Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-13

Very much smaller is
the number of persons who have a proper
conception of the actual character of this
fortress and of the project for the defense
of this city, of which 1t forms the last
link And because so little is known of this
work. the engineers and the ordnance Off
GERS and the Notifications board take great
credit TO themselves and are much pleased.
for no small part of their labor has been to
conceal sedulously all knowledge of the
important work they have in hand of for
tifying the great cities of the coasts against
attack.
For years past these branches of the mil
itary service have been patiently and
quietly at work enieavorins TO carry out
theiI carefully contrived schemes for the
country's protection: persisting in their eff
forts under the most discouraging condi-
tons. and not only in the absence Of ap-
preparations TO undertake new works, but
of funds to keep the old and half-obsoiete
defenses from falling into total decay.
Now that liberal appropriations have
been made for coast defense by a Congress
at last aroused TO a realization of the preg
nant fact set out by Jefferson. that an
overweening love of peace really invites
war. the country VIII undoubtedly reap
the full value of the small but fundamen-
tally important work already accomplished,
its elaboration and completion. Even with
a continuation of the policy of liberality
inaugurated by the present Congress, years
must elapse before the general project of
the fortifications board for the defense of
the three coasts of the United States can
be completed.
Importance of the Capital City.
OF the whole project for the defense of
the coasts. no portion is regarded by mill
tary authorities of greater Importance
than that relating to the defense of Wash
ington- Not that commerce would suffer
directly to any great degree by the fall of
Washington. nor that the damage in prop
erty destroyed in bombarlment, as meas
ured in dollars and cents, would be as great
as were the blow TO fall upon New York
or Boston; but the political effect of sue
cessfUl attack upon this city would be in
hnitely more disastrous to the nation at
large than any blow that could fall upon
the great metropolis or the Hub, for from
time immemorable it has been the rule in
warfare that hostile nation is not subju-
gated until its capital has fallen; but with
that in the hands of the foe the end is
near.
This does not necessarily mean that the
money allotted to defray the cost of de-
Tending the capital exceeds or equals the
sums set apart for the defense of the great
seaports. for. fortunately, the geographical
conditions here such to permit of
comparatively easy scheme of defense. but
are carried out. this city will be made as
nearly invulnerable against attack by
water as the present state of military
science will permit.
Secrecy About the Plans.
The nature of these defenses can only be
stated in general terms. They consist of
heavy batteries of twelve-inch and perhap,
even larger caliber rifles. planted SO as TO
command the long reaches of the river from
ono to 2 49,
harrow channels which may be exploded
ty observers in hidden watch boxes; u
plentiful supply of machine guns to protect
theSc mines against torpedo boats; and,
lastly, dir1gible torpedoes, a dreadful in
strument of warfare perfected in the United
states alone, which runs silently ard unob-
served With its cargo of nitro-glycerine TEL
ly or gun cotton beneath the surface of the
water and may be perfectly directed in its
course and controlled by a soldier hidden
alongshore.
Probably the defenses at Fort Washing
ten WILL when completed embody all Of
these devices. guns mines and torpedoes.
but no civilian is permitted to know it, if
the war department can prevent its plans
from becoming known. for in these days a
defensive system known is a system half
overthrow Secrecy in many cases is nor
only desirable, but absolutely essential.
The japanese might have eventually TAX
en- Port Arthur during their war with
CHINA. but. without doubt. the greatest
fortifcation in all Asia yielded so quickly
and easily to the attacks of the Japanese
largely owing to the falling into their hands
or the plans of the defense, showing the
location of every mine and torpedo and of
each gun and its caliber. 1t was easy.
then, to pick up the mines by scouting tor
redo boats. and to open the way for the
approach of the Japanese fleet. 1t is to
prevent just such knowledge from reach
ing foreign nations that our War Depart-
nent has been obliged to work with secrecy
IN carrying out its projects
The Plans Were Changed.
Not long ago a New York newspaper al
lowed its patriotism to be so far oyerpow-
ered by lis greed for a scoop as to pub
hsh drawings of some of the defenses of
New y ork harbor. 1t is true that the artist
Gid not. either from lack of technical
knowledge or from want of opportunity
give many details. but he did go far enough
10 give the War Department grave con-
Germ and oblige the engineers to make
changes In important features of their
plans, knowing. as they did, that copies of
that paper were in the war offices of every
one or the great military and naval powers
OF Europe just as soon as the mails could
carry them there.
No one knew how the newspaper obtained
the information. but it may be safely pre-
dicted that II will not soon again have n
like opportunity. for from the date of the
appearance of that newspaper article the
most stringent orders have been enforced
TO prevent similar disclosures
1t was at once realized that of all grea [
nations tho United States was the only one
that failed to guard its military secrets
closely, and that the persons in authority
we're thereby assuming an enormous re-
sponsihility- The change in policy that fol-
lowed was marked. The army at once
closed TO popular inspection the defensive
system at Sandy Hook. and the same rule
was rcpidly applied to all other coast de-
Tense works. while the Interesting tests of
weapons of warfare and defense at Indian
Head proving ground. " hich from the es-
Enlistment of the range had been open to
all, were at first barred against the keen
eyed military and naval attaches of the
foreign embassies and legations here and
then more recently against the representa-
tivss of the American press.
There was warrant for this in the prac-
tice of European countries. which had de-
nted ike privileges to our military at
taches. 50 that there was no reasonable
ground for complaint against the orders
The precautions observed abroad against
the procurement of information respecting
the defenses of a country are still very
much greater than our own authorities can
apply. The best We do Is to forbid un-
authorized persons TO enter our military
reservations, but that does rot prevent
some Information from being picked up on
the outside by means more or less ques-
tionable.
Modern Methods of Defense
frfi