The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-04-15
FORTS AND GUNS MUCH NEEDED
House Passes Tortifications Appre-
priatiOn Bill Unamended.
Extravasancc OF the senate In Employ
ment of Cicrks-The silver senator's
VIII Not Permit the Bond Invosti-
gasion Resolution to BE Shcived.


uon among The silver and foeulisi sena-
tors 10 allow the resolution for a serats
inquiry into recent bond issues 10 iaGse
by una aH4na0us consent il had besa set for
consideration at as today. bat at that
time Chandler was proceeding with
speech on the DUPONT case. Gray was walt
Ing 70 fellow. and Cullen had an sppro-
pr1atlo1 bill in reserve This pgscipitateSf
a clash. In which PETER. reinforced by
Wolcott and Stewart. asserted vita en-
phasss that the bond resolution could not
be crowded out. either by design or mad
yerieace- An agreemeu, was finally
reached 20 me effect that the ooaa reso-
lution would come up Immediately after
Chandler and Gray concluded their
speeches.
Squire made an elaborate presentation
Of TIE pressing need OF coast defenses.
pointing out the asfenseless condition Of
our great seAcoast harhors.
Morrill, of Vermont reached the age of
& years today. and the avene was referrcd
10 in the opening prayer OF the
chaplain. who spoke OF the white
haired senator as hale in body,
clear. sound and vigorous in intel
lect. esteemed by his brother senators,
by his state and by the whole country.
AT the conclusion Of the prayer Morrill,
received congratulations from many OF his
associates. shortly after the session
opened Morrill, announced that on Thurs
day next he would speak on the necessity
OF additional quarters for the national mu-
scum.
Squire was recognized for a speech on
coast defenses- AS preliminary to .
more detailed discussion OF the topic. the
senator said in part: what an absurd
spectacle has the congress OF the United
States presented during the present ses-
sion by its persister; talk In favor OF In
ieryeailoR by the United States In behalf
OF Cuba and Venezuela How cheap Is all
tbs talk. since every man who has In
formed himself on the subject of the na-
tionai defenses knows that a nation We
are not in condition 10 undertake war or
suffer war. We talk loud and long and
profess sympathy, pass resolutions and
make believe TO ourselves that we ara ac-
tually taking hand In diplomatic AFFAIRS
and international questions OF great mo-
ment, but those who are not deceived by
egotisiicai glamor and who know the facts
are perfectly aware of the painful truth
that this demonstration is mere talk ard
bIuster and vapd sentiment. for mt most
1t Is sympathy that is easily satisfied
with merely verbal expressions"
The people, he continued. do not know
how shamefuily their interests are ban
died and played with by those who repre-
sent them In the halls of congress They
do not know that the great seacoast cities.
teeming with wealth, are exposed and de-
fenseiess against attack by foreign navies
with vessels far ouinumbering ours In
strength. They DO not know that our navy
Itself may be hopelessly cripped by the de-
struction OF our undefended navy yards.
depots of supplies. dock yards, powder
mills and arsenals-
The senator said all the evidence taken
by the committee on coast defrnses Is
lamentabie In the extreme. The defensive
works are OF a character incapable OF re-
sisting modern artillery. The evidence IL
overwhelming that In case OF war our
whole people would suffer immeasurabiy.
From such investigation as has been
practicable II Is evident that a large
amount of des,ructibie property. estimated
al not less than $1,000. .oo0.e9 in value. is
exposed 20 attack or at least TO heavy as
sessment, for the purpose OF securing im-
munisy from destruction. The president
Of the Chamber of Commerce Of New
York informed m. that he has given care
full attention to the question OF the prop
erty risks that would AT present be sus-
tained in the cities Of New York. Brooklyn
ard Jersey City. He has consulted with
many of his colleagues IN the great bush
ness institutions OF New York, and he es-
Inmates that property valued al four biz
lion dollars In those cities Us subject to de-
strucsion or TO imposition OF a ransom in
case Of the capture OF the port OF New
York by hostile fleet"
At this point the senator presented a
statement showing q comparison of our
navy with that Of England. and also a
statement of all the steel vessels in the
American navy. including those author
lied by law. also sorle data as to the
naval fighting strength % other nations
He then said This summary ts be-
lieyed 10 be the most favorable 10 the
United States that can hs made from the
records. and stiil IL shows this country
world Ia naval strength. Moreover. 10
leaves out OF sight cur sieftciency in
torpedo boats and torpedo desiroyers. of
which latter ~e have today one small
vessel in commission. whereas Great
Britain has l5l. Germany ils. France ls.
Italy 10. Russia i7s. and even Spain
has thirteen torpedo vessels. al! in the fFt
/ have given being lis feet in length and
over. Sixty-two OF the British vessels
are torpedo dessroyers having superior
tonnage and speed
The senator argued that the snrges-
Tion 10 defeEd our coasts and seaport cities
by fleets - inpraefseasle. for IL vii, he
said, require expenditures running ND
into several hundred million dollars 20 do
the work effectively. The navy ia de-
signed for aggressive operations. To
give it ability and power TO make Of
fens.ve return. Il should not 5e fesierea 20
our great cities for the purpose Of pro-
ftEtiLE alr4n- 1t tflE JsaaftS OF BNf2HfE<
up the navy Is TO b. continued a. ths
expense Of having aesenseSsss shores
then the time has come when 4 change
Of policy must be made, There is No
doubt that the money expended for coast
defenses win bring a better retura In
protecting our country than the same
amount az money appropriated Tor ships
Senator Squire thea zTsHea that a
glance az the historical Development %
our coast sefepses will show that the
question ROW usider consideration does not
Indicate a new departure. but IT = a iogi-
cal step IN Continuation of the settled
rssg.ry OF this government s4Hcs its foam
cation tie referred 70 the sea coast de-
feassx of European powers, and to the
REPORTS from time 10 tine tina; England Is
Increasing her fortiAcattons ami heavy
armament on both Atlantic AMI Pacific
coasts. ard N this connsction sid,
We are encirglea as a nasion with a
chain - fortihcstisgs ard coai!ng sta
;i3z.s iruysrxlous 10 attack while cur rich
sea-coass cities and ports. commencing At
Parfian3 Ne, near the f0rffdsf Halifax
In CArada ronf1ncsng down fhe eczs; %
Port sfsle,sdfn. Boston &ess EeItcrd. Provt-
s5ercs and Nargassn4ets bay. New Lon
don Mex Haven and BTl4gsp0rt. New
York Phsladesgsssls Etaitlnsorn. Whining
ton. Norfolk. Wilmington. -. C.. CARES
ton. Port Royal Savannah, Pessarois.
Key West Mobile ard View Orleans ant
Galveston. within a few hoars' rapf
sraxrsfng frsna the fortified portion oe
E-rrr u<eark