Arizona republican., 1899-02-27
Changes in the Armament at
 FOlt Hamilton,
THE DEFENSE OF BROOKLYN
Anfiquafed Guns Replaced by High Power Modern WeapOnS-WOrk of Brooklyn ConareSSmen-The Romer Shoals TurrefS to Protect inc Entrance to the New Channel. PIanS for Them Nearly Ready.

New York, Feb. 26.- Through the efforts of Brooklyn congressman, led by Israel F. Fischer of the Twenty fifth ward, the Long Island side of the harbor is, within a short time, destined to have as powerful works of defense as those located at Sandy Hook and on the Staten Island shore opposite the Narrows. For years the absolute ar mament and general 'down-at-the heel'' condition of Fort Hamilton has been condemned and lamented by all far-sighted persons, but until the out break of the war with Spain the efforts O. Brooklyn representatives in con gress to secure favorable action at Washington was unavailing, and the single fort on the Brooklyn side was allowed to settle into a peaceful de- cay
 The transformation is 5eing effected very quietly and without parade, yet so radical is the change thlt within a few months at the farthest no enc who has not recently visited Fort HaEnil- ton will be able to recognize any of his surroundings.
 Another most important work which MT. Fischer and his colleagues have fer several years urged upon the gov ernment as necessary for the protection ot the Brooklyn shore, as we'll as for all the city within the sea gate, is now tn be undertaken by the t8ar depart nIent, and with its completion the ihar- Dor will, it is confidently believed, be safe from any hostile fleet that may approach. This work embraces the building of an extensive and powerful battery upon Romer shoals. This battery will hold the key to the inner harbCc and the security of all the Greater New York and Jersey City. This work is made all the more neces- sary as the new river and harbor bill provides fer channel to the open sea forty feet in depth and 1000 feet wide
 Now all this is changed. IL has been decided to make the old fort means of defense well nigh impreg- nable by an enemy entering from the sea. The visitor who only a year ago would have had to search through the whole reservation for a modern gun, and would nc,t have found i-, will now see a very different state of affairs. During the last few months work has been going on, on four emplacements. for a battery of the heaviest guns made for coast defense, and within a short time the old fcr,t will be able 10 train on an enemy fou. Otwelve-inch
  Two of these guns are authorized by special act of congress, and the others are provided fc- from the appropria- tion of $50,000,0 900. In addition, for protection against small craft, such as torpedo boats and the like, there will be an excellent battery composed of five and four-inch rapid-fCe rifles. The old fifteen-inch water battery also is undergoing rejuvenation.
 The battery at Sandy Hook, which at the present time is amply able to cover all vessels entering the harbOr, will lose some of it's effectiveness with the i completion Of the new channel which will be distant from Sandy Hook nearly three and half miles, but this channel will, on the other hand, bring all vessels in app1ec,able tonnage within three-quarters of a mile of the shoals, and practically within certain range of the guns mounted on them A board of engineers, which has been assigned to the work of locating this new battery, is now at work on it's plans and has practically completed all the main details.
 The expense of constructing such a battery as is deemed necessary will, l it is estimated, mount up nearly, il not quite, to 1,O0O, ,000, but when it is finished it will be a unique and mos. effective defense. According to the plans it is proposed to reclaim an area of land, about two acres in extent, | from the sea by filling in and construct ing a system of jetties An elevation i sufficient to cover the water from shore to shore will be made, and upon this tabieland will. be mounted two great steel turrets of type similar to those aboard our monitors, but far heavier iL construction and diameter. Each Of these turrets, it is proposed, shall mount two 16-inch modern rifles, ca pable Of an effective range of from four to five miles. Underground there will be a spacious and well protected magazine, with vaults and a sUbler- ranean gallery connecting the two tuc- rets
 Simplicity and strength in every de- tail is aimed at, and as little as pos Sible of the fortifcation will appear