The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-03-04
Senator Proctor on National Defenses.

day of list week, aud his speech on
arming the nation will hive the inter
ested consideration If the entire un
try. Senator Proctor was for IA time
secretary of war in Harrison's admins
tration, and his experience enables
him to speak with intelligent directness
on this subject of vital importance.
The senator is in favor Of strong coast
defenses, Us well as a strong navy,
and in the course of his remarks forci-
bly, showed the mistake this nation is
making in depending upon a navy, ex
clusively, for protection from foreign
at ack. The following extracts indi-
cate what Senator Proctor's views are:
The exposed condition of our coast
requires no proof, and the necessity of
defending it should require no argu-
ment. II was recently stated by AID.
miral Walker, at meeting of the con-
mittee on coast defenses: elf they
Che Euglish) were to send over such
naval force as they could spare from
Europe they would have their own way.
They would probably AXE the
whole navy. BY putting all
our vessels behind Sandy Hook we
could probably make something of
fight for that place, but nothing would
prevent them from taking the whole
coast"
The army, the navy, the press, the
p, ople, hose in authority and those
not, voice the sentiment that our coas
L tI,a
ton should be provided; but how?
Shall it be done by land Notifications
alone, by a navy alone, or by wise
combination of the two methods? 1t is
fully substantiated by reason and au-
thority:
First-That proper system of land
defenses will make our great cities safe
from any naval attack.
Second-Such a system can be con-
structed for sum many times less than
the cost of navy like the great navies
of Europe, and for sum that may
reasonably be expended.
Third-Land Notifications are much
more efficient for coast defense than a
navy, and when once constructed are
durable, cheaply maintained and easily
strengthened.
Fourth-The defense of our cities
cannot be left to the navy alone, how.
ever large.
Fifth-A navy that would equal the
great navies of Europe is unnecessary
and its cost makes such q navy imprac-
tcable.
Sixth-A navy quickly deteriorates
and is expensive to maintain.
Seventh-The construction of land
defenses should always precede the
building of navy.
These points hope to substantate
principally by naval authority.
The total amount appropriated up to
date, from and including the third day
of March, 1883, for the increase of the
navy is $40, 81, no 10. In giving the
figures in regard to the new navy l
treat as complete all ships authorized
or in process of building. 1t therefore
appears that the amount ($110,371,-
7l0.1O, spent on the new navy would
have entirely completed in the minut-
est detail the most perfect system of
land defenses that the art of the. engi-
neer can devise, including the arma-
ment, with remaining surplus of S10,-
OO5,71O.
From the last report of the secretary
of war we find that in the same period
we have expended only $10,6S1 900 on
coast defense.
According to the report Of the Endi-
cot board, which was approved by
Commanders Goodrich and Smith, two
naval experts, we ought to expend
$28,000,00 on floating defenses and
1917 100000 on land defenses. Instead
of keeping up this proportion we have
expended S10,000,000 on land defenses
and many times that amount on float
ing defenses.
We have also spent millions in deep
ening the approaches to our harbors, to
make them accessible to a hostile fleet,
a. d practically nothing for their de-
Tense.
We have neglected the work which
shonld have been done first and which
would have been more than completed
for the sum spent on the navy, while
the navy, still far too small to protect
itaelf, is left without the protection OF
ystem of harbor defense which should
have preceded its construction.
Senator Proctor spoke of the strength
of the navy, it's rank among the navies
W ehO WOilui pClhS hOW oONCHIu III the
list, and compared the relative expense
and efficiency of the land and floating
defenses. He demonstrated how fal
behind the great powers in naval equip
ment the nation is, and that this il
particularly true of Great Britain, oul
traditional enemy. On the subject o.
land Notifications in comparison will
the navy, the senator said:
Such is our navy; but suppose tina
like sum had been expended on lant
coast defeDses, what would the countr,
now have to show for the expenditure
There is no higher engineering au
thority on this subject than Genera
Abbott. He says that "the entir,
coast would be placed in a condition o
security even if operated against by tn
hs nh l..