The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-17
TO PROTECT OUR COAST
THE "F0RTIFfCATI0NS BILL" NoW
 PENDING IN CONGRESS.

A copy of the Notifications bill'' which was introduced in the house by the Hon, N. D. Sperry of this city and ordered printed January 3, 1896, has been handed us by Captain Townshend, who has during the last week been in Washington making an effort to get this measure started, as also an addition of $50,OO0 for the naval militia which, if successful, will add about SS,000 to the fund for the Connecticut battalion, which 1t sorely needs to equip its en- gineer corps.
 This bill for Notifications has spec ial interest for this section as 1t in- cludes the fortifying of the islands at the entrance of Long Island sound, which is the key to the east approach to the port of New York, and the har bors of New London and New Haven. MT. Sperry, who is the father of the bill, will have it called up at an early day in committee and there the whole Connecticut delegation will appear to advocate the purchasing of sites and its immediate commencement of the 
 works.
 No part of our coast is more exposed in case of foreign invasion than the shores of Connecticut. An armed fleet might sail into Long Island sound, and after destroying the railroad bridges and fire arms manufacturories here make a raid inland, as has been done | before by the British when Danbury was sacked, the provisions for Wash ington's army destroyed and the gall lant General Wooster slain. The bill introduced by MT Sperry is as follows: l In the house of representatives, Jan uary 3, 1896. Read twice, referred to the committee on appropriations, and or dered to be printed. MT. Sperry intro- duced the following bill:
 A BILL
 To provide for Notifications and other l seacoast defenses.
 De it enacted by the senate and house 1 of representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled: That for the purpose of providing the fortifi- cations and other defenses recommend ed by the board appointed by the presi- 1 dent under the provisions of an act of congress entitled "An act making pro- visions for Notifications and other works of defense and for the armament thereof, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, and for other purposes" ap- | proved March 3, 1885, for the ports nam- ed in the report of the said board as I the ports at which Qualifications are most urgently needed, namely, New York, San Francisco, Boston, the lake ports, Hampton Roads, New Orleans, | Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Portland, Me, Rhode Island ports in Narragansett bay, Key West. Charles ton, S. C., Mobile, New London, Savan- nah, Galveston, Portland, Ore, Pensa- cola, Fla; Wilmington, N. C.; San Die go, Cal; Portsmouth, N. H.; defenses of Cumberland sound at Fort Clinch defenses of ports of the Kennebec riv- CT at Fort Popham, New Bedford, Mass. defenses of ports on the Penobscot riy- CT, Me; at Fort Knox (eastern entrance Long Island sound, and New Haven l Comp and further for the defense of Puget sound, and of such other ports as in the judgment of the chief of en- i gineers and the secretary of war may require permanent works for foltifica- tions, there be, and is hereby, appro- priated, out of any moneys in the 1 treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of $87 00O,0 900, the whole or any part of this appropriation to be inme- diately available if so ordered by the president.
 Section 9 That said appropriation shall be available only as follows, un- l otb orIa h1,{ II Io, For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1S96 $1,500,000; for the fiscal year ending June 90, 1897, s5,500, 900, and for each fis- cal year thereafter for the period of ten years, sS,000,00o; all of said appropria- l tion to be available until expended< Section 3. That said sum shall be ex- pended under the direction of the secre- l tary of war and under existing laws for the purpose of providing Qualifications and other defenses for the ports afore- said and the armament thereof and the purchase of sites for the said fortifica-
 tions, substantially in accordance with the recommendations of said board
 with such notifications as are made in
 the more extended study of the individ.
 ual projects, as approved from time tc time by the secretary of war, until con- gress shall otherwise provide, and shal be apportioned among the said ports ir | accordance with the consolidated esti mate of the cost of said defenses In SC far as may be most economical and ex.
 pedient; and the work shall be, as neal as may be, commenced at the same time at each of said ports, and shall proceed
 as rapidly as said annual appropriations will admit of; excepting at the lakt
 ports, where Notifications shall not be begun until, in the judgment of the president, work there shall be necessary and expedient: Provided, That should any material change in the total esti mates for the defenses herein provided for be made necessary a full and com. plete statement of such changes and the
 reasons therefor shall be laid before congress for it's action: Provided, fur
 ther, That no part of the money herein appropriated applicable for the defen
 sive works at a port shall be expended for Notifications at that port until tht secretary OF war shall have caused the 1 surveys necessary to select a proper site to be made and detailed project tc be prepared for that port not to ex ceed in cost the sum apportioned tc
 that port included in the total amount
 herein appropriated for said fortifica tions and shall have approved the same.
 Section 4. That the proportion of the