New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-17
GENERAL M[LEs'S VISIT.
HE SPENDS THE DAY INSPECTING The
FORTS UP THE SOUND.
STOPS MADE AT FORTS SCHUYLER AND sLocuN
AND AT wIrLErs Point AID THE VARIOUS

Tho official lnspection Of Forts Schuyler ana
c,ccv,, and the batteries Mt Willets Point o,'r-
handing the entrance to New-Y York Harhor from
Long Island Sound was made yesterday py
Maior-Gnnera Nelson A. Miles. commanding
The United States Army. General Miles, '"oN
advantage of his visit 10 this city 10 revue" inc
Government troops at the military tourha"neh'
n Madison Square Garden last evening a'er
inspecting the upper harbor defence" II the
time had permitted he would also nave gone 'o
the harbor defences down the Bay, as he was
especially DESTROYS Of seeing what had been done
nj Sandy Hook since he was in command OF the
Department Of the East But. owing to the
distance between Fort Hancock. on Sandy Hook,
and Fort Slocum on Davids Island. which Is
nearly fifty miles, 1T impossible 10 go 10
both in one day. AS the arrangements TOT the
trip Of General Miles provided for his return
to Washington at midnight yesterday, ne oe'
cided that he would have to postpone visitin9
Forts Hamilton Wadsworth and Hancock until
some other time.
General and Mrs. Miles. accompanied by Gem
eral A. ". Greedy and Captains Mas ana
NICOLA ~ his STAFF together with Mrs. Nicola
ard two other women. made UP the party whicn
left Washington by the midnight train on Iues-
day. ''he members were tho guests or Stuy-
vesant Fish OF the Illinois Central Railroad
the arrival Of the train at Jersey City the party
was met by Lieutenant Colonel a. =. hin'pal'
Of the Quartermaster's Department, in the Army
BuiIdine who had been detailed TO escort GEN
eral Miles Colonel Kmbal nad the Govern
mcnt boat General Mees in readiness at the
pier. and the party breakfasted aboard her
General Miles expressed MS regret that II "op'o
not be possible 10 so down tho Bay ana up me
Sound on the same day. The Meigs vas nea'ed
for Fort SCHUYLER on ThroSs Neck. which, by
the recent enlargement Of the territory OF me
city Of New York, is in the torouga OF Inc
pronx stop was made at pier No ) in the
last River. where Captain Allen oil inc S'sha'
CORPS on Governors Island. Joined the party.
General Mies's party appeared Areatly 20 en-
10y the trip up the East River ard many OBJ
tects of interest were pointed out to those UNI
familiar with them. The lofty buildings at the
lower end Of Manhattan formed the centre Of the
most attention. At Fort Schuyler the party
went ashore and made a careful inspection OF
the new defcnces established there by the
mounting of machine guns commanding the
narrow inlet 10 the East River from the Sound.
Lieutenant Colonel William l.. Haskins, che
commanding officer, :ho~ed every courtesy to
the party.
The Meigs :hen conveyed the visitors to
Wilets Point on The Long Island shore Oppo-
headquarters Of the Engineer Corps, the Uniied
states Engineer School and the Engineer Depot
Major John G.. ID. Mcknight is IN command ana
he and his staff showed General Miles and his
party the new mortar batteries recently mount
ed. the stores Of ammunition, and the arrange
ments for defending the entrance to the port
with torpedoes and submarine mines. General
Miles asked many questions. showing his tamil
ar.ty with The details Of the work
After boarding the dispatch boat again, the
inspecting party taken up the Sound beyond
The limits Of ;he city, 10 DaVd's Island. of New
Rochelle where Fort Slocum has been recently
equipped with a battery Of sixteen mortars, 80
stationed az 10 be BILE to shell with great ac-
Curacy any vessel within range Of six niles.
This fertilization is regarded as being especially
important by reason Of its situation. and inuch
attention mas been given to it of late. 1t VIII
be the headquarters Of one Of the new regiments
Of heavy artillery, and TWO Of the companies
now there to man the new guns at Fort
Hancock, on Sandy Hook.
While the details of the armament at the forts
visited by General Miles have not been pib-
llshed 1t is we'll known that they have
been greatly strengthened in the last Few years.
The Introduction OF tho machine guns, which
ato mounted on disappearing carriages ana can
be fred ten times in twelve minutes. Is great
advance the best Of the old-fashloned ord
nance The huge Finch mortars' throwing
projectiles OF eight hundred or a thousand
pounds weight. which are fred In the air and
ere intended TO strike the decks Of vessels. are
regarded as most effective means OF coast de-
fence They are arranged in groups Of eour.
which can he fired simultaneously or separately.
as desired.
Ono Of the points which General Miles's
attention was specially directed was the need
Of direct telegraph and telephone connection be-
tween the Governors Island headquarters and
the various forts about the harhor. After the
inspection was over General Miles and party
returned 10 the Battery and then went to the
Waldorf Astoria. One OF the officers said the
General made a complete and thorough nspec
t'on II the defences Of the Sound approach 70
this harhor. It Is believed that General Miles
will mako some important recommendations TO
the War Department as the result Of his visit;
General Miles and his party arrived AZ the
Waldorf Astoria soon after - O'Clock He de-
clirnd discuss his visit IN any way saying
that while II was true ne had inspected some
~ the Notifications IN New-York Harbor and on
Long Island Sound his report 70 be made to
the war Department. which could make II pub
lie. II desra bic. After dinner the party entered
carriages and were at once driven TO Madison
Square Garden.
MAMMOTH DOCK AT NEWPORT NEWS.
TO BE TIE LARGEST ~ THE woRLp-vHE NAVY
SUFFERING FROM LACK OF SUCH
FACILITIES.
Washington. March IL (SpecIaD-president G.
II. circuit Of the Newport News Shipbuilding
sarge, Kentucky and Illinois. and who built the
Nashville. the Wilmington and the Helena
called on secretary Long to-day to inform him
that his company had finally undertaken to
build the largest drydock in the world to cost
over S1,OoooOo and to be completed within
twelve months. This monster deck will be 100
fee, in length and 100 feet wide and it's depth
over the entrance sill at mean hirh water thirty
feet Il VIII be equipped with middle gate en-
abng halt OF II to be used at a time for vessels
Of ordinary length 1t will be large enough 20
take IN any two Of the largest designed Amer