The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-12-31

string of forts should be built across the entrance of the sound; on Fishers Island, Nallent Rock, Plumb Island, Orient, and on Gardner's Island, the latter to defend the famous roadstead If Gardner's Bay, which has been the rendezvous, on one or two occasions, of foreign fleets and in time of war would be again utilized for tho same purpose, if not protected by Notifications of some kind to keep the roadstead open.
 A short time ago, @ committee of the New Haven Chamber of Commerce. consisting of Charles Hervey Town shend, as chairman, and H. B. Harri- son, w, P, Trowbrdge, N, D. .Sperry and Edward E, Bradley, drafted the following bill:
 A bill to provide for sites for fortiica- tions and other sea-coast defenses at the entrance of Long Island Sound.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assem, bled;
 That for the purpose of providing moneys to pay the expense for surveys for fortidcations and other defenses and procuring necessary sites therefor on the main land and on the islands at the eastern entrance of Eong Island Sound, lying within the boundaries of the states of New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island, one million dollars ($1, ,0O0 00O, or so much thereof as may be required, is hereby appropriated, to he expended under the direction of the President of the United States, and to be available from year to year, as re- quired until expended; provided, that no part thereof shall be expended for said Qualifications or their armament until the Secretary of War shall have caused survey to be made and a de- tailed project, not to exceed in cost the sum appropriated for said Notifications and their armament, to be prepared and shall have approved the same.
 This bill was approved by the Cham ! ber printed, and copies sent to our rep resentatives in congress. As a result of this, Senator Hawley has presented a bill before the senate, and Reprssen- l tative Wilcox has introduced one into the house, both of which will be pushed, it is hoped, to a successful is sue. It is expected that New York will come in with bill and also Rhode Is land and Massachusetts, as California and the Pacific coast have already en- tered the arena with their bills, and are far ahead of us.
 The great importance of Long Island Sound as an eastern approach to the port of New York is becoming Gin spec tal reference to European commerce. more and more appreciated by those in- terested in foreign and domestic com- merce. Its value for commercial pur- poses in time of pea would no doubt, l be greatly enhance by the moral ef- feet which these fortifications would have, while it's use by a foreign foe as an avenue of approach to New York or other cities along the sound is a sub ject that, to the thinking mind, be- comes fraught with importance,
 It is not improbable that foreign foe could enter Long Island Sound, lay our cities under contribution, and in q few days collect money enough to near ly defray the expenses of the war.
 Long Island Sound is more valua bIe than any other waterway on the coast. The annual transportation is $1,000, ,000, 900. There are sixteen lines fof steam l CTS running through the sound. There are twenty barge lines going through, 1 and the fleet of coal-laden sailing Ves- sels is more extensive than any fleet in the world-more perhaps than goes up the English channel. Taking all of these things into consideration, there is .- -f, ,T government is spending immense sums of money along the coast for fortifica- tions and protection, that we should not have our pro rata, and we shah just as soon as the people, who are the sovereigns, realize the importance Of it. and demand it.
 CHARLES HERVEY TOWNSHEND. l "---------~-----