The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-05

reduce the outer defenses of New York
tlarbor in their present condition. In
twenty-four hours after this reduction
it would be possible to clear the harbor
of every sort of submarine defense be
tween the Narrows and the Battery
For a number of years there has been
q general impression that active steps
were being taken by the government
to fortffy the approaches to eastern
Seaports, especially New York, so as TO
render them secure against the aggres-
sions of a hostile fleet. From time TO
time reports have been published and
articles printed describing the trials of
big guns at Sandy Hook which have
been counted upon to do wonderful
things for the national security should
the time of need ever come And so
they would if they were only enough Of
them but there are not We are
great nation. a rich nation, and a brave
nation, but we could not with all the
resources now at our disposal, DEFEND
New York city for forty-eight hours
against a number of British ironclads
stationed in the lower bay. And if New
York is thus defenseless, much more so
are the other eastern seaports, since
the work of fertilization along their
approaches has been even more neg
lected than in the vicinity of M2nhat-
tam island.
ONLY THREE EFFECTIVE GUNS
ON THE EASTERN COAST.
Il am sorry to say said Colonel
Robert in a conversation with me-
that as far as our coast defenSes go
we are utterly unprepared for war with
England. At the present moment New
York city is defended by only three
guns regarded by military authorities
as capable of doing efficient servics
against the great modern ironclads. Of
these three one is of the smallest pat
tern suitable for this service, that is
an eight-inch gun, and it is not yet
mounted, the gun and its carriage haV-
ing only been delivered at Fort Wads-
worth within the last few days. SO 1t
is practically true that the safety of
the greatest city in the United States
depends upon two tWelve-inch guns at
Sandy Hook. AS for the other cities
on the Atlantic coast from Portland
TO Charleston, they have not between
them one single large gun capable of
Offering the slightest opposition TO an
English warship bent on their destruc-
ton"
It is of Importance to consider in de-
tail what would probably happen
should several English ironclads sue
coed, as they might easily do, in get
ting past American warships all too
much occupied with a thousand miles
Of coast line to guard. and should find
themselves free to advance upon New
York city. The facts in the following
statement are given on the authority
of Colonel Robert. If the British chose
20 come through Long Island sound,
there would be not q single large gun
to prevent them from steaming straight
on to the Brooklyn bridge They might
EtoD of their own accord to lombard
or lay under tribute the helpless cities
d T0riy7
and New Haven; IL all probability they
would waste 10 time with these lesser
places, but would hasten to concentrate
their attack upon the metropolis. In
vain would the battery of mortar on
David island off New Rochelle attempt
to worry the invaders. But small re-
lance can be placed upon mOrtarS when
their uncertain aim is directed against
moving ships There are no big guns
on David island and even the mortar
battery is incomplete, and yet, incred-
ible as it may seem, David island holds
the only pretence at coast defense that
has been established along the ap-
proach to New York city through the
sound.
And the English warships would have
almost as easy a task in coming up to
the very wharveS of the city if they
chose to steam past Sandy Hook, brave
with its tNro big guns in time of peace,
but pTIny IN Wdrlln1e 10 stop the enc
11av's advance True the channel pass
ing as it does very close to the Hook,
would compel the ironclads to steam
almost under the muzZles of these two
guns. each ready to hurl forth 1000
pound shot as fast as the gunneis
could reload them. and it is possib e
that some Of tane British ships would
sl1ffer-some Of them might he sunk.
It is certain. however. that some of
+I,av,, would fight their WaV paSt and
steam on up the lower bay; it is inn
possible that q strong naval attack by
an English feet could be held in check
by the Sandy Hook defenses. which,
IL addition to the two guns with their
admirable gun-lift. include only a bat
terry Of rnortars, valuable aids when II
comes to firing upon ships at anchor,
but otherwise little TO be trusted.
Once past Sandy Hook, the British
wanships would steam on cautiously
toward the Narrows, keeping keen