Evening star., 1896-09-21
FOR COAST DEFENSES
Engineer and Ordnance Departments Busily
- Engaged to Strengthen Them.
Modern Batteries to BE Placed mt
Fort WashinEtOn-COntra for
/ - Gun FOrssings and Rifles.

The engineer and ordnance departments
of the army are very busily engaged in
their preparations for the execution of the
legislation of the last Congress looking TO
the Improvement and Strengthening of the
Notifications and coast defenses of the
country. The plans for these important
works, which mean SO much to the future
welfare and security of the United States,
have been formulated and in most in
stances the approved projects are under
encouraging headway. The appropriation
of s12,OOO,OOO made by the last Congress
has been allotted SO as to accomplish The
greatest good with the means and facilities
at hand. big slice of the appropriation
will be devoted to the protection of New
York and San Francisco, as the most i'm
portart ports on the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts, respectively, and the remainder has
been allotted to the principal exposed ports
along the two coast lines.
At Fort Warrington.
The national capital has received a liberal
share of the appropriation for its protec-
ticn, to be devoted mainly to the establish
ment Of modern batteries and other means
of defense Of the most effective character
at Fort Washington. Gen. Craighill, chief
Of engineers. is exercising a personal super
vision over the work in progress at this
point. He goes down there about once a
week.
Although the general plan for the de-
fense of the United States was approved
several months ago ii Is deemed wise and
prudent TO keep the main details an official
secret. One reason for this is the natural 4
desire to keep foreign countries in Ignorance
or the precise character and strength Of
the various Notifications which are de-
signed 10 discourage all attempts at inva-
sion or territorial encroachment.
Contracts for Ordnance.
Large contracts, involving the expendi-
ture of five or six million dollars, are to be
| awarded soon for the furnishing of gun
forgings, the manufacture Of a number Of
| rifles under private contract and the pur-
| chase of material with which TO begin the
preparation of the various sites for the
batteries determined upon. Land for the
emplacements in the majority of cases has
already been purchased and where it has
| taken to secure it.
| II Is quite certain that all the larger for
uHcauohs Will include in their armament
number Of 16-inch rifles. by far the
heaviest type of gun ever ATTEMPTED in
| this country, and of which there are but
| few abroad. Recently the War Depart-
| nent has purchased forgings to begin a
| trial gun Of this caliber, and If il proves
| successful twenty will be manufactured for
| the larger cities
| Gen. CraighIll. VINO will direct the work
| or preparing the emplacements refuses to
discuss the question at all or to intimate
| the nature Of the defenses. He believes
| that all questions of defenses should be
| guarded with rigid care in order to preyen,
| foreign governments from securing infor-
| nation which none would think Of per
| mitting the United States TO ACQUIRE
| abroad.
| To Increase the Army.
The construction OF this great line of de-
| lenses, extending along the Atlantic sea
| board from Portland to Jacksonville and
| around the gulf to New Orleans and Gal
| weston, means a substantial increase in
| the standing army in a few years and
| especially of the artillery branch, to which
Will fall the work of manning and caring
| for them.
| Washington city will require three OF
| four companies garrison al Fort Wash
, inSton, and cities like Savannah, Charles
| ton and New Orleans, where there are nc
| artillery posts, VIII require the esta plish
| ment OF stations equ ppei with from twt
| to four batteries eaca. This means tina
| there will be wide distribution of the ar
| tillery along the seahoard cities and new
| garrisons established dt points which nav,
| not known tine presence of federal troop.
| since the period.