The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-06-23
PACIFIC COAST DEFENsEs.
Necessity for Protective Works on Puget
sound.
New York Sun, Dem.


New York Sun, Dem.
A board of army engineers. consisting OF
Col. Mendeli, Col. H. L. Abbot, Col. Com
stock, Lieut.-Col. Robert and Lieut-Col.
Gillespie, has been for some time select
ing sites suitable for fertilization on the
Pacific seaboard. We learn from the Ore
goniaH, of Portland, that. after examining
the California coast. they proceeded to
Astoria and studied the defenses of the
mouth of the Columbia. while the Posr-
ISTELLIGEscER, of Seattle, notes their visit
to that point and TO Tacoma Simultan-
eously Secretary Herbert is making a tour
of the Pacific states, which includes in
spections of the navy yard at Mare island
and the site for yard at Port Orchard.
The result of these trips will presumably
be seen in important recommendations to
the present congress-
With the Hawaiian question and the
Samoan question as we see them today
and are likely to see them in the future.
with the great impetus of Pacific ocean
commerce to be expected from the compile
ton of an Isthmus canal, with our sealing
and other interests in the North Pacific,
Boring sea and Alaska. the problem of
suitable naval and military defenses for
that ssaboard has become pressing. The
British programme for naval station at
Esquimauit makes the. matter still more
urgent.
Fortunately there are few points on that
coast that need defenses, and in nearly or
quite all of them the work will be greatly
aided by natural advantages. The four
places that alone require attent ton are San
Diego. San Francisco, Portland and Puget
sound. The only other ports which hostile
1nafa ha EEnts to mt hat rE aora
Mexico and British Columbia, are San
Pedro harbor. Gray's harbor, Yaouina bay
and Coos bay land these need give no con-
Germ, since their commerce. is at present so
small that an enemy probably would not
commit the error of being diverted to at
tack them. San Pedro, from its transcon-
tinental communication, may in time
deserve attention.
But in some respects the most interest
ing of all the Pacific defenses are those
contemplated for Puget sound. This fine
body of water the seat of most important
coastwise commerce, lined with growing
towns. and having a great future of pros
perity, Is now utterly open TO attack from
the British naval station on Vancouver's
island. An admirable step has been taken
for its protection and for our national in
terests in general by the establishment of
o new navy yard at Port Orchard But
this in turn requires covering defenses,
lest 1t should be captured by an enemy.
One very great advantage for the Puget
sound system of protection Is that the
bluffs there furnish high natural emplace-
ments, on which guns can be mounted to
deliver plunging fire along the main
channel, which ships of any great draught
would be compelled 20 use. The engineers
have visited Port Townsend, Bellingham
bay, Deception pass, and other points, and
Ii may be taken as settled that a hostile
fleet could not run the gauntlet OF the
cross fire from Point Wilson and Admir-
atty head and the front fire from Marrow
stone point. Gen. Miles once told COM
mittee OF congress that taking the range
OF the batteries both on the approach to
these bluffs and after running by them,
hostile ships would be FOR sixteen miles
under the ire of rified guns and for twelve
miles under that of ritied mortars.
1t may fairly be said, therefore. that,
exposed as the Pacific coast at present Is
TO attack. il could in q comparatively
short time, and at no large cost, be sup
piled with the rudiments Of defense. San
Francisco already has the nucleus of de-
fensive works, and even few guns IN po-
sition would greatly protect Puget sound.
We must not forget, also. that the Pacific
squadron is becoming great source of re-
lance. particularly az it includes such
srmoreIads as the Oregon and the Monte
rev, and such protected cruisers as the
Olympia.