The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-12
JERSEYS DEFENCES
-
State Authorities Taking
Steps to Protect the Coast
Cities and Towns.
NEW GUNS FOR SEA GRIT
Military officers confer in Trenton
over Plans 10 Mobilize
Troops.
NEW GUNS FOR SEA GRIT.
Especial to .The Jersey city News.,l


Especial to sThe Jersey City Newsss,l
TRENTON, April L, 1885,. -Realizing
long ago the need of adequate protection
for the long line of coast in case Of war,
the State military authorities began the
consideration Of plans for protecting the
weak spots. When the present Spanish
crisis came and prospects OF hostilities
grew strong, the work of carrying out
these plans came into consideration. and
the cooperation Of the War and Navy
Departments at Washington was enlist
ed. For several weeks, therefore, intelli-
gent. systematic effort has been directed
lection, and it is probable that a complete
system of mines will be laid In the yul-
nerable harbors all along the coast
These ideas are not new, nor have the
State military authorities suddenly reat-
lied the necessity OF active preparations.
Several years ago they quietly secured
from the Legislature an act authorizing
State GeDloglst Smock to employ @ corps
Of engineers to make certain surveys and
prepare maps. These surveys were made
and maps were prepared but in ADDITION
to examining the rocks, the marshes and
meadow lands and studying the forrna-
ions traceable to the glacial epoch, the
State geologlst also gave much Of his att
tention to the rivers, the harboTs, bays
and innulnerable nayigable inleis and the
Atlantic coast generally.
The result of the work is that New
JERSEYS military authorities are in pos
session of technical Information. the value
of which cannot at this time be over
estimated. Using the maps and surveys
of the corps of engineers as a basis the
military authorities, acting upon direct
suggestion from the Navy Department
at Washington, q few weeks ago, supple
mented their Information with more min
ute details of the condition Of the puoys,
s haraSTs and d i ibe wat rnls T T1s o iaeaa0e s.
this was to ascertain positively whether
or not q foreign man-of-War could enter
any inlet along the unprotected New Jer-
sey coast and create IN the inland
towns, cities and villages.
Adjutant General Stryker has present
ed to the naval authorities at Washing,
ton accurate maps OF the coast, WITH al
the necessary data concerning the In
lets, bays and water ways. A careful in
spection of the coast has been made, and,
it is said, the work of planting mines
authority cares to verify that report for
obvious reasons Ii hostllities snoui9
come, however, the work could proceed
with great dispatch.
The planting of the mines, however,
will not be the only means of coast de-.
Tense. After an inspection last week OF
the o~ld-fashioned mortar guns mounted
at Sea Girt. the State authorizes uTgsu
the Federal Government to ship modern
rapid-firing guns to this state. Nofu
came Saturday that this suggestion was
being considered fayorably, and 1t Is ex-
DeCIeQ lndt lie t21G IL -
chased in Europe arrives on the New
Orleans or San Francisco the old NOR
tars will be dismounted ana ~ thslr
place modern tsnzmiis guns .t w, ps
sueges to the Federal authorities that
rapid-fring guns be placed at Egg har-
Dor and several other points. Al Inc
upper seashore resorts, including Spfing
Lake Como. BelTnar. Ocean Grove, AS
bury Park and Long Branch, with tneir
millions of dollars worth Of property
that would be at the mercy OF 9 ioreign
and picket boats of the Government, ile
above Sea Girt. With a battery OF mod
ern guns at Sea Girt. the naval men pc
resorts. The battery, they think, should
be supplemented by throwing the six
hewitzer and Calling gun companies now
attached to the National Guard or the
battalion with rapid-hre guns.
This work of guarding the coast would
of course, extend southwark to cape
May, although there Is hardly a possipll-
fty that an enemy would consider the
smaller resorts worth the expense and
time Of Smelling. The Naval Reserve 1t
as a further protection. and the scores Of
iife-saving stations on the seaboard Wpuld
be used as signal stations. z
General Plume, commanding the plyls1
ion National Guard, came to the capltai
last night and was in consultation with
Adjutant General Stryker and quarter
master General D0nneliy al the Dtdte
House. The object of the meeting was
to discuss the arrangements made for ac-
ton upon the part of the military authori-
ties of the State in the event OF wal and
the calling into service of the National
Guard. The officers say that complete
arrangements ave been made for the
mobilization of the guard at Sea. Girl,
where headquarters would be established.
Regarding the coast defenses neither
Adjutant General Stryker. nor General
Plume would talk. They intimated that
the Federal authorities had taken steps
10 protect the coast against an attacking
force. but of their character and extent
they would say nothing, because they be-
lieved to do so would be exceeding their
authority.
Evidence of the effect Of the war
scare on those persons who depend upon
the summer season at the shore for their
income was shown this afternoon by the
presence at the State House of several
tradesmen and hotel keepers, who were
anxious to know whether, If war came,
the towns along the shore would be in
danger of attack by the enemy. Ihey said
that there are 10000 men and women who
depend upon their earnings at the shore
during the summer to keep them going
the remainder of the year, and a large
majority of them are disposed TO make
no attempt to open hotels, cottages,
stores, etc. until they feel sure that they
will be safe, They were told by the
State House officials that there was little
probability of their business being af-
fected materially by the differences now
existing between this country and Spain.