The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-26
ENGINEERS REPORT
War With Spain Compelled R.-Nsisn
of Plans.
ABSENCE OF ARMAMENT
PREPARATIONS AGAINST POS
SIBLE HOSTILE ATTACK.
Chief Of Department Reviews Prog
ress Made In General Scheme of
National Defense-Operations of
Fleet Demonstrated Value of Coast
Works-Estimates Submitted.

Washington, Oct. 25.-The annual re-
port of Brigadier General John NJ. Will
son. chief of engineers, U. S A, has
been made TO the secretary Of war. In
consequence of the war with Spain that
portion of the report relating to forth
fications is most interesting. Upon
this point General Wilson says:
During the fiscal year projects of
permanent seacoaSt defenseS were pre-
pared and approved by the secretary of
war for Port Royal, S. c.; st. Johns
river, Fla; Tampa, Fla, and Sabine
Pass, Tex, making 30 localities in the
United States for which projects of
permanent defense have thus far been
approved under the general scheme TO
aid in 1886 by the Endicott board. AT
the close of the fiscal year the con-
Struction of permanent modern defen-
sive works was in progress at $50 local
tiles. In consequence of the war with
Spain, and the possibilities Of hostile
attacks upon our coasts, urgent and
pressing demands were made by sena-
tors, representatives and local business
men for the immediate erection of sea-
coast batteries at numerous points not
contemplated in the general scheme of
national defense.
l.
In the absence of any available
modern armament the secretary of war
directed the immediate construction of
temporary batteries, mounting old-style
armament and siege guns. for the de-
Tense of a number of exposed localities,
including some which are embraced in
the national scheme of defense. The
localities at which temporary batteries
were ordered are Bar Harbor, Me-;
Stonington, Bridgeport and New Ha-
ven, Conn; Port Royal and George
town, Brunswick and Darien, Ga;
mouth of st. Johns river, st. Angus
tine, Miami and Tampa, Fla, and Sa-
bine Pass, Tex.
In addition to the foregoing tempo
rary batteries, preparations were made
against possible hostile attacks by
overhauling, cleaning and putting in
serviceable condition the existing arm
ament and by temporarily mounting
with them additional guns at the fol-
lowing oldtime works: Fort Knox,
Fort Pepham, Fort Trumbull, Fort
Monroe, Fort Macon, Fort Pulaski,
Fort Clinch, Fort Morgan. Fort Jack
son and forts in san Francisco bay.
While no hostile attacks were made
upon our seacoasts during the war with
Spain, the operations of the American
fleet on the coasts of Cuba and Puerto
Rico have amply demonstrated the
value of coast defenses, including shore
batteries and submarine mines, in re-
sisting naval attacks.
OUR HARBORS ARE SECURE.
TT may be confidently asserted that
the completion of the projects upon
which operations are now in progress
will practically insure the safety of our
principal harbors and seacoast cities
from attacks. Another important de-
duction may also be drawn from the
results of the war, namely, the great
value and efficiency of the rapid-fire
gun. 1t is gratifying to report that not
only has a considerable number of
these rapid-fre guns been mounted
during the year, but that provision has
been made for manufacture and en-
placing of a large additional number
Existing projects for seacoast de-
lenses contemplate the emplacement IF
about 500 heavy guns of s. 10. u and
Is inches, Of about 700 rapid fire guns
of various calibers, and of about 1000
mOrtars. These figures are subject to
SLIGHT changes as minor revisions are
made and additional locations included.
The estimated approximate cost of the
engineers work included with the in
stallation Of this work is S55 0GO, 600