The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-12

been placed In position for defense. while
those az the entrance Of the Columbia ara
obsolete and of little value. II IS true that
some progress has been made toward de-
Tending San Francisco. and few modern
guns and rifles have been placed These.
however, are but small part of the gem
efal plan for the defense or the harbor.
while San Diego Is in the same condition as
Puget sound, entirely at the mercy OF any
Foreign reet- Gen. Miles recalls what he
said in bis report Of 1888 upon the absolute
importance Of the defense of the entire Pa
cifie coast, IN View OF the fact that It was
possible for any naval power 10 blockade
every important port within ninety DAYS
while II would take many years 10 make
q successful resistance, and the country
might be required to pay an indemnity Of
5000. 0oo. 900. While the railroads might
transport a million brsse men To the coast.
they would be useless without appliances
To cope with the modern engines OF war,
ana with all our Intelligence, pride in
vensive genius and enterprise, we are as far
behind In the modern appliances OF war
as China or Japan. Such were the condi-
tons six years ago, SAYS Gen. Miles. and
euoh are the conditions today, with the
exception Of the slight progress made a.
San Francisco. The entire Gulf coast and
all Of the great cities OF the Atlantic coast
northward toward Philadelphia are entirs-
" without modern guns. In position are a
Few obsolete guns. and none OF these bat
teries could stop a single first class war
snip, much less fleet. Some progress has
been made az New York. but. like San
Francisco, only small part OF the project
has been accomplished. with one excep-
ton, the cities north Of New York a re IN
similar condition. To the south Of II some
guns and morta-s have been CONSTRUCTED and
shipped 20 their destination. carriages for
mem are under construction, and emplace-
tlents nave been made 20 a limited extent.
Cen Miles, In support OF his reconrnenaa-
ton for adequate coast defenses. nosnts IN
the Tact that the batteries az Moultr3e and
humpter kept At bay FOR four years Tho
rlost powerful feet IN the world He says
that our people cherish two misleading d.
iusions' first. that t0rpedocs can be de-
pended upon % protect our coasts. ant
second. that its 1000 miles OF roast oan bs
defended by navy. he shows thar forna-
do plants are useless without p~othesi,.s
batteries. and that the water N orr f,riroi
pa haroors Is 20 deep that light-draff vra-
vessels might pass over torpedo mines vrffh-
out danger. He asserts that %he 80,
maneuvers IN England have shown shst
even the powerful British navy Is uaabis
70 defend the British coast against n fo~-
esEh neek.- therefore he argues that tb.
na-a reliance must be upon coast hattar,.s
While he does not anticipate war in ire
near future. BE shows that. IN the last
= Ea
wars has there been any formal warYffrs
Or declaration before hostllitleS. ana as s
would require years az time 20 cnosfrret
modern weapons OF war. II would DO INV. Sc
70 disregard The lessons Of history In ,,,r
oWn ceantlF for nearly 80 years +hera
has never heeS period Of lhlrty-avc
years IN which 4 has nor been int-alt-.g ~,
war he po.nts 60 the case 81 Chf.,
vhich made the fatal mistake OF relvlnr
upoa It's vastly superior numbers for safe
~ and argues that thc best guarantee ~
peace s. condition 81 readiness fer a.,
Therefore he strongly recommends me
construction - al she hsrh-uavfr r,,gs
and system Of defeases called f,- Q, th.
general plan o. the b,arI ~ orinsn.o ara
fort8aeAiicDs and other boards. and to y,,.,t
In part the expense az this COSTLY ,ros.~-
taking be suggests the application - ths
finds THAT IA ght - derived from the sale
OF abandoned military reservations. To
man these guns he asks an increase o.
tAa artillery arm, WITH the provtst,n Of
harra cks ~ Fort Hancock. New York for
tho accommodation % the troors. and the
Fyssmst!o detail 81 suhaltegn officers for
instruction n rotation a. th.s place
Toachi0S the infantry. Gen. Miles rec
onoendS The three-AAttalan organization
and reElwentsi posts 10 Keen TIE -,-n-
pau.es % regiments toxtther. Tsa frt-as
that at least ere rui regiment % -syIsi-,
should BE assembled az fe~g Riley ksu
where Held mAneuvcrs n,sxas bs gnssr-
taken annually.
To thoroughly demonstrate the uf0f.,. ~
bicycles AMI motor wagons in tha s--sv
&c : recommended that far>a Of twelve
companies b. oqu.pnesi N4.A these s9es -e=
20 - manned from t9e $40 cfncers ana
men iD the ARMY ahle - use ns-,rie
which has been already found extremely
useful
Gen Miles sFEues Ter an yncrrase IN tha
strength 90 ire army. saving saas there
- ~ reason why % saoD8 b crystal .ss.s
ana kept 81 enc strength. as g has gcr
gears, ft Shoal1 increase wih ths growth
- the coanlFy sra oa determine. hv the
census. az q u7tnimwW ot one ea+F5er s1~
s,ao population and = maximum q cae
in leo.
Gen. Miles concludes his Fepart Win sev-
e-ai recutnUe.ssatla ns Intended 10 berese
the een6stle0 Of CHEERS sn1 men ans s.-
tyacE 30 the military sarStce tae hvst s.A-
Uent ia the community one saeEesl.al
Is taat where a soldier has served Eonar-
ably - avs years aed wishes u leave
tee service. ne nay. after nassinK a. ex-
sa1sfsatsou. - eanani ssS-cne1 IS Sccuad
lieutenant sn& discharged such s man
woaia he.eHs any coasnassa.ig. - usefli
IN the NaEienAl 8tgael ana constitute a
valuable reserve IA 5iHse * sAE. Zae pay
OF go2-eeasnLSS.ons3 c1fssEs sAca.4 &c -