The morning times., 1895-12-22
|Gth. MILES on DHENsEs
All the Atlantic Seaboard Cities
Are Dangerously Exposed.
INCREASE STANDING ARMY
He Refuses to Discuss Immed late Dam
ger of War, But Points Ont Our
Weakness-Result of His Tour of
Inspection of Southern Posts Was
Not Rea assuring. f~.,,-o.ss -, .s-

While Major General Nelson A Miles
is making no public statements regarding
the possibility OF war with Great Britain,
he does NOT hesitate to express himself very
distinctly upon the hnnsaiate, need of
| strengthening our defenses. if-,.r
4 1t u no secret that he believes that Con-
\ gress should at once take measures to re-
lieve what he regards as a dangerous situ-
| alton. IL liz understood that he has recently
had a conference with Senator Sherman
on thesubJeet OF strengthening the country's
coast drrenses, particularly in tho case
OF the large cities on the Atlantic seabOard.
In an interview last evening Gen. Miles
| spoke at some length OF his tour or in
| spection OF the Southern cities He said:
EXAMINED SOUTHERN POSTS efs
Il found that city like Savannah is
worse oIr for protection now than it was
seven or eight years ago, In this time the
government has expeuded three or icur
| million dollars IN deepening the channels
so as TO give draUght &c the heaviest
| vessels, and the coInnierce has been in-
creased from $o0,OOU,oOO to $3.50 uOO.-
900 year, but in dredging this channel
the government was compelled to remove
scores OIL sunkeD ships, which had been
lett there during the war for the pur-
pose Oh u
ships
"while it would not have been possiblefoi
vessels dra wing twenty feet OF water to ap
proach Savannah dangerously neal seven
years back, by the removal of the sunken
wrecks 1t is now feasible for a British or
any other country's fleet 10 sail right up to
the wharvcs. As TO defenses, Savannah has
none. The old fortifications have gone 10
ruin and what there is left Is of no value as
"a nf "A Eh1rfeStnD fS;ffgn yYfttf-'
out protection and sois Mobile, New Orleans
and Galveston.
In order to strengthen defenses at these
points, the general said, IL would OF course be
necessary To increase the standing strength
OF the army. Under the present conditions 1t
is his belief that not single city OF the
Atlantic coast could resist disastrous
attack by an enemy from the sea:
AN ERRONEOUS IMPRESSION
The present agitation growing out OF
the Presidents vigorous message on the,
Venezuelan affair must have at least the
result of counteracting an erroneous i'm
preston which has been prevalent in, this
country that the two great English nations
can not come TO blows. Engiana's policy
has never been one TO Indicate that she would
be influenced by friendly relations she might
have with some government In treating with.
IT on foreign questions. This country, how
ever, should not regard England as the
only government with which 1t might
possibly be brought TO war, and should not
continue on the mistaken theory that we
are too strong TO be attacked.
1.-THE policy of the United States for years
seems TO have been based ON the impression
that there was not the remotest possibility
of war, and for this reason there has been
less progress in fortifications OF all kinds
and in advancing the naval establishment
than has been made by other countries far
less pretentious. either from military or
naval standpoint. There are today on pro-
jccted modern Notifications only three
first-tiass high powered guns OF large cal
iber. and there is not city ON either coast
which could not be attacked by an enemy
from the sea.
From Portland to Galveston there has
been little or nothing accomplished toward
the defenses OF the important cities, but ex-
tensive plans have been drawn, involving
large expenditures, and which, If carried
out, would effectually prevent the entrance
OF single invading warship. Some little
work has been done a New York and San
Francisco. but al neither of these cities are
there fall batteries of modern guns or suffi-
cieDt mortars properly to guard the city
from the sea. Two Pinch guns, some small
er caiiber ones and quite number OF NOR
tars are in place, but these would play but .
little part in an engagement with a fleet
of great battleships and Cruisers
TORPEDOES NOT RELIABLE.
''Then. too, there has been a mistaken idea
that submarine miues and torpedoes i'll an
emergency can. be depended upon to c.Ose
u port. Torpedoes are all very well when
they work. but no country car place absp:
lutte reliance in one type of destructive in
strumeDis. There must always be n combi-
nation of heavy guns, mortars, mines. and
torpedoes, working together, 10 make great
commercial cities on the. sea absolutely
safe from an enemy's fleet. Submarine
mines can be located, quickly, and are
unquestionably valuable adjuncts to forts
and mortars, but there are difficulties in
the way of placing them frequently. 1t
would not be impossible for a fleet know,
ing the location of these mines to approach
within reasonably safe distance and de-
stroy them with its own guns. nor, with
light-draught vessels. would ii be impracd-
cable to steam over them" --,,-
Regarding the present possibility of war
on account of the Venezuela affair, Gen.
Miles refuses to talk. He is only willing
to point out in general terms his belief
that war between the United States and
some great foreign nation is not an
impossibility, as some people believe
and to also indicate what are the partic-
ular weaknesses Of our means of defense.
HOW TO MANAGE A BURGLAR.