The evening times., 1897-07-05
DEFENsEs OF THE CAPITAL.
Forts Washington and Sheridan the
Only Safeguards.

=
The Nations Capital will be the first OF
the great cities in the ooast-defense project
to he adequately protected. 1t is now
safer from successful sea attack than an y
OF the others, and within two months will
be capable OF making stiff fight gain st
the most formidable fieet that could ascend
the Potomac River. Work is progressing
rapidly, not with view to hurrying un-
necessarily the completion of the Project,
but because the guns and empiacementsa are
ready, and the authorities believe the de
fenscs might as well te carried along with
dispatch. On the Fort Washington side
two more ten-inch gyms have been mounted
in the past few weeks, and Two others viii
be placed before the SyarIu season closes.
Three tens are thus now installed and
ready fol action, while. eip placements for
the remaining guns Of the battery on that
side of the river are nearing readiness
for the guns. These will form the main
battery on the Maryland shore, from
which the fire will he directed on any
foe attempting to pass up the river IN
the Capital. Just beneath this powerful
battery is mining easement, protecting
the delicate electrical apparatus TO control
ness for planting on a.few hours notice.
This casemate is masked, and it's locality
known TO few but the nliiitary authorities.
Across from Fort Washington, aud one
mile further down the stream, work IL go
ing on 1t Fort sheridan, where three guns
are TO be mounted. Emplacementsar being
constructed by Baltimore firm under con-
tract TO finish them early next year by
which time the heavy guns for installation
there will be delivered by the Waterviiet
Arsenal.
This, with Fort Washington, IL 10 be the
sole and only reliance for the protection OF
the city from water attack If n fleet can
pass these two mammot tn defenses. carrying
few guns, but each capable Of sinking any
great vessel IL hit fairly, there could he no
power on earth at hand 70 prevenC its pas
sage by Alexandria andto Waslin gtou. pro-
vided, however, the vessel drew no more
than twenty feet OF W ater 4 Or that is tllceX-
treme depth of the channel from Just north
of the forts TO the city docks. This shallow
ness OF the river is of itself q safeguard 20
the capital from fleet attack, and as there is
comparatively little commerce here or de-
mand for deeper channel Congress IL not
expected to grant authority to increase its
depth aud thus open further the chances of
the Capitol and the White II ouse being bom-
baIded from the pier 8 off Alex xandria if once
the forts were subdued
Major Shaler, the chief assistant to ;he
ordnance head Of the Army, is an officer
who does not question the capacity Of
WashingtOn's defenses to adequately pro-
tect the city, no matter how numerous or
powerful the fleet that ma Y be sent against
them. TIE narrowncss OF the stream itself
he says, which renders the use OF submarine
mines and torpedoes 80 easy and practical
IL block the channel to navigation, places
the city safer from sea invasion than any
OF the important Centers along the coast.
While the batteries, he alleges seem small,
in an emergency Other guns could be hastily
shipped To Forts Washington aud Shen-
dan. mounted ana effectively used On i'm
prOvised emplacements. lie does not an
ticipate that for the present however the
batteries will be enlar arge1. In the autumn
two companies OF artillery will be assigned
to the new station, which, since soon after
the war. has been abandoned as military
garrison
The fIowning walls and caStle-like ap-
pearanCe CT cid Font Washington will be
LEFT rs the ware. They are useless s means
of defense, but IL would be more costly tu
remove them so that as they are not in
the line of fire. the authorities will permit
them TO remain. with several cid smooth.
bOres. on the rampaTts-formdabIe-lo
but not very dangerous to protected ships.