The San Francisco call., 1898-03-09
Ordnance and Engineer Officers Discuss Plans
 to Fortify Coasts.
Assurances That Plenty of Rapid Fire Guns Can Be
 Quickly Secured.
Inaprovised Mines and Torpedoes May Also Be Turned Out by the
 War Department.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, March S.-A Washing ton special to the Herald says: Off, cials of the Ordnance and Engineer Departments of the War Department were in conference to-day to discuss plans for increasing the strength of coast defenses with the portion of the emergency appropriation of $50OOO,oo0, which it is expected will be allotted to the army.
 Brigadier-General Wilson, chief of engineers, is absent on an inspection tour of southern Notifications, and Brigadier-General Flagler, chief of ordnance, was absent from the depart ment to-day on account of illness. Their chief assistants, however, got to- gether and formulated general plans, which will be submitted to their chiefs and to the Secretary of War. Charles Shales of the Ordnance Department met several representatives Of ord nance manufacturing and supply firms and received from them assurances that they have ample facilities at their command to furnish the department at short notice with large supplies of ammunition and guns of various cali bers. It is expected that large order will be placed immediately for rapid fire guns of 5-inch and 6-inch and smaller caliber.
 The American Ordnance Company has on hand in this country, it is un- derStood, a considerable supply or these guns, and through their agents | in France and England they are able to put at the disposal of the Govern ment immediately not less than 150 rapid-fire guns, and this number cOuld be greatly increased very soon. The other ordnance companies are able 10 each furnish immediately or to manu- | fracture rapid fire guns and if neces- sary supplies could be drawn from Creusots in France, the Krupps of Ger many and the Armstrongs Of England While some rapid fire guns are likely to be added to the armament or points already partially fortified more are | likely to be placed at other points which are now altogether undefended- Such points as in the opinion of the | engineer department require such pro lection as could be provided by rapid l fire guns are Port Royal, $. C., where the navy department has an altogether 1 unprotected drydock, Jacksonville, Key West and Tampa, Fla, and several | nloces on the southern coast in par ticular.
 While it has been proposed to i'm prove Dry Tortugas by mounting elgnl and ten inch converted rifles on the | barbette parapet of Fort Jefferson, IL
 
 partment that the same number or ranidfre guns could be mounted there as quickly, and would be much more effective. By beginning Work immediately there are supplies enough at hand to enable the engineers 10 prepare emplacements and mount several rapid-fire guns at any one noint that may be deemed necessary in about a week. Steps will soon De taken bv the engineer department looking to fortifying all the more i'm nortant harbors with torpedoes- The department can place these 1mmedl- ately. and more can be procured through agents of ordnance suppiy comDanies in this country or Europe. re necessarv large quantities of Impro- 1,isad torpedoes can be manufactured
 bv engineer officers by the employ
 wont of casks and barrels in which
 may be placed about 25O pounds or nowder. and which may be equlppeu
 with double test tubes. one hlled With
 sulphuric acid and the other with pc
 tossiuno chlorate and other comDlna-
 tia,,s which will produce an explosion
 unon inc breaking of the test tubes
 hT nassing keel The work or the engineering department al all Iortillcd, {, ' lions Is being hastened, and guns ana
 carriages under construction are pc inp hurried to completion as rapldly
 as possible. A duplication or the ldlse
 shell and powder contracts or las.
 Maax has been provisionally made, ana this may be still further enlarged Officials of the Quartermasters De
 partment will enter upon the construc- ,e- tion of quarters and barracks for the odditional regiments of artillery. FIX
 auninations of artillery officers who are
 nromoted by the provisions of the ar
 tiuery bill have already commenced. Captain G. w. Crabb, Fifth Artillery,
 has been physically disqualified for
 nromotion. and unless the surgeon general shall decide that ms disap1,lly ,l
 course must be pursued in the case of all candidates who fail to pass their
 examinations.