New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-25


mas asy the importance Of this city Is Increased
steamers coming from Havana and from the prn-
cipal settlements frequently touch
4 lis. Of the Gulf ports follows. the four men
toned being considered either as strategic points
or places the destruction Of which would result
in great loss 10 this country:
-FOUR IMPORTANT POINTS
-, Joscph's Bay bahia de San JOSEF is beaut-
-nl deep bay along the north coast Of cape san
Bias st the entrance It Is 70 feet deep. but inside
tt reaches a depth OF 81 feet, it is easy OF access
mas convenient anchorage. and is mile "ide al
the entrance. Its acquisition would mean great
prize FOR. besides serving base Of naval opera-
lions it might be utilized as base on supp'e'
for tho whole coas; Of the Gulf Of Mexico g..
Pensacola Ray Is twenty miles long. four or nve
miles vide and nineteen and hali zee. uTcbi cb IL
low and onelhird Of mill broad ThS cay OF
Pensacola is ten miles distant from the t tbc
city IA * defended by Forts Pickens, MSc lSae
and harancas all Of masonry tn s mrs. s Of small
caiibre 1t is the best part Of the Gull coast '"'
Mobile Kay is an estuary OF more than thirty
EASTERN SIDE there IS ' BASIN ten miles wide by
lonr called Bon Secours Bay tBahia dei huen
Socotro)
THE VALUE OF MOBILE
Mobile Bay debouchos at the northwestern
end Of the bay and is naVigable by steamers TOT
distance of nifty three miles Its cntranc" IA TWO
ana three-quartore miles wide. and Is protected ny
Pelican and Sand islands lying three miles sou'h'
roiihcr Of which IS garrsoned or deienoea' ,c ~
% mics l3 ni, ahI wbCh IS defended
by two earhorn ior;s Morgan ana bayncS, mVcr
/ par, 90 the cotton producer Of the United states
and it, possession would cause grave ulNlur pahCS
/ railw%ye. the mos, important being the Alabama
and ohio, the Alabama and Grand Lfu I'M inc
Mississippi Sound is an arm OF the sea e co.. p
ouS 10 Mobile Bay and connected Win II ny t ~
a do 1p
has very N'tle depth
The Mississippi, River IS the most importan: river
Of America. and the largest Of the world The CITY
/ OF New-Orleans is situated on Its left BANK. al
the southern. 500 feet wide and 20 deet deep. which
Is the most important; The souheas tern, yin o, 10
Ire with o. feet each.
F ykon and St Php S sHnS cI saf
! Both are Of weak construction AND armed with
the rass against squadron attempting to take
possession Of New-Orleans-an undertaking which
rourso Of tho river there are other fortifcations
without artillery such as The forts OF snip ls Tn
er ana Dnprs and beyond these at Rrnvenue two
batteries Of guns with an all-around fire.
THE NAvYs RECENT INCREASE.
In tho third chapter taken up the additions TO
the feet in the last few years the defects Of the
present recruiting system. the present strength.
mament and a list OF vessels composing the fe,t
Naturally. complementary to tho gigantic effors
made 10 complete the system OF coast dcfeHcs. is
has been increasing In effectiveness since 1891 and
adnous5 the G2a'deieGcr system is sun very iSr
said OF the Navy. 10 perfect which. large sums have
been appropriated, and the numerous Government,
throughout The country have contributed
It's CO Rnmber Of as ships Of
war OF recent construction. armed with guns ~
provemenis These have been substituted for the
few and almost useless monitors Of aniidna s
| floating material Of the United States.
DIFFICULTIES OF RECRUITING
The North American Navy without doubt suffers
from serious defect. which up 10 this time has in
vain occupied the attention Of the governing
powers. and which 10 great degree renders useless
the liberal expenditure Incurred in building up the
| feet: Il IS the lack OF men for the ships
The system Of recruiting in MS" Is. as in the land
| forces the admission OF volunteers desiring 30
serve and as the strength Of the Regular Army
Of desertion. already stated to be general so. IN
the Navy. this reaches a sim more considerable
| proportion; owing perhaps TO the greater fatigue
OF sea lie and TO the ill.reatment which tho
the Continued and energetic enoris Of the Cow
no TO It. t. should be
Is formed Of foreigner, Of variou. nationaiiiies v
out CHARACTERIZATION papers This, even when It does
nGt Rb any doS Of IN case OF var tx
! In making up and contr bling crews composed OF
men whose copyeniencs induced them 20 enter III.
for greater advantage to themselves
PLANS OF REMEDY
Many are the schemes lately presented by Sec
retares OF the Navy 10 remedy these difficulties
Some Of them have already been put into execii-
ton. such as assigning gunnery TO the Marine
Corps so that the crew may have seamanship
arry os pos 10 rs and nr e Sy
time 70 ameliorate the treatment OF seanen There
| include all servceahle men Of from eighteen 10
forty-Ave years Of age who are or have been In
TO an annual drn for period Of thirty. days; but
n o 70 p ine nr han ba of qFn na h1t o put
corps OF six battalions. which might be attached
| TO an equal number % maritime districts each one
having certain number Of vessels to be manned
Certainly nothing Of all this appears give posi-
tive results. and the Secretaries OF the Navy are
constantly recurring TO the difficulties which have
crews the ships which are continually building
Such defoc: in the North American Navy would
not be easy TO remedy in case Of war. and al
though al the last extremity the seamen Of the
| they would not be skilled in the management Of
the complicated machinery Of modern warshps
American Republic can count upon for sea service
is 1862 for the armed ships. BIN for those in
,5H for the different auxiliary services
THE ARMAMENT OF THE VESSELS
The Lee s-mirnetre rife Is adopted for the
marines; II can deliver its charge OF five shots in
three seconds; two hundred extra cartridges are
carried by each individual
AS to guns for the vessels. IT cannot be said tina,
! there any regulations concerning them since
there exists great variety OF make and calibre 4
result OF the daily inventions which are made and
| tried Nevertheless. the material of war is plenti
full and generally OF excellent quality. and il may
be said respecting these guns that the North
Americans foremost. the most progressive OF
nations although this fact makes more apparent
the defect OF the crews want OF practice.
CHARGES AGAINST A SECRETARY
Tho Committee Organiza ton OF tho General
Committee OF the Republicans OF the County o..
New-York held special meeting in the 81. James
Building. at Broadway and Twenty-sixth-st last
evening to consider charges against James g. Nc