The San Francisco call., 1898-02-23

troops are most needed. The comfort able barracks at the Presidio are dis tant one mile and a half from the ten and twelve inch batteries of Fort Point. Tents could be pitched at the front, and this may become necessary.
 It Is surmised that the increase of the artillery force will bring more troops of this branch of the service to San Francisco It is probable that An gel Island as military station may be wholly abandoned. The fight to pro- tect the harbor and the city must be made at the heads, and as final re- sort in the narrow channel between Lime Point and Fort Point. A hostile fleet powerful enough to defeat uncle Sams ironclads and battle-shlpS in an enga cement outside and then run the gauntlet of the forts on either side Of the Golden Gate channel would soon silence the Angel Island batteries.
 An admiral with the courage and skill of a Farragut or Nelson mlsht attempt with a powerful fleet or arm ored ships to pass the batteries defend- ing the entrance to the narbor of San Francisco, but few fleet commanders would venture upon movement so full of peril and with such remote chance of success As the works Of defense now stand the fire ot SIX lz- inch guns, five 10-inch guns, sixteen heavy mortars and three dynamite guns could be concentrated on a hos tile fleet The 12-inch rifles have range of ten miles. The mortars and pneumatic dynamite guns have range of four miles,
 Apart from these modern guns there are many effective 15-inch smooth bores and S-inch rifles of the old pat tern. The 10-inch smooth pores, Which were converted into S-inch rifles, shoot with remarkable accuracy. Artillery men of the United States service have a great admiration for the converted S-inch rifles. A soldier of the Third Artillery at the Presidio yesterday re- marked: we used to keep tug busy setting up targets for these guns. The projectile goes to the mark with the directness of bullet from a small rife. The six or eight rifles of this pattern now lying on the ground near Fort Point ought to be sent over to Lime Point and placed near the water line"
 The enlisted men of the Third Ar tillery believe that war with Spain would do the country good. They fig ure that the regular army could easily absorb 25,000 men, and this force to- gether with volunteer regiments would make an army sufficient to whip the SpaniardS in Cuba. It IS admitted that the regiments of the regular army have not, as organizations, ever en- gagged In battle, although many of them have been tried under fire during Indian campaigns.
 If the Spanish troops ever encoun- ter American soldiers they will quickly understand what fighting means. They have been bushwhacking in Cuba for several years, but if American troops go there they will have to fight in the open or leave the island. We have the men and the money to win if we go to war, and 1t is now time that foreign nations understood that Americans would fight. If we do not have war over this Maine affair the Spaniards will think we are a nation of towards and offer some other provocation. Whether war is declared or not the present war talk will do good. It will show the country the need of preparing to fight. We will get more men. more guns and more ships. This regiment,