New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-05
FERRYBOATS MIGHT BE UTILIZED.
LARGE AND POWERFUL ONES THAT COULD BE
CHARTERED FOR COAST DEFENCE
THE HARBOR MINES.


THE HARBOR MINES.
Tho fact that two Boston ferryboats have been
chartered by the Government and are being htted
ND with guns for harbor defence. and the further
fact that several vessels OF the Union Ferry Com
pany Of Brooklyn were used by the Government IN
the Civil War led to the conclusion that some OF
the brooklyn ferryboats might be taken In the
present emergency When asked about the matter
by a reporter for The Tribune. Rear Admiral Erocn
said Yesterday that nothing had been done about IT,
There was a proposition before came here.
he added. Ito take some OF the boats OF the Union
Ferry Company and they were considered. II We
do take any they will be the best ones that can
be obtained. The bill which was reported to the
House by the Committee on Naval Affairs yester-
dsv nrovding 100000 for the purchase or hire
OF vessels for the patrol OF the coast. and creating
a volunteer organization for the defence OF the
coast is what are waiting for. II It becomes
law we will lose time in getting such vessels
as we need and manning them The men OF the
Naval Militia and Naval Reserves Will he sworn
into the service OF the Government and will man
whatever vessels We obtain.
"a list OF thirteen fourteen vessels. from whioh
e,rh, are 10 be selected by the Navy Department.
will he sent on Washington tonight expect
that We shall soon have all We want
The newest and best boats OF the Union Ferry
Cornoenv are ,he Pierrepont the Mon;auk and tho
Whitehall The best boats are on the South and
Hamilton ferries Older ones are Mn on the Fulton
o,d Ca.ber,ne-st lines on Fulton Ferry the
hoa,s are tho Fulton. the Farragut. the Union and
the Somerset
The work Of defending the harhor by mines was
continued under direction OF tho war Department
Yesterday II was learned that sixteen thousand
pounds OF No. dynamite was purchased ny 'he
Government for the purpose OF mining the Mar
-ows and Sandy Hook channels. The cost was
l7is cents a pound by the carload and y cents IN
less quantities About hundred pounds OF tho
exploslve IS placed in each OF the mines They
have 20 ne larger than would he sufficient simply
70 hold this quantity % dynamite as an air cham
Der OF sufficient size has 10 be provided 20 noa'
Tho mine near the surrace. 20 make ia explosion
effective under a hostile vessel In deep ohanneI
Ike tho Narrows, whore the current Is especially
.,v,, the air chamber has 70 be particularly large.
No more mines were reported astray from ~
nina fields a. tho lower entrance Of the harhor
Yesterday and OF the four missing three have
been round-one at Long Branch. second at
Rarneea, and the third Mt Sandy Hook
Major Adams Of the Engineer Corps rificul"h
Yesterday the published statement Tint Spanish
spies were detaching the mines He said his men
would not allow any one 20 get near them by DAY.
and nothing could he done at night. II would TAX.
or EXPERT diver reach the mines. inter discover
ing where they were and 20 cut the thrN~-quarter-
inch wire rope which holds them 20 their anchor
ages would be easy task under water
In regard 20 the work OF LAYING mines. Major
Adams se,d mat he hoped the war would be over
before they were all down and then those now laid
could be pulled up. He hoped that the mines cut
loose and adrift would all be found and mat none
u,o-rd 90 ont 70 sea 10 endanger innocent vessels
II ships coming into the harbor keps tho huoyed
channel they would not run the risk az displacing
the mines
Of the various steamboat lines which send boats up
through the SOUND