The herald., 1898-03-23
EMERGENCY WAR FUNDS.
WILL PROVIDE DEFENSEs FOB
NEW YORK
The Immense Interests Centered There
Need Better Protection Than
Is Now Provided

NEW YORK, March 22.-The import
ance Of adequate defense for the great
commercial and manufacturing interests
Of this city should war be declared, has
been pointed out emphatically and the
decision to use a portion of the $50 0000,-
900 appropriated by Congress to add to
the coast defenses by continuing work
on. Notifications affords much pleasure
| to the corps of engineers in charge Of
the work about the harbor of New
York.
| The construction OF additional means
Of defense at Forts Hamilton and Han
cock, upon which depends the repulsion
of hostile fleet that might attempt to
force its way up the Narrows Is IN
charge of Lieutenant Colonel William
Ludlow. Colonel Ludlow said: 1--WE are
| glad indeed that portion Of the $50 000,-
600 Is to be used to go on with the con-
| struction of the coast defenses. In
stead of waiting for the regular appro-
priation we will have the benefit of the
emergency fund. While we regret our
share Of it is not larger, we are glad
to be able to go on with our work at
Forts Hamilton and Hancock now, just
as we are completing what the previous
appropriation allowed us to do. 1t en-
ables us to do the work more satisfactor-
| lily and to Keep our men together
| THE future work will be continu-
ance of the plans long ago prepared for
defending this harbor with modern
ordnance. We do not expect to make
! use of the ground secured several years
ago adjoining the Fort Hamilton Reser-
walton as site for mortar battery, as
there are not funds enough for this pur-
pose allotted at the present time. Neither
Will we make use of the site for mortar
battery on Plum Island, between Sleeps
head Bay and Barren Island, which was
purchased at the same time. Nothing
has been done so far as know, in re-
gard to the erection of mortar battery
or any other means of defense on the
western end OF Rockaway Beach. The
government owns no site there.
This country is we'll enough equipped
for war with Spain, Argentina or any
other second-class power. But in case
OF war with a first-class power such as
we call ourselves, where would we be?
We do not want to have to call upon the
Navy to defend our seaports, but we
should have harbors so we'll defended
that vessels cannot put into them for
supplies and then sail out again to an
noy and harass the enemy. We have
more than thousand miles Of unpro-
tected, seacoast, but warships will not
shell a comparatively bare coast. Such
places as Atlantic City and Long Beach
are at the mercy of any armed foreign
vessel in case of war, but nothing would
be gained by wasting ammunition on
them, so there should be no fear for
them. An enemy would not strike un-
less the blow is likely to be effective"
The bad weather made the regular
army soldiers camping at Fort Hancock,
on Sandy Hook, uncomfortable, and they
protested against the shelter afforded
| them. demand was made upon the
Quartermasters Department on Cover
nor's Island for more tents.
Orders were sent to philadelphia at
once for the number needed and they
will be shipped at once. The work on
the new barracks is to be hurried as
much as possible. There are thirty-eight
new structures being erected by the gov
ernment on Sandy Hook including Off
GERS quarters. barracks, a hospital and
houses for married men and their fami-
lies.