The evening times., 1896-09-25
DEFENsEs FOR sEAC0AsTs
Plans Completed by War De-
partment Experts.
LARGE SUMS ARE INVOLVED
Work Under the SI2,OOO,O0O Appro-
priation Is to BE Begun SoOn-Sub-
marine Mines and Torpedoes Are to
BE an Important Part of the Pro
posed Scheme of Protection.

| Ihe expertsof the War Department have
completed plans for the Iortinca,ion oi
the more important unprotected cities, an,
work is to begin almost ostimmediatelyt towart
placing these ports in a state of ad.
ntiiabie defense. An immense amount ui
money is involved in The contemplated
| iInproyem cnts.
| since tbc passage of the coast defense
ill, carrying the large sum OF Sl2,0OO.-
| 900, the chiefs OF the engineer and ord
nance departments have been considering
the various schemes suggested by the forti
| iications board SOME years ago, and an
| agreement has been reached as to what
] cities should receive the first allotnlents
or last Junc's appropriation and the ex-
! tent to which contracts shall be awarded
| TO begin active operations.
The entire system of defenses for the
seaboard country Will be in the charge of
the engineers and ordnance Officers the
former securing the land, constructing the
eunpiacements and setting aside the neccs-
sary land for new garrisons, while Il
latter will determine the number anu
yaiiber of guns, mortars. dynamite guns,
aud submarine mines.
In the scheme of defenses decided upon
the dynamite gun Will not as yet pla y
| any Important part, as the experts deem
this Instrument yet in an experimental
stage, and are not willing to lay out large
sums or money for it until further trials
| have been given at San Francisco. SUIT
marine mines, however, are to enter into
the scbenie, but this part of the defenses
will be most carefully guarded from public
attention for fear that foreign governments
may learn the proposed location OF the
mines and torpedoeS.
LARGE GUNS WILL BE USED.
itis certain, also. that the largest CALLER
OF rifles viii COMPOSE a part OF the arma-
ment a. all the important cities, and that
the 16-inch rifles VIII in tine tc mounted
at r!y all Of them. The number OF guns
70 be manufactured by the army at its fac
tories and by private concerns has not set
been definitely decided, but it is certain
that the contracts in the latter case will
be large and The purchases OF forsings for
Waiervlct heavier than any previously
made by the department.
Theappropnatiun row availa bic. while al
most double that ever made by Congress for
defenscs, will scarcely be more than suffi-
Gent to begin the work in sou.c places, al
thongh cities such as New York. Boston and
already been made, VIII be fairly well pro-
tected with the expenditure OF the sums IL
lotted under the present program.
Cities. however. like Savannah and New
Orleans viii not receive probably II ore than
a few hundred thousand collars each, with
which ground will be purchased and en-
70
natory proceedings have been taken to Sc
cure the desired sites at q number. of
Southern cities and land has been purchased
paratively small cost.
In carrying out the Notifications program
The War Department will not lose sight of
the Importance Of number OF the old
srnooth-Lore guns as valuable pieces OF ord
nance. and which could be depended upon
to perform useful service against any but
armored ships.
INCREASE IN THE ARMY
tFort Monroe there are perhaps 100 Of
these guns mounted, all of which can he
rendered available for service at small
c;st. Mostof them re from eightto sixteen
inches in caliber, and can throw solid shot
with destructive force against the sides Of
apy vessel attempting to PASS Hampt0a
Rtads.
There are any number of such guns al
,,ther old forts which the authorities in
lCnd utilizing as n part Of the ordnance for
defense, although the modern high powered
guns IN disappearing carriages will lie the
main reliance,
Tnc cons; ruction OF this great line Of de
lenses, extending along the Atlantic sea-
lard from Portland to jacksonville and
around the gulf To New Orleans and Calves
IN, means substantial increase in the
standing army in n few years. and es-
peciaIly Of the artillery branch. to which
will fall the work of manning and caring
for them.
Nearly all the Notifications are II cities
where the artillery branches are either
unrepresented OF the garrison inadequate to
he new demands, So that with tie compile
lion of the defenses and the erection Of new
barracks the army will have to be III
creased by at least two more regiments of
artillery, and possibly more, as the work of
preparing the country from Sc attack pro-
crosses.
Fort McH enry, at Baltimore, now has eng
three or four companies of the Fourth Ar
tillery, whereas 1t will be necessary to
have almost full regiment there when the
proposed defenses are complete. The same
will be true at Fort II HaDcock, Fort Monroe
and Boston Washington city will require
three or four companies, as garrison at
Fort Washington. down the Potomac. and
cities like Savannah, Charleston and New
Orleans, where there are no artillery posts,
will require the establishment Of stations
.r,uipued with from two to four batteries
each
DISTRIBUTION OF ARTILLERY.
This means that there will be a wide dis
ributiou of the artillery along the sea aboard
cities and new garrisons established at
points which have not known the presence
of Federal troops since the war period.
In asking for appropriations little thought
was giving o TIE necessity ofincreasingt the
standing army. The War Department, how
ever, went AHEAD and secured the money.
with the belief that when the defenSes are
completed the necessity of providlngthe
will be appreciated and rev regiments au-
tliorized If the suggestion of Gen. Niles
is adopted the headquarters Of the Fourth
Artillery here will be transferred else
where aud an infantry regiment VIII be
sent here from the West
THE Natioual Capital is without the pro-
lection of this branch Of the army, ana Tor
some time it has been considered advisable
to substitute Infantry for artillery at the
barracks In this event Baltimore may be-
enme the regimeutal headquarters OF araE
lery. with the fortffications to lie placed
m North Point as it's garrison. leaving Fort
washington to protect this city with four