The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-26
COAST FORTS IN READINESS.
HOW GEORGIA WILL BE DEFENDED
AGAINST INVASION.

AGAINST INV ASTON.
Can Keep Out ANY Hostile ship That
Is Able to GET within Range of the
Guns-AnOther Gum May GO Up ON
Tybee To-day-Progress of work
on Warsaw IsIand-Some of the AZ
Inch Rapid Fire Guns Already
Here-OId smoOth-BOre Guns sent
to brunswick 10 Protect the
Small Inlets.
The work on the fortihcadons around Sa-
vannah and the approaches to Savannah
appears to be progressing now just as
rapidly as it is possible to push it.
The first gun at Tybee has been up for
about a week, and il was expected that
the second would follow it much quicker
than has been the case. There are diff
culties, however, connected with the
mounting of these heavy guns which have
probably interfered with doing it any more
rapidly 1t is said also that the other
guns will be put up much more rapidly
than the first two, so that within a week or
ten days it is expected that the entire four
guns will be ready for action.
A base line of something like 1900 yards
in length has been laid out, and from this
the distance of any object TO be fired upon
will be calculated by triangulation. A reg
ular set of tables for angles on the base
line is prepared so that for any given
angles the distance of the object can be
determined at once.
The work on the Notifications at War
saw Island, which are TO protect the en-
trance to Warsaw sound and the Whining
ton river, are being put up as rapidly as It
is possible TO do So A force of over one
hundred men is employed there, and when
the fort is completed there will be placed
there from two to four rapid-fre guns of
the type purchased by the United States
from Germany. They are Al inches cali
Der, and use ammunition in one piece A
number of these rapid-fire guns have al
ready arrived, and they are ready to be
mounted on the Notifications on short no.
tice II is expected also thai several of
them will be placed at Tybee as an aux
iliary battery to the four disappearing
guns mounted on that fertilization.
The tug Paulsen towed a lighter load
ed with oyster shells to Warsaw Island
yesterday to be used in the construction
of the Notifications
When asked about the number of mines
TO be placed in the river and in Warsaw
sound, Capt. C. e. Gillette would only say
that there would be enough of them to
afford thorough protection to the harbor
! and to the city. Lieut.. C. s. BromwelI
corps of engineers, has had charge of the
planting of mines in the river near Fort
Pulaski, and it is believed that some of
them will also be placed in Warsaw sound.
1t is expected that regulations to govern
| vessels going in and out of the harbor
| will be published from the engineering
! office within day or two. 1t was stated
in the Morning News few days ago that
! it would be better for vessels, especially
| those of deep draught, TO proceed at half
speed or very slowly from Tybee to the
! quarantine station on account of the sub
marine mines. The mines are pretty well
down below the surface, still one of them
might accidentally be struck by vessel
| or Dy propeller, and a heavy blow might
| be dangerous. 1t is understood that YES
sells going in and out are already observ-
ing this rule, considering it wisest for
their own safety and protection. There is
also another reason for it, and that is 10
| selves.
| Quite a number Of the old smoothbore
| guns from Forts Oglelhorpe and Pulaski
have been shipped to Brunswick and other
| points along the coast. 1t should not be
understood by this, however, that these
| smoothbores are the only defenders Bruns-
wick is to have. There are now two forti-
| fcations at the entrance to Brunswick
| harbor behind which are guns of modern
| types. One of these Notifications is on
Jekyl Island and the other on st. Siuons
The old smoothbore guns will be used at
| the little inlets, such as approac hes to the
| inside route near Brunswick and they can