The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-10-16
HARBOR DEFENCES.
WHAT THE ,GoVERSMExTIs.po.
ING FOR CHARLESTON.
VIII Require n Large Garrison. The
Plan Mapped Out is Being Compiled
With. a.3t ,H'&i.Et ..Df - g.

| q.
Very little has been said. and it looks
as if very little will be said, about the
harbor defenses that the government
is building at Charleston, but the Co.
lumbia State says that three fat oars
passed through that city recently load
ed with big 12-inch motar and the
parts that are necessary for it to be
mounted, few who saw it realized what
an engine of destruction was being
carried to Charleston to enable that
historic seaport to cope as successful
against any feet of foreign war vessels
as she did ut the beginning of the revo-
luton against the British. But the de.
fenses that Uncle Sam proposes to
erect will be more formidable than the
! little fort Of palmetto logs and sand
hastily erected by Moultrie and gal.
lantly defended by Jasper.
In the first place, the government is
not going about this matter in half
handed way. General Nelson A. Miles
last year strongly recommended that
coast be put in such condition thSt no
foreign power could ecnd feet against
them with any chance of success.
Charleston was one of these ports. A
plan was mapped out, and it is now l1e-
ing closely complied WITH.
1t is to put there 10 guns and l6
mortars. Of the guns, six are 12-inch
and four 10 inch. The mortars are oil
~ inch, this meaning that the size shell
or projectile is II inches in diameter,
while it is about three and half feet
long and in weight varies from 500 to
1000 pounds. And when this projec-
tile is fired from a mortar with charge
of not less than 100 pounds of powder
the velocity is almost beyond compre
hension. 1t never stops under five or
six miles, and then is capable of plow-
ing through n vessels deck, which is
the most vital part.
The rapidity and accuracy of the
firing is another source of surprise.
About every three or four minutes a
projectile can bo fired, and with such
accuracy that vessel would probably
be struck at least three times out of
five at distance of five miles. A test
was made in which target the size OF
a ship was pierced by four out Of five
shots.
MortaIs are used more in this coun-
try for harbor defense than in any
other. Their advantages over heavy
guns are easily seen, for, while the
latter are erected against the sides OF
vessel, the former, by throwing
projectile at certain angle, let's it
come down with terrific force on the
unprotected deck. And decks cannot
be armor plated. as the sides are, on
account of too great weight.
The mortars will be arranged in
groups of about four and all fred at
the same instant, Thus making il
almost impossible for q vessel to es-
cape one of the falling shots. which
means the sinking of the vessel.
With the number of guns and NOR
tars previously stated Charleston would
prove as invincible in the future as
she has in the past. The air around
the harbor could fairly be kept alive
with huge projectiles that would bring
destruction to the object against which
they were directed.
But this is the outcome of expert
ments of which Charleston is about to
reap the benefit. The mortars are in
every particular abreast of the times.
The size and weight of one of them,
with all its parts, can easily
be conceived when il is stated
that three fat cars were necessary to
hold it all. The mortar proper was
not SO bulky, bnt made up in weight,
which was put down at IA Ia tons, or
80, $50 pounds.
The cost Of the defenses, when all is
complete, will not fall far short of
81, 500, 900.
The garrison that will necessarily
have to be stationed there will add to
the pleasure and profit of Charleston.
10 man single mortar requires about
ten soldiers, and the twenty-six pieces
will require q good number-prob-
ably 400. A garrison of that size,
stationed on Sullivan's Island, would
be OF inestimable benefit by increasing
its popularity as summer resort, and
in other ways. u
That Charleston is one of the first
Southern cities to receive the atten-
ton of the government in the matter
Of coast defenses is gratifying. This
question has been agitated consider
ably by the Northern press, ard is
now bearing fruit of which Charleston
reaps a good harvest.