The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-03-12

pair are twelve-inch, high-powered
monsters, mounted on disappearing
carriages which, while in action, ex
pose them to fire but for three seconds
of time, with range of twelve and an
effective one of eight miles, and each
shot striking meaning the destruction
of the vessel struck, their task would
be anything but pleasant. Assuming
that the enemy had passed this ordeal
and had entered the Narrows-which in
itself would be nest of torpedoes
fixed and o-mobile-mortar and
rifled batteries would again rain hell
Of fire and instrumentalities of death
on the invaders. And, in the midst of
this avalanche of projectiles, the ships,
being built of metal throughout, and
as such excellent conductors of elec-
tricity, would become entangled in the
wires stretching from shore to shore,
charged with the highest attainable
voltage, disarranging the machinery,
and perhaps, as some hope, electrocu-
ting the crews. Passing through this
mass of infernalism would bring them
under the fire of Forts Wadsworth and
Hamilton and within range of the
pneumatic dynamite guns. Some idea
of the destructive agency of the dyna-
mite guns can be gained by referring to
report in 1889 of test of the dyna-
mite cruiser NesuviuS, in which it was
stated that her fifteen inch guns hurled
shell containing sufficient dynamite
to equal the explosive power Of ten
tons of gunpower, or enough to blow
up any block of buildings in America.
If the enemy could run the gauntlet
of the "dynamiterS' without develop
ing that "tired feeling" they would yet
have to reckon with the all-poWerful
monitor fleet and other armOred craft
that would surely be assembled. The
monitor MiantonOmah, with but six
inches of her vulnerable parts exposed
her upper framework can be shot
away in welcome without injuring the
effectiveness of the vessel-armed with
twelve-inch rifled guns, is considered by
naval officers match for any three Or
dinary seagoing battle-ships, and the
row she and her four sister ships could
raise in New York harbor can be bet
ter imagined than described. If the
attacking force succeeds in overcom-
ing the monitors, "the town is theirs.
A description of the defenses of New
York nearly, if not quite, sums up our
modern coast defense. Boston bay
has the same general line of defense,
though far weaker, and wholly made
quate for even reasonable protection,
Fort Warren being the principal forti-
hcation of the bay. North of Boston
there is nothing deserving the name
of modern defense. On the South
Atlantic coast, Fortress Monroe, in
Hampton Roads, defending the en-
trance to Chesapeake bay, Fort Nc
Henry in the bay proper, and Fort
Sumter protecting Charleston, S. c., are
our three principal works. all of them
in a neglected and dilapidated condi.
, ton, poorly armed, and ill-adapted to
resist attack. On the Gulf, Fort Nor
gan in Mobile bay, Fort Pickens at
Pensacola are in the same moss-growr
{ state of inferiority. Galveston has
nothing more formidable than the city
police force to resist naval operations
> In the Mississippi river, defending
! New Orleans, are Forts Jackson anC
st. Phillip, situated in close proximity
: on opposite banks, and in such man
Y ner as to concentrate their full fire or
: any point within range, we'll armed
, with dynamite guns and other high
S class ordnance, and sufficiently stron.
r to ward off any attack. But the south
: ern metropolis weak point is LAX
t Ponchartrain, four miles in the rear o
Q the city, with it's numerous outlets t.
1 the gulf, utterly unprotected, nothing
e to prevent the entrance of vessel
q drawing twelve feet Of water to com
J. within firing range of the geograpt
= ical center of the city.
g The recent completion and success
O full test of the dynamite batter
e erected on Fort Point, defending tn