Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-23
A PLAN OF DEFENSE.
How 10 Protect tha Atlantic and Gull
Coasts in Times OF Var.
REPORT BY NAVAL OFFICERS.
Auxiliary Crus,rs Ava iAbla ia Case
Of An tmerg ncy-Guns
for These Ships.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.--A report
hss just been submitted to Secretary
BY board OF naval officers
outlining plan of defense OF the
Atlantic and Gull coasts in case OF
war.
The board met secretly and consisted
OF Admirals Ramsay and Bulcc.
Captains Sampson and Taylor and
Lieutenant Wainwright. In as much
as this beard was organized by order,
dated August 10 last, and convened
by virtus OF that order, the meeting
has no relations TO the present state OF
foreign relations. The plans of de.
fense considered were originally pre-.
pared AT the naval war college at
Newport, II. L.
The order for the examination and
revision OF plans was Issued In view of
possible trouble with foreign power.
The sec.etary Of the navy denies
that the board wac assembled Oh ac.
count OF possible Complications with
spain and declared that plans for
coast deienses would have been pre-.
pared at this time, whether our foreign
relations were serene OF strained. The
TACT that the board met ana sub
nitted It's report while the Senate
foreign relations committee was ueclar.
ing for the indepel dence ef Cuba LENDS
additional Interest to the plans adopted.
The plans are said 10 have boon in
preparation at the war college Tor three
years AMI have now been revised ia
some particulars anu approved by the
highest authorities In the navy, They
provide for the defense OF the Atlantic
coast from Delaware to Cape Cod, from
Cape Coo to the PenDbscot, Delawafe
and Chesapeake bays, from Cape Hat
terms TO East Port, Maine, anu Tor the
southern part OF the Atlantic coast and
for the entire Cult coast.
1t is also said that the board cOnsid-
cred aud reported to the secretary OF
the navy on the distribution OF the
North Atlantic squadron In case OF
war.
The strength OF the navy, including
the ships In commission and those
laid up, Is discuss 10 tho report.
One OF the important features Of the
boards celebrations was the question
OF auxiliary cruisers COR use In case of
an emergency. There arc nlutt q
vessels sailing between ports on the
NORTH Atlantic coast hich have be en-
subsidizBd by the government and are
available for means of defense in case
OF war. These ships range from the
st. Louie, with IL ,629 tons uisplace.
ment, to the Pnilauelphia 18th IL $40
tons. The proposed batteries OF tne.e
merchant ships Include all guns up to
six iuches in cslibre. But few OF these
guna have been completed. The
number Is being increased each year
and the guns are stored at q port
which would be convenient for the
vessels for which they are intended.
The conclusions OF this board are
OF great importance, but
will not, probably, be revealed by
Herbert, unless 1t should be
necessary 10 put the recommend ations
into operation.
PROSPECTS OF HOSTILITIEs.
NEW YORK, Dec. 23.-Lieutenant
II. III. Buckingham, u,
8. N, came from Washington ana al
tended meeting Of the second pro-
visional naval militia battalion which
was held in Brooklyn last night. He
the secretary Of the navy.
In telling Of the great service the
naval militia might lend to the rogu.
lar navy In case OF war, he said the
4 restest danger in New York was not
that the ships OF an enemy's fleet
could pass the forts at the entrance 10
the harbor, but that they would lie
{ fl out OF range OF our guns and block
sue our port, putting stop to com.
merce.
"The navy Department." esid he,
"hss been planning to have fiotilla of
thirty or forty torpedo boats In this har.
Dor and others at different ports along
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. These
could be differed snd manned In
great part by our navy militia. The
navy department 10 counting on the
naval militia to help in case OF sud
den emergency to project our seabosri
cities. In case OF an attack, 1t might
all the naval militia organi.
cations OF the country at one point.
Lieu. Commander Buckingham,s
the militiamen that 1t was the pros.
speak az he did.
WORK AT A NAVY YARD.
VALLEJO, Cal, Dec. 23.-Though
work has slackened somewhat al the
navy yard owing TO the discharge OF a
part OF the force because Of lack OF
funds there Is stili u fair amount OF
W ork In progress, come 500 men being
employed. Work still continues on
the Baltimore, Concord, MohicaD,
Ranger and Pensacola, for which ships
money was espt c,ally set aside by tue
last Congress. the cruiser Charleston,
however, did not come under this
head and will probably have to wal,
until appropriations from the present
Congress are available before her re.
pairs begin. The Petrol, which was
placed in commission Dec. 18Th, is al
the dock fitting with stJres Tor three
years cruise on the China station.
She will probably be here for two
months more during which time she
will be inspected by the board OF in.
spection.