The sun., 1896-09-24
OUR SEACOAST DEFENCES.
PLANS COMPLETED M THE Ex-
PERTS OF 1HE VAR DEPARTMBRT.

Work Uader Its $4,000 900 App-oer,s-
tion ls 70 he BeEaa Soon-submariue
Mines and Torpedoes Are to ne Iu,-
portrait Part OF che Scheme or Defence.
WAsHIroToS, Sept. 23-Complete plans. in-
volvinE an immense expenditure OF money
eventually, for the Notifications Of the moro
important unprotected cities, have now been
completed BY the experts OF the War Depart
nent, and work is to begin almost Immediately y
toward placing these ports In q state of ad-
mirable defence.
carrying the large sum of $4,000. 900, the
chiefs of the engineers, and ordnance depart
ments have been considering the various
schemes suggested by the Fortihcations Board
| some years ago, and an agreement has been
reached as to what cities should receive the first
| allotments Of last June's appropriation. and the
| extent to which contracts shall be awarded to
begin active operations. The entire system
| of defences for the seaboard country will be In
the charge oftne engineers and ordnance officers.
the former securing the land constructing the
| empacements and setting aside the necessary
land for new garrisons, while the latter will de-
termine the number and calibre Of guns, NOR
tars, dynamite guns, and submarine mines.
In tho scheme of defences decided upon the
dynamite gun will not as yet play any important
part, as the experts deem this instrument Jet In
an experimental stage, and are not willing to
lay out large sums OF money for It until further
trials have been given at San Francisco. Sub
marine mines however. are to enter into tho
scheme. but this part OF tho defences
will be most carefully guarded from pub
lie attention for fear that foreign Govern
ments may learn tho proposed location OF
the mines and torpedoes. 1t is certain, also,
that the largest calibre of rifles will compose q
part OF tho armament at oil the important
cities, and that the 16-nch rifles will In time be
mounted at nearly all OF them. The number of
guns to be manufactured by tho army at its
factories and by private concerns has not yet
been definitely decided. but It is certain that the
contracts In the latter case will be large and |
the purchases OF forgings for Watervlet heavier |
than any previously made by the department.
The appropriation now available, while al |
most double that ever made by Congress for de- |
begin the work in some places. although cities |
such as New York, Boston and San Francisco, |
will be fairly well protected with the expendi- |
ture OF the sums allotted under the present pro-
New Orleans will not receive probably more
than a few hundred thousand dollars each,
placements for guns constructed. Condemna-
tory proceedings have been taken to secure the
desired sites at number Of Southern Cities and
serious dimculty at comparatively small cost.
In carrying out the fortiacations programme
the War Department will not lose sight OF the
Importance Of n number OF the old smooth. bore
guns as valuable pieces of ordnance, and which |
vice against any but armored ships At Fort
Monroe there are perhaps 100 Of these guns
for service at small cost Most Of them are
from eight to sixteen INCHES in calbre, and can
the sides OF any vessel attempting to pass Hamp-
to ton Roads, There are any number OF such guns
utilizing as a part of the ordnance for defence.
eithough the modern high-powered gums on
The construction of thiB ~ line Df def 1
extending along the Atlantic seaboard from
Portland to Jacksonville and around tho Gulf
atantial increase in the standing army in q few
years. and especially OF the artillery branch. 10
for them. Nearly ali the fo.tiacatlonS are at
cities where the artillery branches are either
new demands. SO that with the completion of
the deiences aud the erection of new bar
II least two more regiments of artillery,
and possibly more. as tho work of prepar-
tsn sS.ss
Or four companies of the Fourth Artillery.
full regiment there when the proposed defenees ] $
are complete. The same will be true at Fort
dn HaneoSk IF F9r. Monroe, aud boston Waning
mac. and cities Ike SAVANNAH. chsrIeston d @ and and
will require the establishment of stations
equipped With from two 70 four batteries each. !
lion of the artillery along the seaboard cities
Ind new garrisons esta ablshed at points which I
lave not known the presence of Federal troops =
iiLce the war period.
In asking for appropriations little thought
vas given to the necessity of increasing the ,
standing army. Tho War Department. how
'ver went ahead and secured the money. with
he belief chat when the defences are completed :
he necessity of providing the men will be ap-
'recisted and new regiments authorized. II tho I
of Gen. Miles n adopted the head
quarters of the Fourth Artillery here will 10
transferred elsewhere and an In .antry regiment ,
Will be sent here from the West. :
q w |
u this branch Of the army, and for some time ,
has been considered advisable to substitute
infantry for artillery at the barracks. In this
vent Baltimore may become tho reRimental
lendquarters OF artllery, with the Notifications
eayinG Fort Washington TO protect this city
With four batteries.