The record-union., 1896-02-26
SEA COAST FORTIFICATION.
Report Submitted to the Senate by the
Committee in Charge Of the Matter.
Recommend an Expenditure of Eighty
Millions of Dollars.

Millions of Dollars.
DR.. Jameson, Who Led the TransvaaI
Raid, Arrives in London-Arraigned
IN the Police Court and Released
Upon Bail in the Sum of Two Thou
sand Pounds-Fourteen Others Who
Took Part in the Raid Also Ar
raigned.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Ex-senator
Squire, Chairman of the Senate Com
mittee on Fortifications, to-day sub
mitted the report of that committee
on the bill before it to the Senate. The
questions involved have been under
discussion for several weeks, and many
of the chief officers of the army and
navy have been before the committee
lon the subject of some adequate meas
ure looking to the thorough fortifica-
tion of our sea coast.
1t is set forth that in the cities clus-
tering about New York there is prop
erty valued at S4 600 100000 within
reach of the guns of hostile fleet lying
in the upper bay of New York. Not
one-tenth of the necessary defenses for
that port have been completed al
though it's harbor is better protected
than any other in the United States.
The aggregate value of destructible
property exposed at the twenty-seven
principal seaports of the country, not
including those of the great lakes, is
$10,000,000, 600.
The contrast between the cost of
preparations and the cost of war it
self, says the report, is one of the prin-
clpal considerations urged by the COM
mittee. 1t is an anomalous state of
affairs that this great nation, encircled
by chain of foreign fortresses near
its shores, is without the means of re-
sisting an attack from any one of them.
Although appreciating the strength
Of the navy, the committee says it
would be unsafe to rely exclusively
upon that arm for means of defense.
The very existence of the navy would
be imperiled in case of war with any
great Power without the support which
would be afforded it by land defenses.
1t was clearly shown by a distinguished
Admiral that the expenditure for coast
defenses, as compared with that for the
navy, should at present be in the ratio
OF one and a half to one, and that the
ratio should be increased in favor of
coast defenses after the expenditure of
500, 100000 for both purposes.
The Endicott Board of 1886 estimated
the cost of a permanent system of land
defenses at fraction less than S9S,-
100000, and since that day but little
more than $10,500 900 have been ex-
pended.
The committee having thoroughly ex-
amined all the conditions, the changes
ir the law requiring but eight hours
labor a day, etc, find that the amount
desirable for Notifications and arma-
ment will be more than originally cal
culcated by the Endicott Board for the
whole work of land defense. The total
cost of Notifications, including pur-
chase of sites, is estimated at SCI, ,500,-
900; the cost of armament, including
guns, gun carriages, mortars and car
riages, rapid-fire and machine guns, at
S43. 796.020.
This does not include the Bethlehem
contract, already authorized by law,
nor estimate of the cost of projectiles
and other items which may properly be
provided for in the annual appropria-
tion bills. The rapid-ffre guns, costing
81, 762,000 were not estimated in the
Endicott plan.
The consolidated estimate of all the
boards necessary to make the fortifica-
tions complete is fixed at $105, 296 020
for permanent works and armament.
To complete this undertaking will re-
quire not less than period of six years,
and for this reason Congress is urged to
begin the construction as speedily as
possible.
The scheme of distributing the appro-
priation from year to year during a
period of about eleven years is APP
proved, unless an emergency should
arise that may cause the President to
order the whole or any part of the
amount to be Immediately available.
AS a minimum sum the Chief of Engi-
neers says that $50 600. 600 would pro-
vide IN efficient defense, but nothing
less chan this would do. Therefore the
committee decided to report in favor Of
an appropriation of $50 200, ,000-S10,-
O00.O00 to be available for the remain
der of the current and the whole of the
next fiscal year, and thereafter S10,-
100000 per year for each of the next
seven years.
The committee also reported in favor
OF 50, SOC, 600 for torpedoes. The com
n1ittee recommends that authority be
given the Chief of Ordnance to contract
for forgings, carria ges, rapid-fire guns
and projectiles to the amount of ST. 750,-
coo, to be paid out of the appropriation
for the next fiscal year.
The Chief of Engineers says that
after a few weeks of preparations he
i can economically expend about 81 900
coo a month on the engineering part Of
the work, but that under stress he could
advantageously expend much larger
sum for that purpose.
If the appropriations recommended by
the committee are granted. provision
could be made within eighteen months
for GA guns, of which six would be
twelve-inch on lifts, twelve twelve-inch
on nom disappearing carriages ninety
four ten-inch disappearing and nine
ten-inch non-disappearing.
In conclusion, the committee urge the
vital importance of Immediately COM
mencing the work of defenseson an ade-
quate scale, of prosecuting it with vigor
and of providing for it by sufficient ap-
preparations of money in order to avoid
great and unnecessary risks to the
safety and welfare of the Nation.