Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-21
Estimates for Work Already
Authorized by Congress.
100000 FOR JAMES RIVER
Annual Report or Isrlsadier General VIII
son. Chief OF Engineer. o.. S. A. he
Asks for an Additional Appro-
priation of &I5.58.,G:6
Ry Telcgrapll.)

tRy Telcgraph)
WASHINGTON. Oct. 2U.-Th. annual
report OF the chief of engineers of tn.
army. Brig General J;.hn NJ Wilson.
made public today. submits estimates
for river and narbor works already au-
tho1iZ lied by Congress- but not provided
lCr by continuing contracts. amounting
To S26.916.S2l. III addition he asks fo;.
Sl",oS2,62G to carry on works already
contracted for.
The report shows that the existing
approved projects for seacoast defen-
SOS contemplate the emplacement of
about 500 heavy guns of s. 10, - and 16-
inch calibre; OF about 500 rapid fire
guns. and of about 900 mortars at an
estimated approximate cost for the en-
Sineerng work of S55,COO COO An esti-
mate of 81, 900 is submitted for con-
j tinuirg the work of construction of
these batteries and for the defense of
Porto Rico. The sum of s., s6a. 900 was
allotted by the President out of the ma
tiona' defense fund in all for the en-
cheering department.
| SIcACOAST BATTERIES
! Under the head of Notifications. Cen
/, eral Wilson says that in addition to
the 30 localities in the United States fol,
which projects for permanent seacoast
batteries have been adopted, the de-
/ Tense OF several other localities is now
under consideration. Considerable
study has been given to the defense Of
our insular possessions resulting in
complete projects for San Juan and
preliminary projects for Honolulu and
| Pearl Harbor SO that the construction
of batteries for these places can begin
as soon as Congress appropriates the
funds. There has been considerable
revision Of existing projects for other
points caused by the development of
| the rapid fire gun and further reNisions
Will lie required to meet improvements
/ III ships and ordnance
! WORK ACTIVELY CARRIED ON.
! WORK on SeacoaSt defenScS mas been
i vigorously carried on at % localities
| nearly all Of wiich are even now 50
supplied With heavy guns ard mortars
as to permit OF effective defense against
! naval attack. An increase in rapid
t'e armament. General Wilson says
IS now the most urgent necessity. there.
having been delay IN securing these
guns in the past year owing TO diff
| cuities with contractors. The tempor-
ar@ batteries constructed during th,.
war with Spain have been abandoned
where erected on private land. UD to
, date provision has been made for en-
placing 29l heavy guns sos rapid fire
suns ana 5ii mortars. This armament
IS disposed at q localities in so harpuis
! During the year there Was added to TIL.
srt'coast complement eleven l2-inch
suns. thirteen 10-inch guns twenty
tour S-inch guns. twenty rapid fire guns
and - mortars. With this; rapid growth
OF he coast defcnses. the artillery or
Ganization Which must care for them
had been utterly unable to cope With
! them and the difficulty has been in
creased by the withdrawal of two regi-
| 'nents for foreign service and by the ne
ccssity for the services Of skilled cleo
| l'lclans and mechanics TO care for tha
highly complex ordnance.
| DYNAMITE BATTERIES
| The work of Installing dynamite bat
tcries al san Francisco harbor has bcea
completed, but ut sandy Hook provis-
ION remains to be made for the l,ernla-
rent protection Of the guns in place.
Contracts have been made for dynamite
batteries Of one gun each at Fishers
! Island, and Port Royal. S. G.
70 complete the acquisition OF sites
,Stili required to carry out approved
projects Of coast defense funds must te
provided for one site in Boston harbo:.
| two IN Earragansett bay. one in New
| York harbor and one in Port ROYAL
h;,rbor
| Valuable experience was said to have
been gained with the torpedo system as
| adopted in the war with Spain. In
! general that system realized all expcc-
tations and only minor changes are
contemplated.
| Turning to the subject Of rivers ana
larbors, the chief Of engineers express
SEES satisfaction at the work under tn.
contract system.
$500 900 FOR JAMES RIVER.
Among the appropria tons recon-
mended for river and harbor work the
report shows the following Of $4,000 or
more
James river Va, s4oo,ooo: Cape Fear
river. at and below Wilmington, ~ q,
$250,00O: Coosa river. between Rome.
]. Ga, and Bridge, s41s.oOO Coosa river
! between Wetumke and bridge. $500 OOJ:
st. Johns river. Fla. Jacksonville to
ocean, 100000; St. Johns river, Orange
| Mills. $4,000; Tombigbee river To Dem
| opoiis, Ala. $3.50, 600: Norfolk harbor.
Va. and approaches. s56 ia; Charles
ton harbor. S. c., $250.O0O: Hillsboro
bay, Fla. sl75.000: Key West harbor.
entrance. s2oo,O00; Pensacola harbor,
| 500. O0G.
In addition to the foregoing the fol-
! lowing estimates are made under the
continuing contract system: Winyah
bay. $. G.. 100000: Cumberland sound,
Ca, and Florida. 100000; Tampa Bay,
Fla, $!50.oo0; Norfolk. Va. waterway.
| 100000: Savannah. river. $4,000 Cou-
game river, N. c., 100000.