New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-10
ELECTRIC SIGNAL SYSTEM NEEDED
GENERAL GREEDY POINTS OUT A DEFECT IN THE
couNTRY's FoRTIFIcATIoNs WHICH MAY BE

GENERAL. GREEDY POINTS OUT DEFECT IN IhE
coUNrRY's FoRTIFIcATIoNs WHICH MAY BE
REMEpIEp AT THRILLING EXPENSE.
Washington March s-General Greedy. the Chief
SIGNAL Oe,cer has written the following letter 10
the Secretary of War. who has forwarded II 10
Chairman Cannon OF the House Committee on AP-
propriations
To the Honorable the Secretary OF War % cornec,
Sir: The estimate OF $4,000 for cables 70 cohnec'
electrically the fortifcatons IN the harbors OF Sew
York Boston and Philadelphia has neeh o inse ~
Representatives. The Chief Signal Onicor would
De tb In s the Secretary Of War to
cessity of urging upon the Senate such an dppIO,
nrIation For seven consecutive years the .niei
Signal Ofncer has unavaillngly recommended the
Importance OF this matter, recitlng me IdcI lhat
some OF our most important defences can only De
fe T6e destruction Of the military cables between
snce ieft the forhcatlons in San Francisco Har-
Dor isolated and entirely unconnected electticaH
ont reach by telephone or telegraph. In New-io rk
Harbor It is true that several posts can communiII
% 70 with each other over circutouS commerciai
routes but such complicated methods. inadequate
in peace even would Inevitably break down IN case
These estimates have been recommended both by
you and by former Secretaries OF war. nave oeeh
reneatedly urged as military necessities by the
commanding generals OF the departments affected
and have been heartily approved by the command
III" Never more than to-day have time and co-opera-
tqn been more Po,eh OF neaes or ' the art Of
war In the business world the most acute
minds OF the century are applying themselves 20
the development of speedy and Increased communi,
cation especially through electrical devices ana
the failure of any country to utilize In this dlrec-
ton the highest inventive skill must materially
lessen its chance of success in war In every other
country Of the world the entire system or harhor
defence for each port Is connected electrically. so
that not only are intercommunication and the
transmission OF orders constantly maintained. but
the fire control and the direction Of the defence
rest under one master mind. 1t must seem hardly
credible either 10 business men or 10 experts that
Congress after authorizing system of coast de-
fences 10 cost millions Of dollars. should for years
refuse 70 connect the military forts around the
great cities of New-York, Boston and San Fran
cisco either electrically tclephonlcally In crit
cal emergencies. such as arise In all defences. mill
tary operations at those points would. under exist
ing conditions be necessarily conducted without
concert unison thus needlessy jeopardzing lives
by the thousands and property TO the value or
hundreds Of millions OF dollars.
The present situation is parallel 10 that which
would exist II our great cities after spending tens
OF thousands Of dollars in thoroughly establishing
A fire department should refuse to install there
with an electrical signal system or insist That
alarms OF fire should be sent either by messengers
or by tho nearest commercial telegraph line. Very
resnectfully 4. w. GREELY
Chief Signal officer.