Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-10-26
DEFENCES OF THE DELAWARE.

Heayy Cannon, Mortar Batteries and Rapid |
FIRE Gums Mounted on Disappearing Gar |
rInrss Make the pefsnees Well Nigh linz |
pregoabls-The Engineers Report
Philadelphia Ledger Special
Washington, Oct. %. The work, on |
the defences Of the Delaware River dur
| ing the past year, which was in charge |
of Lieut.. Col. Charles w. Raymond of
| the Engineer Corps, presents some ir-
| teresting features, tho details OF which
are discussed il the report recently
submitted to the War Department by
Gen. Wilson.
| The defences include two masonry
works of old typo, one OF which IS IN
the charge of an ordnance sergeant.
| No new wcrk is contemplated at this
| site. The other was garrisuned fer
portion OF the year, but the troops have
| been withdrawn and modern batteries
are in course of construction at the
site. Modern works Of defence are also
located at two other points on the river
which are garrisoned.
The modern batteries built OF build
ing for the defence of the Delaware
consist of battery Of three IL inch
and three 10 inch guns one disappearing
carriages, battery of two inch RAPID
fire guns, a battery Of three y inch
guns on disappearing carriage, two
batteries of two 5 FOUNDER rapid fire
guns each, a battery of two 4.72 inch
rapid fire guns, a battery OF sixteen ~
inch mortars and battery OF two IL
inch guns en- non-disappearing car
riages and two inch guns on disap-
Fearing carriages.
The battery OF six 10 irch and 12 inch
guns on disappearing carriaaes was
completed and in full working order at
the beginning of the fiscal year, with
, all guns and carriages mounted. Work
| of minor character was carried on
during the year, and the construction
of the Iarados in rear was almost COM
pIeted. The battery proper had cost to
, June Both, 1899, $244, 9s3 43, and the
! parados SIG, 4S0. 70.
! The two emplacements for five inch
/, rapid fire guns on balanced pillar
! mounts have been completed and ready
! since August, 1897. for the guns and
carriages, which have not yet been re-
ceived. The battery has cost s19, 32l. "a.
At the beginning of the fiscal year
, the foundations of the battery OF three
: I2 inch guns on disappearing carriages
had been brought up to the level OF
the magazine floors. During the year
!. 1862 cubic yards OF concrete masonry
4 | WtTt DlhStl bntictg iNaNtbk otoh'
10000 yards to complete it. On each
Of its flanks are to be built two en-
. placements for 15 FOUNDER rapid fire
= guns. Tho work OF construction ha:
Just begun and will be carried or
. simultaneously with that Of the mair
1 battery.
y Excavations fol the foundations o
q q the battery of two 472 inch rapid fir
guns logan July 1st, 1893, and thu
4 battery was virtually completed ant
~ the guns mounted on December 3lst
: 1898. Since then there has been ,
y = steady settlement Of the enrthen para
a pet. necessitating additional filling
= from time to time. The cost Of TN
Y battery to June Both, 1898, wa
. At the beginning of the fiscal yea
= the masonry work of the battery Of j
i 12 inch mortars was completed, witt
y the. exception of the blast slopes abov
y the pits and all 16 carriages and eigh
~ ,r of the mortars we're mounted ready TO
e service. The other eight mortars hay
h not yet been received. Duling tn
telephone systems were Installed, tn
masonry Of the blast slopes was hui
up and 95, 613 cubic yards OF sand an
I'd earth we're placed In the embankmeni
almost completing it Only o sma
g. amount OF work remains to be don
le about the battery. Its cost so far
10 S210, 035, So.
Y, The two emplacements for S-inc
ld disappearing guns were ready *
W service, with guns and carriage
~ mounted. at the close of the precedin
rt fiscal year. The masonry work of I'll
be two emrlacements for 12-inch guns 9
". barbette carriages was more than ha
ut completed. By December 31st, 189
OF nine and half months after the r.
OF ceipt of the first notice authorizir
no their construction, the four emFlac
he ments had been completed in all d
o. tails, and on January 18th, 1899, tht
In we've turned over to the artillery ga
rison. The work Of mounting the tv
to l2.inch guns and carriages is now
on progress The cost of the two S-int
las emplacements was s66, 25S. 55, and tn
as OF the two 12-inch emplacemen
re, $50, l9l. 40, the funds being deriv,
as from the appropriation for "nation
on defence -
as During the year the moat surroun
ais ing the fort and the drainage ditch
lir were cleaned out in the interest of Il
he health OF the garrison. The work &C
ed 1000.
I'd, The submarine mines planted for d
by defence of the Delaware were cared {
10 and repaired until July 18th, 1876
to when the work of raising and storil
them began. Daily tests on the cab
Inc and the casemate apparatus we've co
an tinued until the middle Of Augu!
to All parts of the system were then l,
on In good order and carefully stored.