Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-11-24

PORTILANDsS DEF FENCES.
Work Going On at New Notifications
J With All Speed.
q. zach Disappearing Gun, Mortar Batteries.
etc TO Be Put In.

While there has been considerable
| talk about the coast defences of other
sea board cities like New YORK. New Or
leans. Boston and Portsmouth. this city
has by no means been. neglected. Col
onel Donnell. the United States engineer
officer in charge Of the Notifications here,
has not issued any proclamations about
what is, being done, but those VINO have
Head. who have noted that the govern
ment has been buying land at Fort
Preble, and have seen other indications
Of activity. know that the government
has actually been making great haste
and that Portland will very soon have
some Of the greatest guns of modern
For several years the government has
been working on extensive emplacements
for heavy guns at Portland Head This
work has gone ahead rapidly of late, and
the eight great ten-inch guns which are
to constitute this powerful battery. The
carriage of the first gun will arrive in a
short time. 1t will be one of the great
about 80 tons. It will come from New
Jersey and while 1t can be taken to
pieces. yet some Of the parts are so heavy
that its transportation will be matter
These disappearing guns have already
been described at length. a. the Cape
at Portland Head where the eight guns
earth and concrete is built up, behind
which the gun lies in its ambush. com
pletely out of sight. A vessel coming in
from the sea would know nothing OF It's
presence. unless from the outlines of the
grassy hill formed by the embankment
the outlines of the military work could
be discerned. Suddenly a great lO-inch
gun rises over this mound. pours forth a
deadly discharge. and Instantly sinks back
out of sight. The recoil of the gun sets
in motion the mechanism which carries
the gun back. and cylinders fun OF oil ON
!, ct l., 49, tIA r.l IN
within safe limits of speed by the action
of pistons. which force the oil out SLOWLY
Formerly pneumatic cylinders were used,
but oil is found to work better.
AT Fort Preble. an extension mortar
battery is to go in" but it IS difficult to
get exact details of this. Great secrecy
marks all the government opera tons.
When General Craighill appeared before
gresS to urge the large appropriations
which We're made. last winter. ne held
condential sessions. and would NOT alioW
what he said to be printed II is gener-
ally understood that the war department
has enjoined similar secrecy upon all its
engineer officers at all places. In Port
land these injunctions seem to nave been
kept very carefully. but the actual work
which is done cannot be concealed wholly.
The plan of defence of Portland con-
templates an outer line OF batteries. STA
toned at Portland Head, Gushing $
island Great Diamond and Cow islands.
with torpedo classmates fer mining the
main ship channel by Fort Preble. the
roads between Great Diamond and Peaks
and between Great Diamond and Fail
mouth Foreside. These torpedo case
mates were put in some time ago. but
they are SO jealousy guarded that little
definite Information is obtainable about
them.
The next battery to be put IN after
Portland Head. will be one on Great Dia-
mond. where work will probably he begun
at once on the emplacements for two
huge Finch guns. This will be magnifi-
cent battery when completed and Will
make Hussey's sound an undesirable
place for hostile craft
The construction of great battery on
Cushing's island will probably be next
in order. although the hitch over the
purchase of the Ottawa House seems TO
be delaying matters.-Portiand Press.