The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-13
Defend tho Southern Seaboard.

The vigorous protest just made to Secre-
tary LAMONT by INSPECTOR General BRECK-
NRID0E against the further neglect OF our
southern Atlantic forts merits attention.
Between Barataria Bay and the Delaware
the garrisons OF no fewer than twenty-seven
forts have for many years been withdrawn.
and the works left under ordnance SER
geants as mere care-takers. Parapets have
crumbled. cannons rusted, and carriages
Eotted. Most Of the Southern coast is lab
solutely unprotected and at the mercy of a
foreign foe." A few OF the old sites. 1t is
true. are no longer valuable. owing to the
spread Of the towns which forts on them
were designed to protect and the increased
range OF modern artillery; but lin a large
majority Of cases." insists the Inspector
General. "they are now and doubtless al
ways will be Of vast importance to tho
country" Yet the forts on those sites are
going to ruin. and he urges. as a first step.
providing garrisons for the more inpor-
tant Of them.
1t will be said that many OF these old
works could be knocked to pieces by modern
naval guns. while their own antlquated
smooth bores would make little impression
on steel armorcads. But Gen. BRECKIN-
RIDGE urges that. good or bad. they are all
We have now. and all We are likely to have
for years to come Particularly he urges
that they would be OF use as the shore sta
tons OF submarine defences. which their
guns might cover and protect He there
fore advises appropriations for putting into
serviceable condition the guns and carriages
that might be employed. in connection with
torpedo lines. for harbor defence.
1t should be observed that the undefended
condition Of the South Atlantic coast has
been pointed out for years by Gen. ScHo-
FIELD. Gen. HOWARD. and successive chiefs
OF the Corps OF Engineers. AS for the Ord
nance Department. Its work ID strictly lin
tied by the appropriations Of Congress. 1t
is also to be noted that. many months
ago. after repeated urgings on the
part Of Gen. HOWARD. who commands the
Department OF the Atlantic. a garrison
was re2stablished at Key West barracks,
whore Battery H. Third Artillery. is now
serving. This was the initial step in the
movement for reoccupying the Southern
defences which would unquestionably be
carried on further save for the lack OF artil-
lerymsn to put in the old forts.
Whoever looks at Bermuda the Bahamas
at glance the need OF fortifying the
Southern seaboard. These are naval bases
which could be used for operating against
the most important points OF our Atlantic
coast south OF Norfolk. Nassau Is not
twenty-four hours steaming from Key
West. a commanding and supreme posi-
tlon on the Gulf. Whether regarded as a
base OF operations against an enemys COM
merce or as a point OF refuge for our own
mercantile marine in tho Gulf and the
Caribbean Sea. the strategic value OF Key
West Is plain.
The three ports OF chief consequence
between Key West and Fort Monroe are
Savannah. Charleston. and Wilmington.
These ports are situated between 800 and
600 miles from Nassau. while from Ber-
muda to Wilmington the distance is 674
miles; to Charleston. 772; to Savannah. S34. |