The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-10-22
Recommendations Of General Wilson, Chief
Of Engineers Of the Army.
system OF SEA COAST DEfEASEs
Changes Made Necessary by the Grcnt
Range or Modern Gun.-sitcs tc.
qnlrcd for Fortincntions-RLvc
ana Harbor Improvcmcnts-s5 55G,,
77l for Virginia Waters.
Washington. October 21, 1897

Oh the army, has made his annual re-
polis to the Secretary of War It 4, de-
voted to the Notifications and .iver and
MLrpor improvements of the country.
estimates for coast defense for the
years lS9S-99 are as follows: Gun and
mortar batteries, $4,000, 900; purchase of
Iahd bor Notifications, $500, 600: protec-
t.on, preservation and repair of
nerlitEoatlons, 100000; preparation
OF plans for fortiiications 81 oO0 .
sea walls and emLunkments s55 600.
forpedocs for harbor defense. for
the purchase of submarine mines
ana necessary appliances 20 on
crate them, for closing the channels
heading to our principal seaports, for
needful estimates, cable galleries, etc.
10 render. 1t possible to operate sub
marine mines. S150,0O0; total, $5.SlO,OO0.
10 thls IS added 1000 for the engineer
depot al Willctt's Point, n. Y.
On the subject of fortiiicattons the re-
po't says: The system of seacoast
defense now in courso of construction is
Dased upon the report OF the board of
Qualifications and other dcfenscs, ap-
pointed by Lhe President under the pro
visions of the act of March 3, 1885" The
report OF this board, generally known
as the Endicott board. was published in
1885,
Under Instructions from the chief of
engineers dated March %, 1887, che
board Of engineers undertook the study
ana preparation Of detailed projects for
the artillery and submarine mine de-
Tense OF the principal sea and lake ports
OF the United States. Up to the present
tme the projects have been prepared
and have received tho approval of the
Secretary OF War for many ports uulonc,
which are the following: Hampton
Roads, Va: Wilmington. n. c.; Charles-
ton, 5. c.; Savannah, Ca; Key West.
Fla. Pensacola, Fla; Mobile Ala. !;
New Orleans. Galveston. Texas. Pro
jects for the defense OF o.hcr ports are
still under consideration.
The great range of modern high power
guns compels the establishment of de-
fensive lines at distances from the cities
and harSorS considerably greater than
heretofore deemed unnecessary. At
many harbors the sites of the older
type works are at distances from the
objects 10 be protected insufficient to
admit of proper defense under modern
conditions. AT other harbors, the area
of the older sites when otherwise suit
able are TOO small to accommodate the
molern defense. The acquisition OF
suitable sites has. therefore, been II
necessary feature of the construction
of modern system of seacoast defense
During the past fiscal year title has been
obtained to sites Mt Portland, Maine:
eastern entrance to Long Island Sound
Baltimore, Charleston, Key West. Gal
weston, San Diego, California, and pu-
get Sound. Negotiations are still in
progress fc. sites at Portland, Bosto
Narragansett Bay, eastern entrance to
Long Island Sound. Key West. Calves
ton and Puget Sound. All available
FUNDS for thc purchase or suitable sites
Tor scacoast defenscs have been pledged
The operations attending the acqui-
st!on OF sites are frequently attended
by tedious and unavoidable delayS. An
appropriation OF 100000 Is earnestly
requested to continue the purchase of
necessary sites.
Congress authorized the contract sys-
tenn in work on fortillca.. ions. but 1t is
not approved by General Wilson.
General Wilson says that during the
fiscal year ending June 80. 1897, ';herc
was expended on river and harbor i'm
pnovements S13.4G1. .Sa5 For the fiscal
year ending June 30. 1899, his estimates
are: Continuous work authorized by
Congress- SlS,S76,007: for other works
not provided for by continuing con-
rao:s, S29,i52,153 The principal esti-
mates In detail in a number of the
States follow:
Vrglnia-Jamcs livcr, 100000: Nor
folk ,harbor S56.774; Nansemond river.
SIC. coo; AppamattoX river. $4,000; Cape
Cherries City harbor, $4,000
North Carolina-Roanokc river, ST.
600. Pamlico and Tar rivers SIS, 800;
cape Fear river nj and below Whining
ton. S250,00O.
SouEh Carolina-Waccamaw river,
$4,000: Winyah Bay, $450.OO0 Santcc
river, 100000; Wnppoo Cut, S25,
Georgta-Savannah harbor, si5G. 00O
Savannah harbor maintenance. SlO0 OOo:
Savannah river, 500, 900; DarIen harbor
100000; Altamana river. $50 900: Oconce
river, $4,000: Ocmulgec river $50. 600:
Cumberland Sound, A5O.0O0; inside water
routes between Savannah and Fern,n-
dina. Florida, $5G.010 Flint river. so6, 900
Florid'a-Si;. Johns river. $500. 900; In
dian river, $4,000; Key West harbor
$225000; Charlotte harbor and Peasc
creek, $4,000; Sarasota Bay, $40. 500:
Mantec river, $4,000: Pensa cola halhor
$4,000; Appalachicola. haibor, $4,000.
Observation-Disclosures river. s93. O0O
Alabama river, $1I6,2G0; Cooaa river. he
tween Rome, Ga, and the l.. r. V. and
ca. railroad bridge. S256.S22: Coosa river
from the bridge to Wetunpka, s., ,0O9, ,00o
Mobile hanbor. 100000; Mobile harbor
maintenance. S60,00O; Black Warrior
river, $4,000: Warrior river, $500, ,0O0
Tombigbec river, from mouth to Dem
opols, s200,OOO Tombigbee from Dem
opolis, Aha, to Columbus, Miss, $500 600
Mlssisslppi--YazoQ river, 100000; up
per Mississippi river, removing snagsi
100000; improvements between Ohio
md Missouri rivers, 100000: between
Missouri river and Minneapolis, $SG2,-
$50; lock and dam between st. Paul and