The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-10-01
FORTIFYING BOSTON.
Heavy Guns to Be Planted on Long
Island Head.
Other Points That VIII BE Supplied
with Large Cannon To BE PRE-
pared for Possible Interna-
tional Differences.


Active preparations are now bein9
made by the representatives OF the war
| department in Boston for the defense OF
Boston. The appropriation for TINS
work. which was passed by the last con-
gress, is now available, and work has
begun IT, terrifying the different har-
bors throughout the country. Boston
will receive portion of this appropria-
ton, and Lieut.. Col. Mansfield, who is
| in charge of this district, has received
! orders from the department at Wash
ington to provide emplacements Tor
! three ten-inch rifles and two Gve-inch
rapid-fre guns. The fact that these
guns were to be placed in the harbor
was learned from the war department
the other morning, and the expense of
them is to come out of the new appro-
priation of 81 100000.
! These guns are 10 be placed on what is
| commonly known as Long Island Head,
/ situated on the eastern end OF Long
/ Island. The department has appointed
I L.
/ Lieut.. Col. Mansfield in placing the guns
| in position. and to aid generally in car
/ ryirg out the plans as far as the fort:fy-
/ ing of the harbCr is concerned. Fer
some time ii has been contemplated TO
put guns on Lcng Island Head. During
the early part of this year work was al
reody begun in making the preliminary
arrangements for it, and the eXcavatlng
has almost been completed. There is
no doubt but that the department in
tends TO push the work as rapidly as
possible, now that the necessary appro-
priation is available.
The carriage for the first ten-inch
| gun is being built at the Watertown
arsenal, and will be ready in the near
future for shipment to Long Island.
Lieut.. Col. Mansfield has advertised for
| proposals Cor cement, sand and stone
for the battery at that place, and they
will be opened at his Office in the post
office building at noon on August -.
! From present indications the work will
be completed on or about December1.
| 1t is stated that there is the same ac-
tivity displayed in other cities as well as
in Boston; and at the present time all
| the government stations where guns
and carriages can be manufactured are
in full operation. \ large number of
contracts have also been made with pri
yate firms in different parts of the
| country for the manufacture of both
guns and carriages. There is no doubt
in the minds of the officials that the
! slight controversies that the United
States government has had with for
| eign countries has awakened an interest
in the matter of strengthening the diff
ferent harbors for defense, and it is as
signed as one reason why there is so
much haste in fortifying them with
modern guns.
In the last six months. it is stated on
excellent authority, the Watertown ar
senal has shipped about 50 gun-car-
riages to various harbors in the United
States. Among these are the six or
eight that were placed in position at
| Fort Warren in Boston harbor a few
weeks ago. Others were sent to San
Francisco, New York. Rhode Island and
other places. There is other evidence
that the department is DESTROYS OF hav-
ing the harbors fortified as soon as posi-
| BILE, especially those of New York and
Boston. Previous TO the beginning Of
the fiscal year on July l. the war de-
partment notified Lieut.. Col. Mansfield
to clean up the work at Fort Winthrop
so that the place is now in eXcellentcon-
dition and ready for service at any time.
The guns to be put on Long Island
Head are of the disappearing pattern.
and will cost the government about $780,
COO each. There is possibility that all
the guns will not be erected at that
point, but distributed at one or two
other places Transcript,