New-York tribune., 1895-12-22

ment. One standing upon the parapet OF the
present fort. and looking down the channel. may
note that from the fort the guns VIII enjoy an
almost continuous broadside fire any incoming
vessel. Under ordinary circumstances, this
would tend to equali2e chances. but 1t Is ike
wise TO be borne in mind that the fort guns Will
all have a bearing upon the largest exposure OF
the enemy. while the antagonist, although hnd-
ing IL possible 10 concentrate his fire. has little
of a visible character to waste his ammunition
upon. Shell may scream at the emoankments. but
they glance of and are lost among the sand dunes
Of the island. Machine guns, which promise to
be the most dreadful engines OF destruction 10
human life in the wars Of the future, II any are
fought, are discounted by the high, thick wall
Of concrete which conceas men and gun. except
when the gun Is raised for firing. Then It is
metal against metal, for the men are still out OF
sight.
IMPRECNABILITY ABSOLUTE.
The most potential argument for the compile
ton Of the coast-defence system Of the United
State is undoubtedly TO be found IN contem-
plating these modern gun emplacements. The
gun platform. the magazines and galleries for
the convenience Of movement on the part Of the
artllerymen are made of solid concrete. In
front Of the gun is a wall Of concrete perhaps
twenty-five feet in thickness. This wall is some
ten or fifteen feet thicker in front Of the maza-
zine chambers. Then, in front of that and grad
ing down TO the level, is an embankment of
earth varying in width from fifty TO seventy-fve
feet.
Inc Engineer Corps and the FOrtihcatiOns
Board have been building. far they have
gone, for the future Building slowly, they have
been enabled to study the improvements in mod
ern gunnery and the manufacture of and
ordnance, and to meet the introduction of the
heaviest cannon with works that cannot be
scathed. The invulnerability Of these fort.fca-
tons is believed TO be absolute. What Is de-
sired is to see them completed at least on a
basis that will place the coast defences on a par
with the naval side Of the question. Said Colonel
Miller. the cOmmandant Of Fort Hamilton. terse
~: The Navy Is good thing, but let carry
bOth branches of the work forward along parallel
lines"
Said Colonel Robert: Coast defences are the
abled, or out OF coal, or in danger of being
overpowered she is safe If enabled to get under
the heavy guns Of a coast-defence battery"
These expressions the very gospel Of the
situation. II Is undoubtedly the intention to
place proportion Of the very heaviest ordnance
at Fort Hamilton, meaning by that the 16-
men guns, when they shall have been completed
me disposition however. Of guns is not known in
detail At some time in the future battery
OF m0rtars OF 12-inch type will be planted
IN the low ground Of the reservation to the
eastward Of the old fort. The 1O-inch guns
will form line on the higher portion of the
embankment, along the southern exposure facing
the lower bay. 1t is a pretty we'll accepted con-
cusion that defence is needed to protect artil-
lerymen from attack in the rear As to the
number OF guns ready for mounting il is shown
that in addition TO the three Pinch guns now on
mountlngs there are completed and ready for
their carriages eleven 12-inch thirty-three 10
inch and hfty-one S-tnch guns Eighty mOrtars
the cheapest form Of defensive weapon are fin
lshed and forty-eight are mounted.