The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1896-12-07

meet the demands of this service
The entire army has now been equipped
with the new magazine arms and WISE
policy demands that all available public
and private resources should be so ,.m-
ployed as to provide within a reasonable
time a sufficient number 10 supply the
state militia with these modern weapons
and provide an ample reserve Cor any
emergency.
The organized militia numbers 1l2.S79i
men. The appropriations for its support
by the several states approximate $780,
vo annually. and 100000 is contributed.
Dy the general government. Investiga-
tion shows these troops to be usually
well drilled and inspired with much mill
tary interest. but In many instances they
are so deficient In proper arms and
equipment that a sudden call to active
duty would find them inadequately pre-
pared Tor Held service. i therefore rec
ommend that prompt measure he taken
to remedy this condition, and that every
announcement be given to this deserv-
Ing body OF unpaid ands ds'oluntary citizen
soldiers, upon whose Assistance we must
largely rely In time of trouble. /,
SEACOAST DEFENSE.
During the past year rapid progressl
has been made toward the completion
of the scheme adopted for the erection
and armament Of fortifications along our
seacoast, while equal progress has BEEN
marine defense in connection with these
works.
1t is peculiarly gratifying at this time
to note the great advance that has been
made In this important undertaking
since the date of my annual message
to the iifty-third congress at the opening
of it's second session, in December 1S93
At that time / informed the congress-
OF the approaching completion OF l2-
tnch 20 10-inch and "a S-inch high powert
steel guns, and IS Pinch rined mortars.i
This total 10 seemed insignificant when
compared with the great work remain
ing to be done. Yet II was none the less
a source of satisfaction TO every citizen
when he reflected that IL represented the
first install lment of the new ordnance OF
American design and American manufac-
ture and demonstrated our ability TO sup
ply from our own resources guns of un-
excelled power and accuracy.
At that date, however. there were prac-
tically no carriages upon which to mount
these guns, and only 81 emplacements
for guns and GA for mortars. Nor were
all these emplacements in condition to
receive their armament. Only one high
power gun was at that time I'm position
for the defense Of the entire coast.
Since that time the number OF guns
actually completed has been increased to
total of q l2-inch, 56 l0-inch, Gl s-incl
rapid-fire guns and 80 12-inch rihed NOR
tars. In addition there are In process Of
construction 16-inch type gun, SO 12-inch.
56 10-inch, "a S-inch high-power guns and
66 12-inch rified mortars, in all 42S guns
and mortars.
During the same year, Immediately pre-
ceding the message referred 10, the first
modern gun carriage had been completed
and IL more were in process Of construc-
ton.
All but one were of the non-disappear-
ing type. These, however. were not such
as to secure necessary cover for the ar
tillery gunners against the intense lire
of modern machine rapid-fre and high
power guns.
The inventive genius OF ordnance and
civilian experts has been taxed in design
ing carriages that would obviate this
fault resulting, IL Is believed, in the
solution of this difficult problem. Since
1893 the number of gun carriages con-
structed or building has been raised to q
total Of 129. OF which 80 are on the disap-
pearing principle. and the number of NOR
TAR carriages TO 152, while the 95 emplace-
ments which were provided for prior to
hat time have been increased TO $50 built
and building.
This improved situation is largely due
to the recent generous response OF con-
yress to the recommendations OF the war
department. Thus we shall soon have
complete about one-ffth of the compre-
hensive system, the first step in which
was noted in my message TO the con-
gress on Dec. 4, 1893. When 1t Is un-
ierstood that a masonry emplacement
not only furnishes a platform for the
heavy modern high-power gun, but also
in every particular serves the purpose
and takes the place of the fort OF former
days, the Importance of the work ac-
,omplished Is better comprehended.
In the hope that the work will be prose1
,uted with no less vigor ia the futurej
he secretary Of war has submitted aM
,stimate by which, If allowed. there will
De provided and either built or building by
he end of the next fiscal year such addi-'
ional guns, mortars, gun carriages and
,mplacements, as will represent not far
rom one-third of the total work to be
lone under the plan adopted for our coast
affording a prospect that
he entire work will be substantially
completed within six years. In less time
han that, however, we shall have at
aimed a marked degree of security.
The experience and results of the past
ear demonstrate that with continuation
If present careful methods, the cost
# the remaining work will be much less
han the original estimate. We should
llways keep in mind that of all forms .
II military preparation coast defense
lone is essentially pacific in it's nature.
While II gives the sense or security due
o a consciousness of strength II is neither
he purpose nor the effect of such per-
nanent fortification to involve US I'm for
ign complications, but rather to guaran-
ee us against them. They are not temp
alton to war, but security against 1t.
thus they are thoroughly in accord with
Ill the traditions of our national diplo-
macy.
ATTORNEY GENERALS DEPART
MENT.
The attorney general presents de-
allied and interesting statement of the
important work done under his super
,ision during the last fiscal year.
The ownership and management by the
government of penitentiaries for the con-
inement Of those convicted in United
states courts of violations of federal
avs, which for many years has been a
ubject Of executive recommendation, has
It last to a slight extent been realized
~ the utilization Of the abandoned mill
airy prison at Fort Leavenworth as q
United States penitentiary This Is GER
ainly a movement In the right direction;
,ut II ought to be at once supplemented
)y the rebuilding or extensive enlarge
nent of this improvised prison, and the
construction of at least one more, to be
n