The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-23

enough troops already under. enlistment
to man .ll the guns now being provided
Tor by the government. He argued that
it would be better to assign infantry reg
iments to the manning of these guns than
10 pu. them in charge cf new recruits
Army Requires Strengthening.
In reply, Hawley pointed out that Tho
strength of the army was really decreas-
ing In proportion 10 the inhabitants %
the country. He said;
The speedy passage OF this bill, or its
equivalent appears TO be an absolute ne
cessity. The government. after long and
careful consideration by those whose office
ard study qualify them TO give the most
valuable advice. has entered upon the exc
cution of Il systematic and elaborate plan
of coast defense The progress therein IS
indicated In extracts frCm the annual re-
port of Gen John NJ. Wilson. chief Of engi-
neers. Existing contracts call for the en-
placement and mounting on or before June
90 1895. now rapidly approaching. Of ls9
modern high power steel guns ranging in
calbre from eight to twelve inches, twelve
Of five-inch calihre, four six-pounders and
232 twelve-inch mortars total OF SS7
These are TO be scattered, according 10
the best Judgment of the engineers and
ordnance officers, from Maine to Puget
sound. having careful regard 10 the rela-
tive importance OF the positions TO be de-
Tended.
This great expenditure will be wasted
treasure unless sufficient number OF
artilierymen. carefully selected and thor
oughly drilled, be assigned % the care and
use Of those costly instrum nts Of defense.
As the works are from week 10 week com
pIercd the utmost the general command
ing can do is 10 detail a few Care-takers
10 each station. With the aid Ofthe actives
OF the National Guard and those who have
been discharged therefrom after years OF
instruction. effective cavalry and infantry
could be collected In 4 comparatively short
time.
but in case Of war short notice would
be given 10 the men in charge OF the guns
on the coast whose costly machinery re-
qures much mechanical skin and prac-
tice Men fl 10 b@ trusted 10 run great
engines on our railroads. or even the or
dinary steamers of rivers and lakes. can
not he called into service at a days or n
months notice. To handle but especially
20 fire with precision, the new guns re-
quire the highest class Of skilled labor.
"A careful estimate OF the annual addi-
tiGnal expenditure required to maintain
thr fw3 regiments Is $1,000 But some
months VIII expire before the regiments
can lee fully enlisted and organized. and
equipment VIII be very considerably
greater than that Of average subsequent
years il is believed that $4,000. possibly
less VIII suffice for the fiscal year Of ls'9
Il is scarcely worth while To enlarge upon
the wisdom of establishing the dcfenSes ~
cur very extended coast. Successive cor-
crosses have vigorously and literally as
red it,"
Batteries Now In Position.
To this Hawley added a number Of re-
ports. including letters from Acting Sec
retary Mekleiohn and Gen. Miles. the
latest beng a letter from Gen. Miles.
written yesterday n which ne says:
NY Dear SIR: Referring 70 our con
vsrsaticn thlS rnorujng. ] nave the honor
20 state that batteries have been placed IN
position IN new lortifc8tiors AZ Portland
head Ne; Growers Cliff, Boston harhor.
Fort Hancock approach 10 Philadelphia.
approach 10 Washington. the coast OF
North Carolina Charleston haIhor. Nj
bile Ala. Galveston. Fort Baker. Cal,
Fort Point Cal. ard Fort stevens or.
batteries VIII a.so he placed w.thi1
few months On new fcTtiHce lions a Great
Diamond lake. Portland Ne, Fort Con-
stltutson. Portsmouth. y II, Long Island
Read. Boston harbur; Dutch !s.and. Mar
raEansett bay. Rhode Island eastern en-
trance 10 I.orE Island sound. New YORK.
Delaware cry. Del, approaches - Bal-
t.more. approaches ID Washington. a2-
rroaches 70 Savannah. Ga. New Orleans.
La SaD Diego. "a. entrance 20 Puget
sound. Washington. making in al twenty
SIX r~w coast forunoatio1s for The defense
~ he great cities of tnc Atls1tt~ Cur
ard pacia- coasts where tGyfiE -atIors
have been and are being erected and where
artillery IL required 20 protect and man
these batteries We are sending small
detachn1ents of men % keep them IA la+-
order ard protect the ammunition bet
these are no. sufficient % maintain oat-
ter.e~ ard hence me necessity fe- tS3
-dtttt srsl regiments q artiaseTy IS impe.a-
1--WE and requires immediate attention" :"
Hawley a.so submitted reports fr5fa
Gen. Wilson au4 Gen F!Agler. showing tas
necessity es ADDITIONAL forces.