The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-24
LOOKING OUT FOR THE COAST.
TYBEE's BIG GUNS COULD BE PUT
UP IN SHORT ORDER.

neering Corps Expected Here To-
day-He Is Looking After Coast
Defenses Along the south Atlantic.
His Special Mission to Key West
and the Dry TOrtugas to Deter
mine as to the Best Means For
Their Protection-Merchan Ma
rine Could BE Impressed Into Ser
vice-The Governments stock OF
Disappearing Guns.
1t Is understood the government is max
ing the most active preparations to fortify
the Atlantic coast from Maine to the Gulf,
and that along with the plan it is contem-
plated to put up some of the big guns in
tended for the north end of Tybee just as
soon as there is any indication that there
will be necessity for them. It is said, in
fact, that these'gu are about ready now,
and that should there be any danger of a
conflict some of them could be sent down
at once. fF
Col. Peter c. Haines, now stationed at
Baltimore as chief of the South Atlantic
division of public works. under the en-
gineer corps of the army, is now on tour
and he is expected to reach Savannah to-
day. Just what he will do here is not
known, though it is more than likely he
will look into the matter of the fortifica-
tions on Tybee. Col. Haines' visit south,
however, is especially for the purpose of
looking after Key West and the Dry Tor
tugas, with a view to making report as
70 fta har -
places against approach by sea.
Col. Haines' visit at the present juno
ture, therefore, may be looked upon as one
of special significance. The weakness of
the coast defenses was realized long ago,
and especially since war with Spain has
been talked of. Recently much attention
has been given to this feature, and wher-
ever there are appropriations for con-
structing such defenses they are being
used up rapidly.
In case of any impending danger there
would be necessity of doing some quick
work along the coast and Tybee, which
commands the entrance to Savannah har-
Dor is one of the places most in need of
attention. The emplacements for the
guns on the north end of the island must
be begun by the contractors within about
six weeks now, and will have to be COM
pleted within a year from the time work
is begun. The government has a good
many coast defense guns on hand and is
having them made right along so that
they can be put up in short order at the
points where they are most needed.
There is no doubt every available means
of protection will be looked to. The new
steamer of the Plant line, the Grand
Duchess, was designed especially for use
as a government cruiser in case of an
emergency. This plan, it is said, is being
adopted with all of the coastwise ships of
any importance that are now being con-
structed. The government has some ar
rangement by which it can call upon ships
of the merchant marine, especially the
large transatlantic liners whenever there
is an outbreak and need of them for de-
Tense. There is a provision In the revised
statutes which covers this feature. The
Tybee and the Gov. Stafford may yet come
to their country's aid, though if one of
the new coast defense guns were put
aboard them it might be that the boat
would disappear before the gun did.
Col. Haines will no doubt spend a short
time in Savannah, but his principal mis-
sion Is to the southern coast of Florida.
In view of the threatening aspect of af
fairs with Spain and the proximity of the
Cuban coast to that of Florida, the shift
ing of the scene of the labors of the engi-
neers to the southern coast line is signih-
cant. Although Dry Tortugas was omitted
in the Endcott report, the engineer corps
has come to the conclusion that this is
land, the most extreme point of land off
the Florida coast, is a post of vital i'm
portance and too long neglected by the
government.
Fort Jefferson, similar in construction
to Fort Sumter. still stands on the island,
but is worthless as fertilization against
modern guns. Everything makes this is
land an ideal spot for the planting of
great battery and for the rendezvous of
fleet in time of war A report will be
made to congress favoring the fortifica-
ton of this little key, which commands
the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico.
The great problem OF the disappearing
gun carriage, for which all of the new for
tifications at Tybee and elsewhere are
principally designed, has been satisfac-
torily solved. Since 1898 experiments have
been frequent. In that year an eight
inch carriage, built at the army foundry
was successfully tested at the ordnance
proving ground. There were also under
construction at that time several barbette
carriages, but they were all non-disappear-
ing carriages of the gravity return type
Many then believed the disappearing car
rage an impossibility. People laughed at
the idea of a twelve-inch carriage that
to the ballistic force necessary to propel
1000-pound projectile at velocity of
1000 feet per second, lowering it's gun to a
secure position for loading without injury
and returning it to its firing position. In
1884, however, sufficient progress in this
direction had been made to permit con-
tracts to supply the government with
twenty-four ten-inch disappearing car
riages, and the construction of ten more
was undertaken at the government car
riage factory.
Under the appropriation OF last June
there will be procured the following car
riages: from the government factory,
FIVE S-inch. five 10-inoh and Ave 12-inch,
all disappearing, and eight 12-inch nom
disappearing; from private shops, sixteen
S-inch and thirty 10-inch disappearing car
riages and sixty-seven 12-inch mortar car
rlages. 1t is expected that before the new
appropriations, soon to be asked for. can
become available all the details of each
type OF carriage will have been deter.
mined. Under the present liberal out
look there will be no limit to the rehabili-
tation of our coast defenses, except the