New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-07
ARTILLERIsYS SEEDED F0R DEfENCFS.

aRTTITFRTSTS NEEDED FOR DEfENCFS.
The earnest uttcrances OF the hamu"f "i
Commcrce Inst week, in favor of sufficient
Increase Of the artillery branch ~ Inc Army 10
man the now cons. defcnccs commend theni-
selves strongly 10 the conmo'i-Sehse OF the Ma
lion. II is idle TO build forts II they can have
no garriSons. and TO mount guns II there are
no eunncrS 10 use them. Military men nave
of late discussed this subject in their mess cir
cles and In the clubs. and also in papers read
in their assemblies. entirely apart from any
immediate fear of war. The fact that there
has been adopted a system OF reconstruction OF
the coast dofcnceS Of the country upon modern
lines IS well known The system Includes as
Lieutenant Carbaugh has summed up. over
.-OO hich-powcr guns. 1000 Finch mortars ana
..}Go ropid- fire guns. 10 be grouped at over 10
"poin1s in about twenty five harbors" by June.
1.oS onc-half of these guns and mortars are
expected to be- In their emplaccments. Added
to These are to he GOO0 submarine mines, sup
posed to be- effective in preventing an attack
Ing fleet from running past the forts. But the
uucstion Is whether there are enough COM
pctent men TO man the guns.
General George W Wngate. for many years
connected with the National Guard Of New
York State and enc of the organizers ana Tor
many years n director Of the National Klilo AS
ISOLATION. has written an article for the NO
vembrr number Of 'Thc Journal of the Military
Service Institution of the United States III
which he treats the question In all It's various
phases and suggests remedy by Congressional
legislation. He agrees with others who have
discussed the question that ut least one-halt
Of the present enlisted force of the lnitcd
States artillery are not capable of becoming
efficient gunncrs, even should they have the
advantages of instruction in the artillery school
at Fortress Monroe. He AYERS that foreign
nations are perfectly aware of til" dcfonceloSs
condition of this country. and, In case OF war,
they would az once attack the cities of the sea
board. ana there would be no time then To
select ana instruct the gunners required To
man the forts ana aim the heavy guns. "But,
he adds IF we possessed Il reasonable force
"of trained artlcristS in orr forts, the country
could rest behind them In comparative safety
while II WAS raising and organizing its vol
'untcrrs and strengthening It's artillery Gen
cral Wlugat. then proceeds To- prove by official
lcpnr;S that when the new system OF forth
cations Is completed $4,000 ariillcrists will be
required 10 provide one relief for the service
If the guns they Will contain; while three re
licfs m" required in war. The present forti-
ncations around Ncw-York city alone require
1000 men to man them. and when those under
construction are completed the force will need
To- be- 1900. The entire artillery force Of the
United States N the present time numbers
about $500 including ton batteries Of artillery.
all Of which are equipped. As the system of
dcfcnccs when completed will contain 1000
guns and morlars there will not. with the
present force be enough artillcrsrs TO provide
two mon 10 a gun; in fact the whole artillery
strength will not provide half enough men
Ito man the present fortfcatons around New
"York alone"
What is needed" General Wingate says,
"and needed now. and in the very worst way.
"is n sufficient force Of trained gunners." He
docs not think il practicable ut present to de
pend for the supply upon the National Guard
of the States; but he suggests that much can
bc done toward strengthening the artillery
arm Of the Army by encouraging the formation
in the National Guard Of light batteries II the
Government would adopt the policy of loaning
To the States the guns and equipments required
for light batteries, whenever such n battery
should br organized. charging only for the per-
lshabc parts, the number would be largely In
creased. He believes that such batteries would
be organized In the cities and towns of the in
terror which are too snail 10 support large
military organization. and they would be- able
10 have frequent drills and target practice
without embarrassment 10 the members. To
this end he would advise liberal ISSUES of am
munition; the Offering of prizes for proficiency
In shooting; the encouragement Of military
tournaments such as took place last winter in
the Madison Square Garden. and everything
possible 10 secure ;he development of batteries.
If the establishment of such batteries should
be- undertaken. IT is urged that one or more
officers OF the Army should be detailed to each
State TO assist the officers in learning their du- |
ties and training their men. The amount which
the States are now authorized TO draw from
the Government. counting the militia At II 292
Is So 90 per man, and il Is suggested that the !
Government ought 10 increase ia" appropriation
by Il halfmlion OF dollars for The benefit of
the National Guard. especially the field artil |
Icry and for supplying it with ammunition for
actual practice.
PLrMOtTH CHURCH'S SEMI-CENTENNIAL !