The evening times., 1897-02-15
.DEFENsEs OF WASHINGTON
The Big Guns ON the Forts
Down the River.
ONE OF THEM WAS FIRED
Secretary Lamont, With Party of
Army Officers and COBgressmen,
Witnessed the -Wonderfu1
Accuracy of ofAim-One Shell Struck
just South of Alexandria.

Secretary Lamont and o laTty of army
officers and Congressman went down the
river to Fort Washington on Saturday to
inspect the new foItiiications and witness
test OF the ten-inch gun and disappearing
Carriage.
In the party were Secretary Lamont,
Senator Hawley, chairman of the Senate
Military Committee. Senators Elkins, Gal
lnger and shoup; Gen. Tracy, OF the House;
Gen FIagleI, chef Of ordnance; Gen VIII
fon, chief of engineers; Congressman Rey-
burn, and Cozeu army experts, including
Capt CIozicr, the inventor Cf tie gun car
rage.
At Fort Washington emplacements have
already been completed for three e-tnch
guns and those for two others are III
course OF construction in the rear and
half a mile back in the country, where
perfect range OF the entire channel can
be had. SO formidable are the banks
as a means OF protecting the guns that
there has been no necessity 20 construct the
emplacements so powerfully as at other
posts, but. nevertheless, seventy feet or
concrete and earth are between the guns
and the outer bank.
Every gun when in action viii probably
he eco feet at owe the water, and commands
not only a sweep OF twelve miles down
the river, but the entire channel up 10 the
city, eight miles away. On the opposite
shore will be Fort Sheridan, mounting
probably four 12-inch guns and two or
three eiehts. Fort Washington's battery,
when completed, will comprise five e-lnch
guns, several OF the old 15-inch smooth
Lore noTtars, which are now in place, ana
capable, 1t is believed, of sinking any but
heavily armored ships, besides the subnla-
rine mines o he worked from batteries wcll
nro.ected under the fort BY next July
three guns will be in place, and within
wear the Whole system Of defense VIII be
con,pleted, except those On the shore oppO-
site Fort washington With but two guns
in place and the torpedo system and sub
marine mines, it is believed even now that
no fleet could possibly get by. AS the
guns are so placed that they cannot pos
sibly be struck flOm the river, the only
wavt they could be taken would be by rear
attack, which has been provided against
by proper protection for a large BODY OF
infantry.
A ten-inch gun was all ready to give the
party an exhibition OF what 1t can do IN
actual warfare. In charge Of Capt. Gro
zier it was loaded with prOjectile weigh
ing SIS pounds. backed by 2O1 pounds OF
brown prismatic powder, generating
velocity Of 2,1OO feet per second. and
sending the shot ten miles. To shoot these
great guns anywhere is accompanied by
danger TO shipping. as the experience two
years ago proved, when she'll DETECTED
from a sand bank, went whiStling out to sea
from Sandy Hook, aud passed through
schooner, sinking her in few minutes
When this gun was pointed toward AieNan-
dria Yesterday il seemed scarcely possible
it could be fired up the river without great
danger Of hitting some craft or IN niiscaIcu-
Iating the distance and sending shot nght
into the ancient town. SO certain. how
ever. are the experts of their target, and
where a shot Will drop, that they had little
fear OF this.
Inst north Of Fort Foote, and between It
and Alexandria, were several little sahs
lust visible six miles away. The gun was
aimed ND the river, and with telescopes
it was soon reported that the channel
was clear. Quickly the teninch muZzle
came rising over the parapet and the
visitors stood on tiptoe, with mouths open
and fingers over their ears, 10 await the
report A terrific report, cloud OF white
smoke and a whStling sound, never be
fore heard by any present, told OF the
first shot fired By a modern gun on the
defenses OF Washington. Several seconds
passed and when every one had given up
hope Of ever seeing the shell a great Dody
of water mounted in the air. probably one
hundred feet high, and it was then seen
that the proiectile had hit the river SIX
miles away and just south of Alexandra
M shin had been struck and the gun had
settled quickly back with the ease or
one sitting down.
A second shot was then fired and the
same effect was produced, and third
was sent away and each raced up the river
and tore up the water around Fort Foote-
These shots were all so fired that they
would descend within 100 feet OF the point
aimed. and only by some serious miSeal-
culation could they possibly nave con-
tinued up the river dangerously near