The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-07


should now be allotted to the erdectiOn
of necessary quarters for the garrisOns
assigned to the coast defenses. where
many men viii be needed to properly
care for and operate modern guns. 1t
is essential too that early provision be
made to supply the necessary force OF
service
The entire army has now been equip
ped with new magazine arms and wise
policy demands that all available public
and private resources should be so en-
plOyed as to provide within a reaSOna-
bic time sufficient number to supply
the state militia with these modern
weapons and provide an ample reserve
for any emergency.
ARM THE STATE MILITIA
The organized militia numbers 112, S79
men me apprOpria tiOns for its support
py the several states approximate 81
$4,000 annually, and $4O0 900 is contrib
uted by the general government. In
veStigatiOn shows these troops to be us
ually Wei drilled and inspired with
much military interest. but in many in
stances they are SO deficient in proper
arms ana equipment that a sudden call
10 acllNe DUTY would ind them made
quately prepared for field service
therefore recommend that prompt meas
ufes pc taken to remedy this condition
ana that every encouragement be given
20 TINS BODY OF unpaid and voluntary
citizen soldiery upon whose assistance
we must largely rely in time of trouble
during the past year rapid progress
mas been made toward the completion
OF the scheme adopted for the erection
and armament of Qualifications along
our seacoast, while equal progress has
been made in providing the material
for submarine defense in connection
with these works It is peculiarly
gratifying at this time to note the
great advance that has been made in
this important undertaking since the
date of my annual message to the
t1fty-third congress at the opening of
the second session in December, 1893
Al that time Informed the congress of
the approaching completion of nine r.
inch, twenty-five 1O-inch and thirty
four S-inch high power steel guns, and
seventy-6ve 12-inch rified mortars
Ih1s total then seemed insignificant
when compared with the great work
remaining to be done. Yet it was none
the less a source of satisfaction to
every citizen when he reflected that it
represented the first installment of the
new ordnance of American design and
American manufacture which demon
strated our ability to supply from our
own resources guns of uneXcelled
power and accuracy At that date,
however, there were practically no car
riageS upon which to mount the guns.
and only 81 emplacements for guns and
"a for mOrtars. Nor were all these
emplacements in condition to receive
their armament Only one high power
gun was at that time in position for
the defense of the entire coast.
MANY MODERN GUNS PLACED.
once llldL time the nuIQDef OF guns
actually completed has been increased
to a total OF twenty-one 12-inch, fifty
six 10-inch. sixty-One S-inch high
power breech loading steel guns, ten
rapid firing guns and eighty 12-inch
rifled mOrtars
In addition there are in process of
construction one 16-inch type gun, fifty
12-inch, ffty-siX 1O-inch, twenty-seven
S-inch high power guns and sixty 70
inch rified mortars, in all 42S guns and
mOrtars. During the same year, i'm
mediately preceding the message re-
ferred to. the first modern gun carriage
had been completed and eleven more
were in progress of construction. All
but one were of the nOn-d disappearance
type These, however. were not such
to secure necessary cover for the
ence of modern machine. rapid fire and
high power guns. The inventive gen
ius of ordnance and civilian experts
has been taxed in designing carriages
that would obviate this fault, resulting,
it is believed, in the solution of the
difficult problem. Since 1893 the num-
Der of gun carriages constructed or
building has been raised TO q total of
129. of which SO are on the disappearing
principle and the number of mortar
carriages to 1872. while the 50 emplace-
ments which were provided for prior to
that time has been increased to $50
built and building.
This improved situation is largely
due to the recent general response of
congress to the recommendations of
the war department. IhuS we shall
soon have completed about one-fifth of
the comprehensive system, the first
step in which was noted in my mess
age to congress in December OF 1893
When it is understood that a masonry
emplacement not only furnishes a plat
form for the heavy modern high power
gun. but also in every particular serves
the purpose and takes the place of the
fort of former days. the importance of
the work accomplished is better com
pretended.
TO MAKE OUR COASTS SECURE.
In the hope that the work viii be
prosecuted with no less vig0r in the
future, the secretary of war has sub
mitted an estimate by which, if al
lowed there will be provided in either
built or building, by the end of the
next fiscal year such additional guns,
mortars, gun carriages and emplace-
ments as will represent not far from
one-third of the total work to be done
under the plan adopted for our coast
defenses, thus affording prospect
that the entire work will be substan-
TALLY completed within six years. In
less time than that, however, we shall
have attained a marked degree of Sc
curity.
The experience and result of the
past year demonstrate that with a con
tfnuation of present careful methods
the cost of the remaining work will be
much less than the original estimate.
We should always keep in mind that of
all forms of military preparation, coast
defense alone is essentially pacific in
its nature while it gives the sense of
security due to a consciousness of
strength. it is never the purpose nor
the effect of such permanent fortifica-
ton to involve US in complications. but
rather to guarantee US against them.
They are no temptation to war, but Sc
curity against it. Thus they are thor
oughly in accord with the traditions Of
our national diplomacy.
ATTORNEY GENERALS REPORT
Federal Penitentiary at Fort Leaven-
worth a Move in Right Direction
The attorney general presents de-
tailaa and Interesting Statement Of the