Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-07-07
WAsHINGToN's DEFENsEs.

a ul6patCu lTOIu WdSuluSIOu says :
Abe nations great capital will be the
first of the great cities in the coast de-
fense project to be adequately protect
ell. II is now safer from successful sea
attack than any of the others, a. d
within TWO months will be capable OF
making stiff fight against the most
formidable fleet that could ascend the
Potomac river. Work is progressing
rapidly, not with view to hurrying
unnecessarily the completion of the
project, but because the guns and EN-
placements are ready and the authori
lies believe the defenses might as we'll
De carried along with despatch. On
The Fort Washington side two more
great len.inch guns have been mounted
IN the past few weeks, and two others
will be placed before the warm season
closes. Three tens are thus now in
stalled and ready for action, while en-
placements tor the remaining guns OF
the battery on that side of the river are
will form the main battery on the
Maryland shore, from which fire will
be directed on any foe attempting to pass
up the river on to the capital. Just be-
Meath this powerful battery is mining
casemate, protecting the delicate elec-
trical apparatus to control the mines
and torpedoes that are in readiness for
chanting on few hours notice. This case
mate is masked and its locality known
to few but the military authorities.
Across from Fort Washington, and one
mile farther down the stream, work is
DING onat Fort Sheridan, where three
guns are to be mounted. Emplace-
men,s are being constructed by Bal
tlmore firm uuder contract to finish
tarly Dext year, by which time the
heavy guns tor installation there will be
delivered by the Watervliet Arsenal.
This, with Fort Washington, is 70 be
the sole and only reliance for the pro-
lection of the city from water attack.
If feet can pass these two mammoth
defenses, carrying few guns, bat each Ca
Fable of sinking any great vessel if hit
fairly, there could be no power on earth
at hand to prevent its passage by Alex
andria and to Washington, provided,
however, the vessel drew no more than
twenty feet of water, for that is the ex
treme depth OF the channel from ust
north of the forts to the city docks.
This shallowness OF the river is of itself
a safeguard to the capital from fleet at
tack, aud as there is comparatively little
commerce here or demand for deeper
channel Congress is not expected to
grant authority to increase its depth
and thus open further the chances of
the Capital and the White House being
bombarded from the piers off Alexan-
dria if once the forts were sub
dued Major Shaler, the chief as
sistant to the ordnance head of
the army, is an officer who does net
question the capacity of Washington's
defenses to adequately protect the city,
no matter how numerous or powerful
the fleet that may be- sent against them.
The narrowness Of the stream itself, he
says, which renders the use of subma
practically to block the channel to nav
igation, places The city safer from sea
invasons than any of the important
centres along the coast. While the
batteries, he alleges, seem small, in an
emergency other guns could be hastily
shipped to Forts Washington and Sher-
idan, mounted and effectively used on
improvised emplacements. He does not
anticipate that for the present, however,
the batteries will be enlarged. 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
frowning walls aud castle-like appear
ance of old Fort Washington will be
left as they are. They are useless as
meaus of defense, but it would be more
costly to remove them; so that, as they
are not in the line of fire, the authori-
ties will permit them to remain, with
several old smooth-bores on the ram
parts-formidable looking, but not very
dangerous to protected ships.