The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
BAY STATES DEFENCES.
NAssAoHUsBTTs 0oUDD HATE 1000
MEN TN FIFTEEN HOURS.

MEN TN FIFTEEN HOURS.
orgnrirauen sna Esuipuept 81. the National
Guard Government Fertilization hhsut
nestep. A. They Exist sna A. Thsy Are
Piaunea-Work ut the Watertewn Arsenal.
BosroN, Feb. 2e.-In case Of war Massachu-
sets could put into the field at once nearly
1000 men, its State militia, fully armed and
equipped and well-drillod. This estimate In
oludes two brisades besides two corps Of cadets
and tho naval militia. In the First Brigade
there is ono regiment Of heavy artillery, and
each brigade has one of light artillery and q
cavalry company. There arc eight companies
and AL men in the naval militia. Attached to
each brigade are a signal corps and an ambu-
lance corps.
There are 1so, 900 rounds Of infantry ammu-
milton In the State arsenal. 240 rounds Of canis-
ter for the artillery, 90 rounds Of shells, 90 of
solid shot for the 10 and 12-pounders, and rs
OF percussion shells for tho 3-inch guns, besides
500 rounds for the mortar battery at winthrop.
Plans have been developed and promulgated
by which the State militia could be mobilized
within fifteen hours. The troops around Boston
would come together in two or three hours.
There are armories in nearly all the large cities,
and at these armories arc kept the home and
business addresses of every member Of tho COM
panr auartered there. Tho officers have made
themselves familiar with the maps showing
brigade. regimental. and company headquRr-
ters, the lines OF railroad in tho State,
and the shortest route to tho points
OF concentration. The arrangements with the
railroads arc such that on receipt Of
orders by telephone or telegraph trains can
be Immediately made available for the trans.
portation of troops. Tho points Of concentra-
ton for service within the State are Boston,
Pittsfeld, Springfield, Fitchburg, Worcester.
South birmingham. Ayor Junction. Concord.
and Nowburyport. For service outside the
State: For New York and tho West, PittsHeld;
for tho North. Springfield and Fitchburg; for
Maine. Haverhlll and Newburyport; for the
South. Springfield and Worcester; for ocean
transportation. Boston, New Bedford. Fall
River, and Salem.
are about 45O. 900 able bodied men In the State
between the ages of 1e and as liable for mill
tary duty.
There are In use by the militia nve bronze
12-pound guns. eight 3.inch rife guns Of tho
pattern Of 81, eight 3.inch muEzle sight guns.
ton 12-pounders, and sixteen 1~o-pounders.
Cavalry and infantry are armed with Spring
field carbines of * calibre, all in rood con-
dition. Each regiment hasa Calling gun. The
militia drills once a week tho year round. and
has a week of camp life in the summer. For
tho past three years tho artillery regiments
have been drilled by Col. Woodruff, u. 8. A.,
in command at Fort Warren. and by other eK-
perienced officers until they can fairly be classed
as expert artillerymen. .''
Rife practice Is compulsory. and there Is an
inspector OF this department who secs to It that
the mon do their duty ut tho targets. In some
companies every man 10 o qualified marksmsn
and in every company tho percentage Of such
marksmen is very high.
Gov. Wolcott is Commander.in.Chief Of the
military force OF tho State. with Adjt. Gen.
Dalton next in rank and Gems. Matthews and
commanding the First and the Second
Brigade respectively.
Regarding the Government defences there is
peace fo5otinE is provided with six forts CON.
tanning l75 large guns and niortars and manned
by II CAPTAINS. % lieutenants. ~ expert gun
ners. g machine gunners. 70 sergeants, 90 cor
porals, and l.135 p%rivates. But the facts are
not at all like the theory.
mand Of Col. Woodruff. Scattered in the other
to the statement made sStsbb BY are regular miEnei army nrSe oificegF
recently only one of these Notifications is mod
s Sa,t II Its ts.n e99uipmsn; q. Its defensive power;
that one modern 1O-inch gun. mounted on o
disappearing carriage, is ready for use there
more Of the same type and that they could DO
put In position In a short time on a rush order.
shipped. The smooth-bore guns now mounted
there would be OF little use in case OF war.
ID There !, is a fortiieatioGa on tonS Island head.
guns, but tho work is not nearly completed.
Should = hostile vessel get past these two forts
Fort Independence. on Castle Island. for a vast
amount OF torpedo work ID being done there. the
modern guns are mounted here. Fort Winthrop.
on Governors Island. is. only a mile from the
foot OF state street. and Is an extremely strong
earthwork. though not equipped with modern
guns.
The mortar battery at Winthrop Is the ono
rely for defence in case hostilities were suddenly
1t has sixteen 12.inch mortars with
The rsb battery 1s h is ioc misdd'bi S SSheii cIi, st tSat m soSnd f.
practically impregnable.
The Government plan for the defence of Bos-
ton harbor Is elaborate and complete, but it
would. take years to put 1t In working order. |
even 1.-THE necessary large appropriations were
mortars, mostly Pinch. eight l6-Inch rifed
guns. ten Pinch guns. fifteen l9;inch guns. and
runs from Nahant on the north shore to the
inner side Of Point Allerton on the south shore,
SdsR's T nsisnd S sna ss nS oil I TRss l Islnnah; a psa;
be tho largest weapons in the world, 40l9
long and weiEhInE I%o tons. Tn, pro:
be thrown to a distance of sixteen miles.
The Charlestown Navy Yard is cminently
hurry, but very little is being done there now.
About 8 1000 men could be employed at the yard.
m tneae a Ge'nF fo ro 9,oo o. t ne G 3asSins spon DEPART \. sais
10 be one of tho finest in this country, and much
Of the work now let out to be done by contract
could be very well done here instead. The roll.
ing mill and the engineering department are
considered by experts to be the best in the coun.
There are $50 men employed at the Water
arsenal. No rush orders have been re.
men are being employed. Most of the work dono
10 the making of heavy gun carriages. attention
Df late having been largely devoted to making /!
hose OF the disappearing type on which heavy
guns for coast defence can be mounted. The
be finished and shipped to the Sandy Hook
proving ground within a week or ten days. This
yum is q rapid-fire coast defender, designed by
Capt. Frank K. Hobbs. and made at the Water