The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-06-03
MERELY A BLUFF.
OUR COAST DEFENsEs ALMOST Ut
TERLY USELESS.
Senator Squire and Others visit New
York Harbor and Discover just
How Well We Are Not Provided
For.

NEW YORK, June 2-The Herald
says this morning. the committee by
resolution of the United States senate
to examine the coast dafenses has been
in this city since Friday night and
has examined the .harbor and other de-
lenses, concluding it's labors yesterday
morning.
According to Chairman w. c. Squire,
United States senator from Washing
ton, the report that committee will
make TO the senate will conclusively
show that the condition of affairs is
something shameful and unworthy of
a nation such as this is.
He said that this committee would
make the report before congress adj
journed, in order that it may know
the chances that are being taken in
case of war.
The committee on coast defense con
sists of General Hawley, Senators
Squires of Washington, chairman,
Proctor, White and Butler. General
HaWley and Senator Proctor are ia
miliar with the subject, but did not
accompany Messrs. Squire, White and
Dubois Tillman and Perkins, of the
naval committee; Senator Cannon, of
Utah and Representative Wilson, of
Idaho.
AWAY BELOW.
I'VE concluded to see for ourselves"
said Chairman Squire. "the condition
of the defenses of the greatest com
mercial port in the United States. The
defenses are today better-as they
should be-than those Of any other port
in the United States Yet the defenses
are entirely below what is necessary
to give any kind of defense against
the foe. Our party. accompanied by
Major Phipps and Captain HeaIy, of
the ordnance department, and Captain
Hodges, of the Engineer departments,
who had been ordered to assist us.
left the battery on the ordnance de-
| partment steamer. We went to Sandy
Hook and examined the works for de-
Tense. the direct fire guns and their
emplacements.
/ IF the condition we found existing
in New York is so bad and it is better
than that of great cities, what must
be the condition of other places, some
| twenty-seven in all. In New " ork alone
we have four hundred millions of de-
| structible property.
WHAT WE NEED.
What we need to properly defend
New York is ninety-three high power
long range guns of eight, ten and
twelve inches. and in addition to these
we need IS twelve inch steel rifle NOR
tars and 200 rapid-fring guns If the
whole of the manufacturing facilities
in the country were put to work now
it would take at least three years to
/ r n
take at least seven months to make the
forgings for one gun and the work has
not yet been begun and then it would
require from six months to one year
to complete the defenses that are alb
solutely necessary.
AT Sandy Hook, we found but two
| twelve-inch guns ready to be fired and
! these had no range finders and were
lacking the details necessary to dc
! good effective work. There are NJ
men kept there and if troops should
be sent there they would not know
what to do with those guns. Why, the
place is conducted in the most pecu,
liar manner An instance: The mer
who were there could not get up steam
to show the committee the rise anC
fall of these two guns.
AT Fort Wadsworth, we found five
eight-inch guns,
NONE READY FOR USE,
and they will not be until some timt
in August. They are all the direc
fire guns in the lower bay. There arr
sixteen guns and a mortar battery a
the Hook, but to get all the mortar
and these guns in shape if work wer,
begun right away at least a year woulC
be required.
AT Fort Hamilton we found but on
ten-inch gun which was not mounted.
The committee spent Sunday in Wis
iting the Long Island Sound and Hell
Gate defenses, saw Willets Point ant
made a careful study of things there
There are five points to be defended
in the vicinity, Senator Squire says
and those points do not include Fisher
Island.
At Willet's Point the committee foun
two ten-inch guns, which were not il