The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-27


later every important port Oh the Atlantic
seaboard will be inyulnerable % the most
formidable fleets
The Secretary calls particular atten-
ton TO the necessity OF losing no time
i'm constructing at the smaller ports SUM-
Gent emplacements for the installation OF
guns 10 protect such cities from smaller
cruisers while heavier shlps are laying
Siege 10 the stronger ports. cities Ike
charleston and savannah. he shows.
could now be successfully assaulted by two
or three cruisers. whereas, with one or
two heavy guns IN place tutf My"lp u'
safe from all but the largest battlesnips.
his uOlicy therefore, VIII be 10 fthutr
The principal southern ports compare
tivelv safe from attack win as uiue az
lay as possible. ana 70 TINS emu w 49,, ~
now progressing at all the ports on 'ne
culf and south Atlantic mentioned IN
the fortincations report as demanding at
Tbo war Department authorities have
~ ended bv a purpose 10 protect as
many seaport towns as possible II, IN az
tarke bv isolated cruisers. as wen as 10
prepare for more elhOienl 49,,
tho lareos cities whore coast deitnccs
have he.n iu course of construction ior
the mast six years. The department mas
rad i'm view the possibility or a rev
cruisers being sent against ports Wheie
uractically no defence could now be made
while large fleets were employed IN POM
harding the great seaports' ana 20 tu.il"
against the former danger IL propose
guns and mortlrs az such Ipi.s "'
Charleston and Mobile 10 make those
cities safe from an attack by any but a
most formidable nect.
Economy both I'm time ana money has
been observed iu many instances IN soc
Letting locations for expenditures whcI'
tho Government already controlled fN"
sites or had a working plant This h'-
been true az the ports OF Boston, ~"
York Fort Monroe. and washington.
will spend 100000 i'm tho construction
Of three mining easements and cable store
tanks and torpedo stOre-houses M ports
where all other or part OF the uttces.il
mine equipment has been provided. -
gotiatons are now pending also Tor the
purchase of sites for the detences OF INC
ports OF Baltimore and Charleston ana
Narragansctt Bay. and emp cemehis
will be I'm course OF construction al az
| of them within n few weeks.
I'm the PAST year the department mas
| made great progress I'm the purchase OF
| material for the manufacture on great
/ guns and other parts OF coast-deience
| equipments and viii ask Congress that
| large additional appropriations Doe made
] with which TO continue the work CON
| tracts have already been awarded for
! the purchase OF tWcnty-one sets OF lu-
| inch and one set of lO-inch steel gun
! fOrgings. costing nearly two million doll
| lars, and a second contract Will shortly
| be made for assembling = 10. and l2-lncu
guns. costing nearly 100000. besides 0O
| mOrtars. costing about S>OOoOO. Whcn
! the total number Of emplacoments upon
! which work Is now progressing are COM
! plctcd rs guns of large callhrc VIII DE
| required for installation and 1856 mortars,
! costing the Government am even SNuop 600
! OF the ISL guns to be emplaCcd 10 is now
| proposed 10 mount but - on the nom
| disappearing carriages. The intensity
| Of the tire delivered from the main ana
| secondary batteries of "a battle ship ls
! such, the authorities claim. as 20 make
| adequate cover Tor the gunners IN shore
batteries an absolute necessity. The tA'
] perimcuts Secretary Lamont says I'm ms
| report, with disappearing gun carriages
! have developed a fine type, about whose
| efficiency there Is no longer question
| For years this problem has been almost
! as difficult Of solution as that or smoke
| less powder but the improvements m
| the Bu1iugton-C rozier type has been SD
| rapid that now the authorities are salts
fed with the design, and Secretary ii
| mont viii state IN his report that u.
adoption Will be general
The fun scope that the coast defence.
OF the country will take is ser forth clan.
orately In the report and embraces COL
onol Lamont says about tWentF-onf
cities so TAR. with chances that seven
more will bee added % tho list requiring
the attention of the national Govern.
| ment. or this number. emnlarements
next six months in the construction "a
emplacemcnfs at Portland Me-, Ports
mouth y. H., Boston. Narrag1nsett Bay
! eastern entrance 10 Long Island Sound
eastern and western ENTRANCES 10 Sew
York harbor. Philadelphia. Washington
Baltimore. Hampton Roads. Wilmington
| CharlD stOu Savannah Key West i'u-
sac0a. Mobile SoW Orleans, Galveston
san Diego. San Francisco. tine mouth
! of tNe Columbia river. and Puget sound
I
! Secretary's report shows i>l hign-poWei-
cd guns excluding the great lb-nch gun
for which the authorities have been enc
uDHFOrlug for years 20 secure ana aluio'
priatl0n. The tinplarcmtufs are 20 DID
located 10y the engineers with view ~
enabling the guns 20 throw llne ol ot
fence at minimum OF eight tO ten miles
from the place defended. ANA tO -lin iNt
guns Iu most instances 20 clear sweep ioi
at least twelve miles The engineers Wi
/ require further that the guns shall he sd
placed that they can conc nitrate ulo.
amy one portion OF an enemy 3 vessel II
fire equal and, n possible. superior Cd
the heaviest that can nc brought Go unn
from the most powerful hostile lre
/ which could attack the position. TO hold
The fleet under fire or the guns ana pre-
/ vent them from running tle uaticrlt5
the project, the report VIII say. require
I a. complete system OF submarine mlu'
so planted as TO close all naNeln DIE rivers
/ TO an enemy, while OFT ring no lur.iA'
. lions 10 friendly commerce. These uat
/ tcrics will form one OF the most formidi
/ bile features of the coast delUucDi ui ai
cities. and upon them in a great m0 lslr'
/ several of the biz cities WIZ depend iDi
| their safety from INVASION should th'
/ shore guns Doe unequal o. hold The r0t|
/ outside. To protect the principal cilD.
and harbors on the naNlsaDle waters ~
I The coast. the report says. that over go"
/ mines and 10000 m0rtars wlli Dc used %
? prevent au invading fleet from occupying
au advantageous p9siuon.