The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-23
SenQie Posses 0 Bill 10 increase
Inc Artillery Arm Of The Service.
ADDITIONS TO COAST DEFENStS
Vote on tho Passage of the RiII Was
Nearly -RcsoIutsan of
Inquiry In Regard TO the Duildtng
"fn Powerful ship 10 he Named
George wn>kiugton-


tAS SOOn as lncs fcau.nS OIL hnG historic
farewell address 'gr Washington was
concluded by MIR. Lodge of Ma$sachu-
s,tts, in i;he Senate to-day, MIR. 1Iaw-
ley, OF Connecticut, chairman of the
Military Affairs Committee, called up
the bill reported from his committee.
authorizing the organization of Two adj
dd!onal regiments OF artillery.
Senator Hawlcy, in reporting the h.
said-
The speedy passage of this Hill, or
its equivalent, appears "o be al aHsb-
lutte necessity. The Government. after
long and careful consideration by those
whose offices and studies qualify them
to give the most valuable advice has
entered upon tn" execution OF Il syStc-
matic and elaborate plan OF coast de-
fenSe.
The great expenditures will bc vast
ed treasure unless u sufficient number
II artillery mcn, carefully selected and
thoroughly drilled he assigned TO the
care and use Of these costly instru-
mtnts of defense. With the aid of the
actives of the national guard, and those
who have been discharged thercfrom
after years of instruction. effective cav
airy and Infantry could be collected in
comparatively shor: time; but in case
Gi war shont notice would Ee given to
the men in charge of the great guns on
the coast, whose costly machinery re-
Quircs much mechanical skill and prac-
tce
careful estimate of ';he annual ad-
diional expenditure required TO main
tain the TWP regiments is S52O 054. But
some months will expire before the reg
ments can be fully enlisted and organ
lied, and while the Scal;, of the first
year with its equipment will be very
considerably greater than that of av-
cragc subsequent years, ii Is believed
That Sl5O.O0O, possibly less, will suffice
for tha' fiscal year 1899.
an a letter writtsn yesterday, General
Miles says:
My Dear Senator:
referring to our conversation this
mSrning. have the honor 10 state that
batteries have been placed in position
In fortiiicaFions at Portland Head. Mn
Growers Bluff, Boston harbor; Fort
Hancock approach to Philadelphia: ap-
breaches 10 Washington: coast of North
CaE"lina Charleston harhor: Mobile,
Ala; Galveston, Texas: Fort Baker
Cal; Fort Point, Cal; and Fon; styv
ems, Oregon.
BATTERIES will also be placsd within
\ Few months on new Qualifications M.
treat Diamond Island. Portland. Mn
fort constitution. Portsmouth. y. H.;
Long Island Head, Boston barhnI..
Du'ch Island. Narragansc,.t Bay. II. T. !.
eastern entrance TO Long Island Sound.
y. y; Delaware City. Del; approaches
to Baltimore; approaches to Washinr
ton; approaches to Savannah Ga: Ncny
Orleans La: San Diego, Cal; entrance
70 Puget Sound, Wash; making in all
'iwenty-siX new sea coast fortificatagos
Tor IN" defense Of the great cities of The
Atiani;c. Gulf and Pacific coasts. where
Notifications have been and are hcine,
erect and where artillery lis reuuirnl
Ito rrofect the ammunition, hu; these
arr not sufficient ITO man said batteries.
ana hence the necessity for two addi
tional regiments Is imperative and re-
duircs INN diatc acpion."
Mr.. Bate Crcnnessee) objected IN Tho
hlil, because it tended to an increase or
the army TO which. he said he was
unal;cr4biy opposed. He thought that
there We're enough troops already under
enlistment 10 man all the guns now be-
ing provided for by the Government
He argued that ii would be better 10
assign infantry regiments to the man
ming Of these guns than to put them
in charge Of raw recruits.
In reply. Mr.. Hawley pointed out that
the strength Of the army was really de-
crcasinS in proportion to the inhabi-
tantS of the country. In addition he
said Congress had made large apprO-
priatiOnS in recent years for great gun >
for forts and coast defense stations
OF these guns I39 were guns OF large
caiih.c and delicate mechanism TO
these must be added 232 rified steel mar
tars already placed or soon to be placed
IN, .to,I n-s 1r,S, t,li
In order that these guns may be prop
cry handled 4 body OF trained artiller-
lists is necessary. Each of these great
war engines requires TO handle it as
much skill as it requires TO run a loco
motive or an ordinary river steamer.
The bill was passcd-52.i The mega
tive votes were cast by Messrs Bate
(Tcnnessec>. Clay (Georgia), Chiffon
(rcXas) and Vest (MissourD.
The measure provides that the ar,ll-
lery Of the army shall consist of seven
regiments thus increasing the total
number of enlisted men in the army
by 1,6l0 men, to be employed exclusively
in the artillery arm of the service
Mr.. Morgan (Alabama) introduced
the following resolutions:
"That the Committee on Naval At
fairs is instructed to inquire and re-
port whether a man-of- war equal at
least to any war ship in the world, 10
be named the George Washington, can
be built, armed and commissioned