Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-12-21
AS GENERAL NILES SEES 1T.
The United States is In q Deie1sslssS
Condition.
10 Would Take Two Years 10 Fortify
our Usasi-A aiIIiou Men Could
Use Hsd In n nonth.

WAsIuO0ToN, Dec. 81. - General
Miles, commanding the army, has
given out n statement by request In
regard 10 the ability OF the United
States to defend herself In case Of war.
lie said; ~ have Just returned from
an inspection tour Of the southern
ooast, and like those OF other sections
OF ths country found them In nm on.
tirely deienselsss condition. II war
should break out Mt the present timO,
all We have In tho South, or In fact,
anywhere else. with n few exceptions,
would be a lot Of obsolete guns on rot
ten carriages, which would fall over
before they could be OF any service.
The country II In a oeplorable condi.
ton for defense. There are Gully three
modern high powered guns In position
In this country. TIVE Of these are vt
the entrance to New York harbOr and
tue thifd Ia nj Ban Francisco.
at Congress would make liberal
appropriations, the coasts eau be placed
In condition for defense IN two ysaTs'
time. The work would cost In the
nuighbothood Of $50, 900, 900. IL would
take In the noighbOfhood u year to
manufacture the tools necessary fOt
the construction Of the guns and then
another year for the manufacture Of
tho guns themselves.
"rhere are four ways by which the
coast cities could DO protected. The
first 10 by floating bAlterleb, that IA
battle ships and monitors.
The second way Ia by land batteries,
which could DO built quickly anu
would be more effective. The third
way In by toTpedoeH and mining case
mates. Without high powered guns II
would be possible, however, for an
enemy TO land force aud explode the
mining classmates, thus obviaiing this
danger for it, fleet.
0Thete In another way OF protect ing
tho hArbOrs, but that involves destroy
ing the commerce Of the cities lying
upon thom. This method 10 TO load
vessels with stone, iron, lelo., and Aiuk
them In the channels. This would
| naturally prevent either ingresa OI
erreas and would destroy the cities
commerce Ailet q war a. much Al
during II.
'Regsrding the land forces, nc
/ difficulty would DO experienced IN
getting > million men In n month
The small army We have would be IL
| the nature OF nucleus for othel
troops. What we need, however, Il
not men but coast Notifications. Ate
VIZ get tue Qualifications we could ge
the men to operate the guns"
"Could the United states DO inva Il
ed? No, nor would an enemy care Il
invade It. All that would be necessary
would bs for him 10 place his ships Of
our coaHts and fife shells Into our cities
This would drive millions OF people
from their homes and cause untOlC
distress.
"Tho wealth Of 800 years IA storeC
In Boston, New York and other grea
olties, ami their lots would be yer!
severe, We could not afford to los
them. They should be protected.
"On the Pacific coast the same de
fenseless condition exists. Not I
shoyelfuI OF dirt has been thrown nj
around Puget Sound fot the protection
OF the cities lying on Its shores. The
british have naval station Al Etqui
rlault. and It could DO used as n base
against this country.
EX-SENATOR Squire has Introduced
hill I'm tue Senate for the protection o
our coasts which meets my Views i
makes provisions for the establishment
of fortlhpatiOnH ana other defense
recommended by the board known n
the Endicott board, which was sp
poluted by the Pfesident In 1885. Th'
| nlI appropriStes ssLOO0,oOO for thl
| work,