The evening times., 1898-05-21
DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC
Plans for Downing the Dons on
Land and Sea.
GARRIsONs FOR THE FORTS
Eirhty-five boats of Various Types
VIII BE Employed for Coast Pn-
troll Service-They VIII Armed
With strong Old SmOoth-Bore
Ordnance.

Plans for the military and naval de-
Tense of our coasts are being rapidly
pushed to completion by Brigadier Gen.
eral Royal T. Frank. who succeeds Gen.
Wesley Merritt in command of the De-
partment of the East. and by Rear Ad-
miral Erben, who has charge of the aux
iliary defense of all the ports of the At
lantic and Gulf.
Gen. Frank. who relieved Gen. Merritt
on Thursday. said yesterday at his head
quarters on Governors Island that he had
not yet appointed the members of his
staff. This, he said. was due to the
scarcity of officers suitable for the duty,
most of whom have been ordered to the
front or received Independent commands.
He hoped, however. in a few days to
make his staff complete.
Gen. Frank said he expected that Sea
Girt and Hampstead would be the great
camps of instruction. where all the vol
unteer troops in the department would be
assembled to be mustered into the regular
service. 1t is intended that Il certain
number of regiments and batteries will
be maintained permanently in these
camps and kept in a condition of eff
cheney ready to be transported at a mo-
ment's notice to any point where their
services may be required.
OF the troops called into active service
a considerable number will be utilized as
garrisons for defensive work in harbors
and along the coast particularly in the
forts about New York and in the works
recently erected for the defense of the
eastern end of Long Island Sound. In
all probability. about 400 men will be de-
tailed to each of the garrisons at Fort
Hancock. Fort Hamilton, Fort WadS-
worth. Fort Schuyler. and to the fort at
Willets Point. These will be organized
as infantry, but particular attention will
be given to their instruction in the work
ing of the heavy rified guns and NOR
tars. so that they VIII practically form a
part of the small regular garrisons kept
at those posts. In view OF the large pro-
portion of educated men in the volunteer
ranks. 1t is believed that they will soon
artillery.
Gen. Frank said he was well satisfied
with the efficiency of the permanent mod
ern batteries recently erected for The de-
tense of this port. Constructed as they
are. on earth and concrete in the latest
and most approved plans. he was conf
dent of their ability to withstand almost
any amount OF commandment While
some OF the temporary batteries are not
SO strong. the general still felt assured
of their efficiency.
Rear Admiral Erben returned from
Washington plsased with the passage of
the bill appropriating s3.o0o.00o for auxil-
iary harbor defense. The rear admiral
remained at his office for only a short
time during the morning From his aide.
Lieut.. Marshall. it was learned that the
rear admirals original estimate for the
harbor defense auxiliary service called
for 125 bca.s for the ports between Maine
and Texas. The Navy Department, how
ever considered that eighty-fve boats
would suffice. These will consist of arm
ed launches. gunboats improvIsed from
yachts and ferryboats.
The plan of utilizing ferryboats is par
sicularly interesting. recourse being fire.
Quently had TO the plan during the civil
war, when splendid service was done by
some of the big boats of the Staten ISL
and ferry. One ferryboat has already
been engaged in Boston, and another in
Philadelphia. The plan is 10 station two
of these craft at Newport, one at Sandy
Hook. and no less than five in the Race
at the eastern end of the Sound, to pre-
vent hostile vessels slipping past the new
batteries on Fishers and Plum Islands.
As ii is impossible to obtain modern
ordnance for these boats. it Is proposed
to arm them with the old fashioned. but
still serviceable. 9-inch Dahlgren smooth
bores. that for many years formed the
main batteries of our wooden men-of-war.
il is intended to mount one of these guns
at each end Of the ferryboats. Their big
spherical shell can be depended upon TO
work havoc on the sides of anything but
armored ships. In addition to this they
probably will be furnished with some
small rapid fire pieces.
In addition to the ferryboat. about
dozen improvised gunboats will be sta
toned at Sandy Hook. About 5000 men
will be required to man the auxiliary
harbor defense fleets.
A valuable addition to this force was
obtained yesterday. in the big ice breaker
Philadelphia, which will be assigned TO
the patrol of the Fourth District between
Cape Charles and Cape Hatteras. The
Philadelphia, which will be commanded
by Lieutenant Commander Reeder, is a
4,00)-ton craft. and will be fitted out as a
gunbOat Rear Admiral Erben yesterday
signed a lease for the ship the considera-
tion being 81, the vessel to be returned 20
the city of Philadelphia in good condition
at the close of hostilities-
The new naval patrol boat Hist arrived
at Throge's Neck yesterday morning, to
ASSIST IN tne protectlCn OF the mlne neidS
between Fort Schuyler and Willets Point.
In future not boats will be permitted to
land at Fort Slocum or Fort Schuyler
after dark, under pain of being fired on by
the sentries.
The Philadelphia and Reading towing
steamer Lancaster was detected yester-
day morning by the patrol boat Free
Lance in an attempt to come up the
Swash Channel through the mine fields.
The Free Lance instantly in, ro,,r-
suit. and was about to fire on the Lam
caster, when her captain responded to
the patrols warning whistle and turned
back.
Lieutenant Harris in command of the
Free Lance, reported yesterday that no