The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-13
SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY, NOV. Is.
OUR COAST DEFENsEs.

The state OF our coast defenses as out
lined In the recent report of Gen. Miles
should prove very interesting reading to
those people VINO talk about asserting our
independence and hazardlng war. IL nee
eSsary. to do ii. IL is quite generally
known that our defenses on land are not
what they ought 20 be. but enc does not
realize how generally worthless they are
and how insignificant against attack they
would be until the plain facts and figures
are presented by one who has made them
a study and knows whereof he speaks.
The entire Atlantic coast is practically
nnprepared for hostillties. South OF New
York along the entire coast, where are
situated such cities as Norfolk, Charleston.
Savannah, Mobile and Galveston, there Is
hardly a modern gun. The cities north OF
New York are IN about the same defense
less condition. on the whole coast there
r. nothing to resist single frst-class ship
OF a arst-elass power. At some points
emplaeements have been partially con-
rsructed All a few modern mortars and
long-range guns mounted. but the work Is
not complete. and could not be made COM
plese in the time usually allowed before
declarations OF war.
on the Pacific coast the condition of af-
fairs is even worse than In the East.
Some little progress has been made with
tho Notifications at San Francisco. but
the rest OF the coast from Blaine % San
Diego is practically defenseless. All the
guns protecting the mouth OF tho Colun-
eia river are obsolete and would prove OF
little value. \ third-rate warship OF for
sisn power could enter Puget Sound unmo-
sested aud In f5rty-cight hours play havoc
with every City on is shores. The only
response that could be given 10 Tie enc
nly's guns would 10 from the mouths Of
a couple Of old howitzers brought here
some forty years ago. and dealing out
greater destruction 10 those firing than 10
those fired upon.
Gen. Miles says that the comments he
made six years ago upon the weakness
OF the Pacific soast dcfenses VII hold good
today. Outside OF the slight amount OF
work accomplished at san Francisco. MOTH
ing has been done and every port could be
easily hlockadet within ninety days This
is true. net only Of this coast. but O; the
great majority Of Atlantic seabosrd cities.
whore q few pieces or oldsfashoued ana
obsolete land ordnance pretend 70 frown
Q menace from oia-time tarthworks. One
shot from modern wareAlp would be
sufficient 70 make such dcfenses untcu-
ehle They would be worse than useless
.n the warfare Of this age
Il Is not probable that yve shall have
war. bul that IS no reason Why oar coast
line should NOT be IN some sort OF con-
dltion OF defense. The fact that e l. prac-
tlcally without forttacatioas oaly makes
US less formidable - ether powers ana
less likely 10 command respect when We
demand g. Tire great nations know our
weakness perfectly. and tAe knowledge
that our coasts are unprotected ts worth a
great deal TO them when & comes 70 xiv
.ng any weigh, 20 what the United states
government may say. Nearly all q the
senators ard representatives. IN congress
when recently asked x they favored en-
forcing the Monroe doctrine. even 70 var.
replied ia the affirmative. aaa scarcely
airy Of them probably realized tAat en-
foFNlhE max 0~<trl5le now NsfR War W0Hl3
mean the destruction of every important
sigy en- hoth the Atlantic sne Pacific
coasts. War : era % TIE lasl things
We want. ard would - especially aep.sr-
able now becalSe We are seselu;cly ua-
prepared fer it. Rug tie warse eur De-
scsse the rpors likelihood there e az our
bang Imposed upcn and tae msrr v.8s,si-
ioas any attempt oa cur part - iusist
upon eur rights w<,A show % arms
A general plan 81 desoase has bsea pre-
pared by The hsard Il or>fnance and eor,s-
aoatons whsch covers tss whole country.
The goyernnsat eaanet hegin too sariy 70
carry sh0ss plans out ard give use SEA
coast elaes the proisoyion they sra en-
titled -. ire expense. 40 dsuei. all
BE largs ana the present generation nay
nos SEC such dsfenS>s actually utilised.
but ca ths other hand. an International
6ssels aay asas say Car ana lszsnsa-