudden dash up the
river? Where could they be stopped? Not till
they reached Pittsburg, St. Paul or
any other points where there was
water sufficient to float them. With
more than years preparation and with
a full knowledge of its great Importance the
confederates were not able to stop Farragut
below New Orleans; neither were they able to
prevent the Union gun boats passing Vicks-
burg with impunity. strongly as that place was
fortified. Our reliance upon submarine mines,
torpedoes, sunken ships and ali other such
methods will certainly prove delusive should O
practical attempt be made against them.
Ii there is trouble We can rely upon getting
hard knocks and il we are not ready to give
hard knocks in return the result will most
suredly be extremely disastrous This should
be no partisan question. While 1t will require
much money to place the nation in IA defensive
the expenditure. Let them read almost the
last words OF Samuel j. Iilden and heed
his patriotic utterances. We are now
almost surrounded with fortresses bristling
with powerful guns, the refugees OF many war
vessels of the latest patterns and OF the greatest
speed. As Louisburg was thorn in the side
OF New England in the early colonial times SO
Halifax, St. Lucia, the bahamas, Jamaica
and Esquimault may prove the probes
that will shed the life blood OF our nation.
When there are hornets nests at your front
and rear doors there are but three methods to
pursue-keep on good terms with the insects
quarrel with them and receive IL cir stings for
your pains or burn them out. At present we
seem to be gracefully receiving the stings.
g. A. GrLLILANp.