The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-29
HEAVY GUNS
TN POSITION
Engineers Surveying the
South Shore Harbor
Defenses.
Strong Batteries of High Power
Guns for the Outer
Forts.
Ordnance Sufficient to Stand Off
Spain or Japan-England Would
Bear Watching.

The United States engineers in charge
o: the harbor Notifications of San Fran
cisco have directed tina. survey be made
Of the shore line on the south side OF the
bay and Golden Gate from Black Point to
Point Lobos. The purpose OF the survey,
which has just been begun and will be
com pleted Il week hence, is to eslgnate
the forts on map for the convenience of
the Engineer Corps and for the informa-
ZION of the War Department.
The original plans for certifying the
principal cities of the United States, which
wera adopted many years ago by a board
appointed TO devise system of defense,
have been modified in many respects. On
that board Colonel Mendell was the repre-
sentative, in certain sense, of the pro-
posed work In San Francisco. 1t was
or ginally recommended to Congress that
San Francisco should be defended by
eighty guns OF high power and 140 NOR
tars. One theory was that the heaviest
guns should be planted on Alcatraz Island
and on either side Of the narTowest part
OF the channel.
A departure from this plan was advo-
Gated and it was always understood by
army engineers that Colonel Mendell was
responsible for modification of the plans
TO the Xent of placing the heaviest guns
farther out in the vicinity of Point Lobos,
Lime Point and Point Bonita. The sub
sequeni changes have been i'll that dlrec-
ticn, although Colonel Mendell has not
been i'll active service Tor the past Two
years.
There is now battery of Finch rifles
on he hill above Fort Point, another high
up on the lii at Lime Point and also eI-
lensive works at Point Bonita. A power
full battery Oh high-power guns represent
ing the best type Of II. od ern rlted ordnance
will be planted near the water line OF
Graveily Cove, under Lime Point. A bat
terry OF this description will also be put in
at Bakers Beacn and engineers talk OF
putting in another mortar battery south
of Fort Point.
The Alcatraz batteries may not be as
numerous as originally advocated, as the
belief now exists that hostile fleet ap-
preaching San Francisco from the sea
should be fought as soon as it comes
WI hin artillery range. The heavily
armored modern warships carrying tre-
mendous guns of long range should not
be allowed TO come into the narrow chan
mel without the strongest resistance. 1t
is not de ,igned, however, that the batteries
Immediately commanding the narrow
channel shall be weakened, but rather
that the forts on the extreme points OF
land com manning range OF tne ocean
should be strengthened.
The engineer officers entertain the belief
that all the guns will ultimately be
mounted on the disappearing carriages.
Modern mechanism has provided means
for handling the heaviest rifles on car
riages that may be lowered from sight.
The guns on the hill above Fort Point are
open and exposed to the fire of warships
and but little protection to the gunners
is afforded by the parapet.
Army and navy officers fancy that the
harbor defeDses are now sufficiently well
advanced TO stand off any fleet that Spain
CT Japan could put into action here.
England is the great power that we may
be called on to fight at the entrance of
the Golden Gate. She has station at
Vancouver, where her fleets may assem- BILE
and outfit for operations against San
Francisco. Her armored ships represent
the greatest power in armor and ordnance
yet constructed. Our position is strong
enough with the assistance of floating
batteries of the Monterey and Monadnock
type and with the aid of torpedoes to
make a splendid fight against the best
fleet England could send against US.
Engineers who have studied the subject
now hold to the view that the fight should
begin from our side as soon as the
ships of hostile feet get within range of
the outer guns of the harbor, and the
farther out heavy guns are planted the
greater will be the chance of victory for
our side