Evening journal., 1898-04-26
DELAWARE RIVER MINED
The Channel Above the Bay
Equipped for War.
QUICK WORK OF ELECTRICIANS
SUBMARINE DEFENCES JUST
COMPLETED BY DIRECTION OF
MAJOR RAYMOND COULD DE-
STROY ANY FLEET.

MAJOR RAYMOND COULD De-
STROY ANY FLEET.
Major Raymond, United States en-
gineer in charge of the Philadelphia
district, has planted mines in the Della
ware river. The entire system of
mines has been prepared for some
time, and the actual work of laying
these engines of destruction took but a
very short time.
AS the placing in position of the sub
marine mines will render ordinary
navigation very dangerous, strict regu-
iations will at once go into effect in re-
gard to movements about the port and
patrol boats will be placed above and
below the danger lines to conduct YES
sells through the portion of the chan
mel left open. No vessels whatever will
be allowed to pass after sunset.
The work of laying the mines and
making the electrical connections with
the firing points on shore was done by
the electrical corps recently recruited
under the immediate supervision Of
Major Raymond and his assistants.
Lieutenant Crosby and a force of
divers reached Fort Delaware Saturday.
A large submarine cable was sunk and
the location Of the mines chosen.
The exact location of these mines is,
OF course, known only to the engineer
officers and the commanding officers at
the forts; but it is safe to presume that
they are within a short distance of
Fort Delaware. They cover every foot
of the channel, and are powerful
enough in themselves to destroy any
fleet which could be brought to attack
Philadelphia.
A short time ago Major Raymond
said of the defensive work in the Del
aware: ''We are ready at a moments
notice to establish the mining defence,
and the work can be done before a hos
tile fleet could possibly ascend the
river. The mines would he dangerous
to navigation if the river traffic were
not placed under strict regulations. No
vessel could safely pass through our
mine fields unless conducted by a con-
fdential pilot of the government"
According to dispatch received
from Madrid Saturday, Spain intends
to send a feet to lombard the coast
cities, Philadelphia included, and. lest
any misapprehension exists as to the
| likelihood OF such an attack succeed
| ing, the defences of the river are EMU
merated, to show that they are capa-
BILE of resisting tn most formidable
squadrons in existence. More than
that, even a hostile fleet once en-
gaging in an attempt to run the gaunt-
let of the forts and defences now in
position, would stand little show OF be-
ing able to get away again to the open
sea.
On account Of its nearness to Phila-
| delphia, Fort Mifhin, which is nine
miles below. has been abandoned as a
| defensive post, and is used only for
/ the storage of ammunition and sup
plies.
STRENGTH or THE BATTERIES.
The main batteries are at Fort Della
ware and Fort Mott Cat Films Point)
both being far enough down the river
to protect not only Philadelphia and
Camden, but Delaware City, New Cas-
tie, Salem, N. j.. and Wilmington.
At Fort Delaware a battery of mod
ern and S-inch rifles, as we'll as a
number Of small calibre rapid-fire guns,
have just been placed in position, and
between 10 and 20 S-inch rifles of the
old type have been placed at the
strongest point of the old works. These
older guns are very effective at short
range, BAD could be depended on for
efficient work up to a distance of two
miles.
At Fort Mott, on the Jersey side,
| there are three 10-inch modern rifles
mounted on disappearing carriages,
and two 12-inch rifles, which are flank
ed by two 5-inch rapid-fre guns.
Just below Delaware City, on the
Delaware side, there is a large mortar
battery, mounting 16 12-inch rifled
mortars, which throw sheels weighing
600 pounds a distance of six miles
These mOrtars are placed in groups OF
four, below the surface of the ground
They have eiectricacl connections and
can be fired singly, in groups of four
or all at once.
ALL CAN FIRE ON ANY VESSEL
The mortars are aimed by range
finders and throw their shells upward
in an arc, dropping on the decks of the
hostile fleet. The fire of the whole bat.
terry can be concentrated upon single
vessel and as their penetrative capa'
city is several inches Of steel, any YES
sells subjected to their fire would very
likely be destroyed.
The combined weight and force o.
the prOjectiles thrown by the three bat
teries would be enormous, but suppos
ing a feet could pass through the line
of the forts, it would still have to en-
| counter the submarine mines, anI
nothing afloat could survive such al
. immense upheavaI as could be create'
? by the firing of the several tons OF gun
cotton which are contained in them.
5 Owing to its location, nearly 10
miles from the open sea, philadelphia
r is peculiarly well situated as regard
defence, and all the officers of tn
Army and Navy Departments ridicul
) the idea that an attack on the por
would be even attempted much less sue
cessful.