Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-01-03
Atiseeltaatnus 8eading.
CAN THE ENGLISH SHE'LL NEW YORK

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would arise in case of war with Eng
, land would be the defense of New
York.
The vast wealth of the metropoli!
and its enormous commerce and i'm
portance to the country would make
the city the most conspicuous targe'
for the British guns. The reign o
, terror that would follow the firing o
shells into the compact metropolitan
district, "where 100000 people are
packed like sardines," would be ex
ceeded only by the CONSERVATION tina,
would follow should New York anC
its vast store of treasure fall into the
hands of the enemy.
Is such thing possible?
Well, things could be made very
very interesting hereabouts.
New York barbor, consisting of the
upper and lower bays, is one of the
largest, safest and most beautiful in
the world. 1t is admitted that should
the warships once pass through "the
"Narrows" and come into the shadow
of the statue of Liberty, New York
would be lost. The main hope against
this would be to sow the bays anc
sound with torpedoes.
Forts on Sandy Hook and Long Is
land would be relied on to aid in
keeping the warships out of the bay
but very serious question arises as
to whether they could be kept fal
enough out to sea to prevent them
shelling the city.
NOT FAR FROM DEFENSELEss.
The art of fortifcation consists o.
Improving the means of defense pre-
sented by nature. The artificial ob
stacles thus erercted are divided into
two classes-temporary and permanent
Notifications. In the way of perma
nent structures there is none worthy
the name as defenses of the lower bay
and the harbor of New York.
For years there has been in con
struction a stone Fashioned fort on the
the point of sand known as Sandy
Hook, but the masonary sank almost
as fast as it was laid. Fort Wadsworth
on Staten Island, presents an impressive
appearance when viewed from the
deck of an excursion steamer, but in
reality it is an empty and almost
crumbling ruin, which could be de.
stroyed in day by the shells thrown
from vessels anchored off Coney Is
land. But there are series of earth
works behind Fort Wadsworth which
could he made formidable by the in
PRODUCTION of long.distance. large-cal,
ibre guns, mounted on modern disap'
pearing or traverse carriages.
There are many Columbiads among
the present armament, but they would
be powerless in the presence of the
rifled metal which Great Britain's
naval vessels could bring to bear upon
them. AS an artillery target Fort
Wadsworth cannot be surpassed, but
the interior lines of earthworks, which
are supported by solid masonry, could
be made an important defensive work.
Long distance guns placed in these
works would cover the lower bay and
prevent a hostile fleet anchoring or
manoeuvreing off Coney Island.
THE THREE FORTS.
Fort Hamilton is better fitted for re-
sisting foreign naval attacks than is
Fort Wadsworth. Its granite wall is
only exposed on the west, while east
and north its batteries are almost hid
den. The present armament of Fort
Hamilton consists almost entirely oi
smooth bore Columbiads, which pos
sess great power at short range.
There are few rifled cannon to be con-
sidered of importance in the event Of
foreign attack. New and powerful
guns are to be put under existing ap'
preparation.
Fort Hancock, on Sandy Hook,
promises to be the most formidable
among existing or projected fortitca,
tions in New York harbor. 1t will
be erected on the most improved prin'
cipes of modern warfare, for it will
mainly consist of pits, in which long
distance guns will be placed on disap-
pearing carriages. Such armament is
almost entirely beyond the reach of an
enemy's ship, for only mortar shells
would be effective, and they cannot be
used on board ship. AS defensive
weapons, these guns on Sandy Hook
Point ought to be able to rake invading
war vessels, for the latter must come
within range in order TO reach the low
er bay.
The defense of the lower bay, there
fore, would rest entirely on Forts
Hancock, Wadsworth and Hamilton
for as stated once foreign fleet passed
through "the Narrows" the city would
lay defenseless.
ToRPEDoEs IN THE SOUND.
On the sound the Notifications are
far superior. Fort Schuyler is capa'
BILE of mounting formidable array
of guns, the permanent earthWorks be-
ing extensive and we'll placed. On the
opposite side of Throgg's Neck stands
the Notifications on Willets Point,
and here tremendous batteries could
be placed in position. Besides this,
the sound can be perfectly defended
by torpedoes, and it is safe to say that
no war vessel could pass Fort Schuy-
| lor fnr;t uould certainly encounter a