Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-28
TALKS.
Former Rock Island Officer on
Inland Oefenses.
In CASE THERE SHOULD BE WAR.

In CASE THERE SHOULD BE WAR.
Cities On the Lakes Oasht 70 Re Better
FortiHsd-Rsconmsn - to Means
Of Commanding the st. Lawrence and
Other Entrances.
The naval defenses of the great
lakes were discussed ut length the
other day by Lieut.. John T. Thomp-
son, chief ordnance officer of the
department of the Missouri, now of
Chicago. but formerly of Rock island
arsenal, in an interview with report
er for the Inter Ocean. Lieut.. Thomp-
son says the lake cities can be made
secure against hostile gunboats by
a chain Of forts ommandiug the
canals. He also suggests a light
armed flotilla and q system of tor
pedo defenses. Lieut.. Thompson
spoke as follows:
"A consideration OF the inland 20.
sition Of Chicago shows that this city
has little to fear from an invading
army. A naval attack, for England
has over 140 war vessels that can
pass through the great highway Of
the St. Lawrence, Welland and other
canals and the great lakes, is mostly
to be feared. The Welland and six
other canals between Lake Ontario
and Montreal have been constructed
in Canada. facilitating the passage
Of these British vessels in time of
war.
1.-The smallest of the St. Lawrence
canals has depth of nine feet and
locks 200 feet long and As feet wide.
Measures for deepening all these
canals to IA feet have been under
taken for several years past. The
board OF Notifications and other de-
lenses convened pursuant to act of
congress in 1885, and composed of
such eminent authorities as Secretary
Of War Endicott. General Benet. chief
OF ordnance; General John Newton,
chief of engineers; General Abbott,
of torpedo fame; Commodore Samp-
son. Of the navy, and Messrs. Joseph
Morgan, Of Pennsylvania, and Eras-
tus Corning. of New York, made q
full consideration and report of the
situation on the lakes. and in view of
our lack Of naval defenses on the
lakes. due to our treaty agreement of
1917 combining each party to but
three small armed vessels on the
great lakes, recommended certain
works of defense for the lake ports.
Among the ~ sea coast and other
ports recommended to be defended
and arranged in the order of urgen-
CIV, this board placed the lake ports
as fourth. with New York, San Fran
cisco and Boston preceding in the
order given.
Lake Ports are Dsfeuseless.
"'In the absence of any preparation
on our part the lake ports might, in
the event of war with the power
holding the highway Of the St. Law
renee, be in q more defenseless con-
dition even than the seaboard
cities says Secretary of War Proc
tor in his report of 1890. The de-
tense Of Chicago against a naval at
tack is therefore only part of the
general defense of all the great lake
ports. These cities. being upon
straight and open shores, could not
individually be protected from bonn
bardment by land forts placed near
by. The protection for the lake
ports against naval attack must
therefore be made by land forts
situated at contracted points like
the St. Lawrence river, Fort
Wayne, near Detroit, and the
canal at Sault Ste. Marie. =
| Land Forces to Assist.
This policy of late has been the
establishment of number of forts
and garrisons on our northern 'front.'
Ter, of which Fort Sheridan may be
regarded as one. Nevertheless the
drift Of later military orperation has
turned toward providing proper
land forts and ornaments at Sc
lected points as q sure guarantee
against naval attack.
speaking OF our commerce on the
upper lakes. the Endicott board
pointed out that it was much more
extensive than that of Canada and
doubtless many of the steamers
might in a pinch be converted into
light-armed naval vessels. But to
do this with any prospect of
anticipating the arrival of the
British gunboats after . declara-
ton of war. the vessels should be in
sPected. beginning now, and the in
sPections continued. so that perfect
knowledge might be obtained of the
number and description of all that
might be lit for the service designed
and plans Of their notifications to
receive the guns be made and kept,
SO that when the vessels are wanted
there would be no unnecessary delay
in preparing them for service. 1t is
needless to say that the guns and
other necessary material should also
be provided. ready at q moments
warning"
Baeklen's AEnics saive
The best salve In the world for
cuts, bruises, sores, ulcers, salt
rheum, fever sores. tstteI, chappod
hands. chilblains. oorns snd al akin