Evening journal., 1898-04-04
THE RIVER SENTINELS.
Formidable Defenses Ready to
Protect the City.
THREE YEARS WORK COMPLETED
MAJOR RAYMOND Is WE'LL Salts
FLED WITH TIIEM-DAILY BEING
MADE MORE POWERFUL IN
MANY WAYS.

IN All iNe news lltt mas Dttu WAlAl'h
and published OF probable war with
Spain, little has been said about the de-
fences Of the Delaware river. II has
been known that for about three years
the United States Government has been
busily constructing fOrthcations OF the |
most modern character at Fort Della
ware and vicinity, and the assurance |
has been given al various times since |
the war cloud became ominous, that the |
| defences were daily becoming more ef- |
fective and powerful.
The defences OF the Delaware river
consist OF a series or three modern for
| tifcatiOns-Fort Delaware, where the |
| old fort, considered impregnable in its |
| day, has been partly dismantled. 50
that modern guns can be mounted; at
Flnn's Point, opposite Fort Delaware,
On the New Jersey shore, where the
| forti1cations has been named Fort
Mott, and below Delaware City, on the
Delaware shore
These defensive works are intended
to protect from invasion by sea the cit
les OF Philadelphia, Camden, Chester.
Wilmington and New Castle. with a
population aggregating between $780,
GOO and 100000. and have great manu-
featuring industries, important 10 the
welfare OF the country In war as well
as in peace.
OPINION OF MAJOR RAYMOND.
Major c. w. Raymond United States
engineer in charge Of the construction
Of the fortihcatiOns, when requested
/, yesterday to give some expressions Of
opinion about Che strength Of the de-
fence. said he was very we'll satisfied
with the work which had been done,
. | md ha fnf In eF h.t
system OF defenCes would be ample to
3 prevent any hostile vessel from ever as
) cendng the Delaware river. Major
A Raymond would not go into details re-
/ garding the work that has been accom-
B lplished.
I IL is well-known, however that the
L | works at Fort Mott are well advanced.
Three ten-inch riled guns. mounted on
disappearing carriages, have been In
place there for a year. Recently q
twelve-inch gun was mounted, and as
q soon as another carriage is received, a
second twelve-inch gun will be mount
a ed. II is also expected that within few
y days two five-inch rapid fire guns viii
be received Proiectiles and ammuni-
u tion and everything that is necessary
\ far defensive purposes. are also there
a About three weeks ago Battery /, OF th'
IOuiln AllllltINs AhllltllM AHaNNf MnAA
:, bering about sixty men, was sent d
~ Fort Mott. and, as the barracks are no
= yet completed, the men are campe
there in tents.
Work Is being rushed at Fort Della
ware and a large force Of men hay
been busy there for several weeks pre-
~ pairing emplacements for several larg
y modern guns, which are TO be mOunte
~, in q short time A number OF Sine
ne rifled guns cf the old type which an
still considered very effective at range
81 OF a mile or so. and which formed par
Dr n the armament OF the old fort, hav
IN been mounted in the strongest part O
10 the old fort and In case OF neceesit
r. would be very formidable engines q
Is war There are more than fifteen O
these guns.
IN | MORTARS AND SUBMARINE NINE
1t is understood that the mortar bal
terry on the Delaware shore belo'
We Delaware City is practically complete
~ There will be sixteen 12-inch rifle
on mortars in the battery, and everythin
ed is ready for eight, II is said, the cal
a riages having been received and IN
nd mOrtars being expected almost any da.
ID. This type OF mortar throws decl
ed piercing prOjectiles, and they are Il
on times. They are fired In groups OF fog
or more by electricity. the range bein
sscertained by range finders. Exper
ments at Sandy Hook have shown th'
OF the fire is very accurate, and there ca
ms be no doubt about the destructive cha
,u- acter OF the projectiles.
AZ Another battery Of the Fourth Arti
IRIS lery OF sixty men, In command OF Ca
ass tain Everett, Is at Fort Delaware, an
M occupies the barracks there, viii,
nd were recently rebuilt. IL Is understo,
in that the submarine mine part of the q
fences is ready in every way, and tn
the mines could be placed in the cha
l. mel in a few hours.
Everything about this part OF the i
ar fences is guarded with the strlctest 5
nat crecy, and practically only the engine
ire officers know where the mines are to
Al placed and how they are fred. Az q
III electrical machinery has been installt
he it Is said, and and in few days POI
~ | erful search-light will be placed in p
is | sitiOn, which, in case Of war. will
used to sweep along the river and ass
In guarding the submarine defenc'
discover torpedo boats and, In fact,
examine any craft that Is ascending
stream.
"a About 81 100000 has been spent III
uhs far en- the system Of defences of
sou Delaware river and $4,000 more "
So be necessary to complete them II Z
ar cOrdance with the plans OF the War
partment. A good allotment was
cured for the Delaware fOrtifcatic
from the $5O,0O0000 defence fund. I
lrSt modern guns can be fired every
pal minutes, so that with the present q
rye an armOr piercing projectile could
de- fred at an advancing fleet every m
lere ute. Fort Mott is deemed a very
on midable battery just as it stands a
within two or three weeks, when
other guns and mortars are mount
the defences Of the Delaware river '
uits be as effective as any on the coast.
ina |
vine GIVEN AWAY"
ONE A handsome souvenir, Easter 81
lVss sons" to all purchasers OF our Ct
lOly hfa,fod rVaoc oud Eofflrs- during