Evening star., 1896-11-03
GEN. CRAiGHILL'S REPORT
Money That is Needed for FortifCaticns and
Seacoast Defenses.
Difficulties In Obtaining Sites Select
ed-Rec0m N ndn tiOns in Regard 10
River and Hnrbor Contracts.

Under the head of fortiiications, Gen.
Craighin, chief of engineers IN his annual
report says that detailed projects have
been approved for the artillery defense of
Portland, Me-, Portsmouth, y. H.. Boston,
Narragansett bay, easte.n entrance 10
Long Island sound tpartiaD, New York.
Philadelphia, Baltimore. Washington,
Hampton Roads. Wilmington, NC, Charles
ton. Savannah. Key West. Pensacola, Mo-
bile, New Orleans. Galveston. San Diego,
San Fran cisco. the mouth Of Columbia
river and Puget sound. In addition, partial
projects have been approved for the de-
Tense of the lake ports. Cumberland sound.
Kennebec New Bedford, Penobscot river.
New Haven and New London. Complete
projects for the defense OF these places
are under consideration. and also for Port
Royal, $. c.. and Tortugas, Fla. In these
projects is made of the existing old
type fortlficat tionS, which are either
strengthened and given in part modern ar
mamCnt or utilized as an adjunct Of the
newer and stronger works.
During the year there have been nego-
iiations for the purchase of sites at
Charleston. Baltimore, NarraSansett bay
and Portland, Me. AT several points Wher"
fortifica lions are urgently desired nothing
can be done because the land has not yet
been acquired. The appropriation of $5Jo,-
chase of sites has been pledged, and to
continue the work an appropriation of the
same amount is requested.
For Preservation and Repair.
General Craighill urgently recommends
an appropriation of s1oo.Guo for the preser
vation and repair of fortitications. saying
that, as result OF the failure of Congress
to make proper provision in the past for
their care the ungarrsoned fortifications
and reservations are now in depcrahe
state with the perishable portions now
almost worthless, and the heavy masonry
work slowly being destroyed.
He says that the work of preparing en-
placements for the guns has been pushed
with much vigor. where the money was
available, particularly at New York, Della
ware river and Charleston. The first con-
sidcration. he adds, was to provide for the
needs of all our seaportS for which projects
are approved, so as to protect as many of
them as practicable against isolated cruiser
attacks. OF guns of large caliber there
are a total of 616 and of mortarS 1,o.2, for
which emplacementS will have 10 be con-
structed. OF these Congress has provided
for - per cent of the guns and l., per
cent of the mortars. These figures. says
Gen. Craighill, show that as judged by
expert opinion, the country in another year
will be about one-fifth prepared regards
coast defense to resist attack by a first
CLASS power IN cOtlcluulilS lDlS part C1 MS
report. General Craighll submits concise
detailed reports by the officers in charge
of the work that has been done at each for
titled point during the year.
Rivers and Harbors.
Under the head of rivers and harbors ii
is said that experience has shown that the
system of providing funds for carrying on
continuously and completing certain works
has resulted in materially reducing costs
and granting benefits to commerce within
reasonable periods, and that if this system
is restricted to works fully justified by the
interests of commerce.it will prove an econ
Cmical one, provided appropriations are SO
made as to avoid delay in payments to
contractors. Because Congress has fallen
into the custom of making river and harbor
appropriations only every second year, and
that consequently the act Of June. 1886 is
rot likely to be supplemented by similar
act the coming session of Congress, Cen
eral Craighill restricts his estimates for
next year to the amounts necessary to
meet obligations under contracts. They ag
ta rs n,.,