Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-11-14
WE ARE DEFENSELESS.
so SAYS GENERAL MILES IN
HIS ANNUAL REPORT.
Any Foreign Naval Power Could Blockade
Every One OF Our Sea Ports in Ninety
Days-RecOmmends Immediate Con-
structlon OF Coast Defonses.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE annual
report of General Miles, commanding
the army, has been made public. The
personnel is shown to be in excellent
condition, we'll instructed, efficient
and attentive to duty. Liberal appro-
priations are required for public build
ings at the posts, many of which are
out of repair.
Under the head of coast defense
General Miles states the condition OF
these defenses is such as to require de-
cided and immediate action for their
improvement. The unguarded condi-
ton of our coast is known by every
irst-class power, and our people should
not be led into false security He
quotes from his report of 1884 strong
argument for the defense of Puget
sound, shows that since that time new
Canadian railroads have been esta b.
lished there, yet not a single gun ha
been placed in position for defense,
while those at the entrance of the CO.
lumbia river are obsolete and of little
value.
General Miles recalls what he said in
his report of 1889 upon the absolute
Importance of the defense of the en-
tire Pacific coast, in view of the fact
that it was possible for any naval
power to blockade every important
port within ninety days, while it
would take many years to make sue
cessful resistance, and the country
might be required to pay an indemnity
of S., 600, 900, 600. While the railroads
might transport 1000, 900 brave men to
the coast, they would be useless with
out appliances to cope with the mod
ern engines OF war, and with all our
intelligence, pride, inventive genius
and enterprise, we are as 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 conditions to-day, 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 Pbila-
delphia are entirely without modern
guns.
Therefore, he strongly recommends
the construction of all the high power
gums and system of defenses called for
ID the general plan of the board of
ordnance and Notifications and other
boards, and to meet in part the eX-
pense of this. costly undertaking he
suggests the application of the funds
that might be derived from the sale of
abandoned military reservations. To
man these guns he asks an increase of
the artillery arm, with the provision
of barracks at Fort Hancock, N. Y,
for the accommodation of the troops,
and the systematic detail of subaltern
officers for instruction IN rotation in
this place.
Touching the infantry General Miles
recommends the three battalion or
ganization and regimental posts to
keep the companies of regiments to-
gether. He thinks that at least one
full regiment of cavalry should be as
sembled at Fort Riley, Kan, where
field maneuvers might be undertaken
annually.
General Miles argues for an increase
in the strength of the army, saying
that there is no reason why it should
become crystallized and kept at one
strength, as it has been for years. 1t
should increase with the growth of
the country and be determined by the
census at minimum of one sol
der for every 1000 population and
maximum of one in 1000.