The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-19
NNW nATHN DEFENsEs.

at Lighthouse POlnC breaking BrOuHu for the foundations for the guns to be placed in position for New Haven's de- fense.
 The guns for the harbor defense ar rived yesterday. Five cannons were brought here on the small two-masted schooner From Beatty" owned by John Beatty of Leete's Island, and the vessel is now in the lower harbor. Sixteen cars came over the Shore Line road from New London yesterday loaded with material which is to be used in setting up the guns Some of the cars were uncoupled at Cedar Hill june ton and switched down to the freight yards at Belle dock, and the rest were hauled down to the West Haven sta- tion and sidetracked. Orders were given a trucking firm to get the train unloaded as quickly as possible, and in order to accomplish this teams are be- ing worked day and night until the cars are all unloaded.
 It is understood that all the guns to be placed in position here are old smooth bores-Rodman guns and Par rot guns-and some comment has been made by citizens on the fact that the guns sent here are those discarded at Newport and New London and are fit only for signalling. The platform on which the guns are to be placed has been built on the breakwater nearest the lighthouse instead of in the mid dle breakwater, as has been reported. It is said that the smooth bore Rod- mans which will be placed on the plat form will be used for signalling, but it is probable that the guns will be used for as effective work as they are capa- ble of in case hostile Spanish ships ap- pear. It is practically certain that a powerful search light will be placed on the platform and will be used every night to search the surrounding sound for hostile ships.
 The New York Sun says concerning the guns being placed here:
 The guns will be manned by artil- lerymen to be sent either from Fort Griswold, New London, whence the guns came to this city, or from the Na-
 tional Guard.
 These two guns will not be New Ha-
 ven's sole protection in cast of attack.
 Mines and torpedoes will be placed off
 the breakwater, The system will begin
 two miles outside the breakwater and
 be continued to the wall.
 There are few sunken mines in the
 harbor at present. These will be con-
 nected with batteries from the shore
 at once. Forty electricians are here
 ready to, begin the construction of the
 mines as soon as final orders are re-
 ceived from the government. A similar
 system, although not quite so exten-
 sive, will be placed immediately in
 New London harbor.
 Major Smith s. Leach of New Lon
 don, who has charge of the corps of
 army and navy engineers in this dis
 trict, suDerintends all the work on the Connecticut coast. Henry B. Gorham of West Haven is in charge of placing the guns at the entrance to New Haven harhor.
 The plans for protecting Hartford and Middletown are simply to block the
 mouth of the Connecticut river. For
 this purpose guns will be transported
 this week from Fort Trumbull, New
 London, to Saybrook, to guard the riv-
 CTS entrance. Guns from Washington are expected at Stonington and Bridge port. These ports are defenseless at
 present, and Bridgeport is a city of especial interest to the Spaniards be- cause of the cartridge factories situated l there.
 The Spaniards are alleged to have a ] big black cross on their nautical maps | labelled "New Haven-Winchester S. Marlin's and Strong's arms factories. J | The city manufactures more firearms | than any other city in America, if not | in the world.
 Lieutenant Hoover has since been | here from Washington. He has de- cided that the Wyandotteb be overhauled 1 and she will be taken to the New York | navy yard this week. Her departure will leave Connecticut without a de- | lending ship. It is expected that the government will make provision for an | other boat to be sent here at once. Surprise has been expressed because | the Connecticut Naval militia has not yet been ordered out. They expected 8 call two weeks ago and have been pre- pared for it. The only explanation given for it being withheld is that the | Connecticut battalion will be needed | right at home in patroling the Con- ! necticut coast upon the outbreak o1 hostilities.
 The light for the search lights to be l placed on the platform of the break. water will be furnished by the New Haven Electric Light company, and | the station will be under the charge of United States naval officers. In al I probability six cannon in all will be | placed to defend New Haven, two al the lighthouse, two on the platform and two at Woodmont.
 When General Edward E. Bradley ot | this city learned that there was 8 ] hitch in finding site for the battery \ to be placed at Woodmont, he prompt | ly sent word to the mayor stating that Woodmont lot of his was at the gov | ernment's disposal. The site is prac- l tical1y as good as that of the Aimes lot and the battery will be located or General Bradley's land.
 A force of laborers began work or | the Bradley lot at Woodmont yester- l day preparing gun foundations. Although it has been stated that | New Haven will get nothing but \ . $,