New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-27
NETWORKS ARMAMENT.
THE MoRrARs. CANNON AND roRpEDors WHICH


GUARD THE ENTRANCE TO THE HARBOR.
The present armament of the fortificatons which
care depended upon to keep hostile vessels from
bombarding this city Includes several classes OF
modern hgh-power cannon and mortars. The for
mer fired directly at the sides Of an approach
ing ironclad. while the latter are fired at an cle-
walton calculated to cause their missiles to drop
down upon the decks of the enemy and cause de-
siruction. The deep water within range OF the
guns Is d"ided into squares Of one hundred yards
each. and when an observer notes IN which square
a vessel IS. and reckons her speed. IL Is easy TO
aimed The carriage then rises tho gun is fred
by electricity. and sinks below the wall OF the
the eIevation is carefully calculated that viii land
the shot where it is expected to DO the most dam
At Sandy Hook there are sixteen .l Pinch NOR
iars two 2-inish breeeh,ioadins Tiiisd can 1
gun and one ij-lnch dynamite gun. The NOR
y Fs ana es J'G q and arc xPcd to RSap
c' ,' 1'ters arc nieo Nor1enfeidt and Maxim
rapid-hring guns 10 protect the fortncauons II The
The tSorine M of torped oes and submarine mines.
These can be-. put down IN short time the
plans already prepared. ana are 10 De fired by
eiSctriciy. The channel which large vessels, would
t.cted by plans which can be mad effective at
s hST n s past bIi the Hook aft 81 @ the a
rows the forts on both sides would BE- ready 70
shore and within the cry limits, Is battery
OF sixteen Pinch mOrtars tl,rea lO-inch rihed
cannon and six s-inch cannon, together with
considerable number Of od-fashioncd n,uzzie-oad-
ing cannon and several rapid firing Maxim and
Hotchklss guns. There l. similar ament at
Fort Wadsworth in the Borough OF Richmond.
where the mortar battery has been namel for
tery on the shore are not depended upo'l for any
thing save the firing u salutes just as those on
Governors Island used. To persons ineXpor!-
enccl in they look formidable. but actually
they are of l.ttle more account than - many
Quaker guns.
The passage Of the Narrows also BE- pro-
tccted at short notice by tho putting I'm place OF
torpedoes and mines underneath the surface OF
the water. At the Sound entrance 10 this harbor
there are batteries a mortaTs. sixteen each or
The pinch size at David's Island and at VII
los Point; so that vessels seeking 10 pass can De
bomharled. At Fort schuyler are lo-inch ana
S-irch rlred cannon and NOrGtnfeldt and Max
~, amid firing guns on Willsts Point tOrpeGocs
a. in Mace for experiments. and the sign Don't
Anchor TOrpedOcS." vessels Ct p"accful
character OF the danger they run If they pni ont
Al SANDY Hook II is expected soon TO mount the
inch rl0ed cannon Tho cXtromc limit OF It's rang"
g. ee,lms ted ar hfteen miles. beyond tho horizon
Inc II will be fOrty-ninc feet long ana VIII weigh
one hundred and twenty-siX tons. sending shot
heaviest ironclal ahoat win the most improved
rrwnr-ulates This big gun Is now being made at
the Watervct Arsenal
The powdcr gun-cotton. shells. Shrapncl ana
l,'ra mite needed for the operation OF the arina-
mon. ~ fac fornC atoms 81 tho coast are carefully
"o red Tor and kept IN the most available places Tor
~ DIV use SteIs being taken 10 hlI 70 Inc re-
e.r,c suuplv and 70 have enough IN readiness TOT
ise for a considerable period II hoSuHuf. sAohld
brcok ouf When General Merritt was asked yes
teriav n any new supply OF ammunition bad yet
teo" forwarded for use the eeacoast. he said
there had no. been. far as he knew.