The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-11-12
COAST DEFENSES
Need Immediate Improvement at the
Governments Hands.
A REPORT BY GENERAL MILES
Contains Suggestions Worthy
OF Consideration.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 12.-Thc annual re-
port OF General Miles, Communicating tho
army, is made public. The personnel IL
shown to be in excellent condition, well
instructed, efficient and attentive TO duty.
Liberal appropriations arc required for
public buildings at the posts, many OF
which are out of repair.
General Miles believes that the peace
able conditions now existing among tho
various Indian tribes is largely attribu-
table to the presence Of troops at suitable
points, and 20 the admirable conduct OF
the experienced army officers who have
been placed I'm charge of the principal
agencies. While IL Is economical and de-
sirable 10 have the reserve forces OF tho
army near the great centefs OF communi-
cation, General Miles urgently contends
that these points should be selected solely
for their strategic value, and that the ten
dency towards concentration should not
be carried 10 the point OF dcpriving the
western settlements of proper protection.
Under the head Of coast defense General
Miles states the condition of these defenses
Is such as TO require decided and immodi-
ate action for their improvement. The
unguarded condition of our coast is
known by every lrst-class power, and our
people should not be led into false Sc
curity. He quotes from his report OF
1884 q strong argument for the defense OF
Puget Sound, shows hat since that time
new Canadian railroad connections
have been established there, yet not "A sin
gle gun has been placed I'm position for
defense, while those at the entrance Of tho
Columbia are absolete and Of little value.
IL Is true hat some progress has been
made toward defending San Francisco,
and . few modern guns and rifles have
been placed. These, however, are but u
small part OF the general plan for the de-
Tense OF the harbor, while San Diego is in
the same condition as Puget Sound, en-
tirely at the mercy Of any foreign fleet.
Defense of tho Pacific.
Gene ral Miles recalls what he said in his
report of 1889 upon the absolute import
auce Of the defense of the entire Pacific
coast, Ia view OF tho fact that IL was pos
sible for any naval power TO blockade any
important port within 90 days, while 10
would takc many years TO make "a SUCCESS
ful resistance, and the country might DO
required TO pay an indemnity of g., 900, 000,-
600. While tho railroads might trans
port 100000 brave men to the coast, they
would be useless without appliances to
cope with tho modern engines of war, and
with all our intelligence, pride. inventive
genius and enterprise we are rs far behind
In the modern appliances of war as China
or Japan.
Such were the conditions six years ago,
SAYS General Miles, and such are the con-
ditions today, with the exception OF the
slight progress made at San Francisco.
The entire gulf coast and all the great
cities OF the Atlantic coast, northward to
philadelphia, are entirely without modern
guns. In position are a few obsolete guns,
and none OF these batteries could stop "a
single flrst-class warship, much less n fleet.
General Niles. in support OF his recon-
incubation for adequate coast dcfenses,
points to the fact that the batteries at
Moultrie and Sumter kept at bay for four
years tho most powerful navy OF tho
world. He says that our people cherish
two misleading delusions-first, that tor
pedoes can be depended upon 10 protect
our coasts, aud, second, that its 1000 miles
q coast can be defended by a navy.
Torpedo Plants Crippled.
He shows that torpedo plants are useless
without protective batteries, and that the
water In our principal harbors is so deep
that light draft wal vessels might pass
over torpedo mines without dan ger. He
asserts that the recent n%laneuvers in Eng
land have shown that even the powerful
British navy Is unable TO defend tho Brit
ish coast against a foreign feet, therefore
he argues that the main reliance must DO
upon cuast batteries.
While he does not anticipate war in the
near future, he shows that in the last POO
years, In less han 10 per cent Of the wars
have there been any formal warming or
declaration before hostilities, and IL would
require years OF time To construct modern
weapons OF war; it would be unwise to
disregard the lessons Of history. In our
W country for nearly 200 years there has
never been a period OF 81 years In which it
has net been Involved in war.--
He points TO the case OF China, which
made the fatal mistake 81 relying upon its
vastly sunerior numbers for safety, and
argues that the best guarantee OF peace is
q condition Of readiness for wbr. There
fore he strongly recommends the construc-
ton OF all the higher power guns aud sys-
TENS Of defense called for In the general
plan Of tho board Of ordnance and fortid-
cations and other bo.ssis.
General Miles concludes his report with
several recommendations IN 'nded 10
bcneilt the condition OF the officers and
men aud attract TO tho military service the
best element In the community.
Refuge In Constantinopie.
BOSTON, Nov. IL. Tho American Board