Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-20
ON FORTIFICATIONS
Approved Projects for Saacoast
Defense3.
WORKS ON RIVERS And HARB0RS
Satisfaction at the Working Of the
Contract System.
MON \ : X f ID FO Il

MONEY ASKED FOR
The annual report Of the chief of en6i-
neers of the army. Brig Gen. John NJ.
Wilson. made public today. submits esti-
mates for river and harbor works already
authorized by Congress. but not provided
for by continuing contracts. amounting to
Sl6.9pj.s21. In addition. he asked for SD
2.G26. to carry on works already con-
tracted for
The report proper begins with a
chapter devoted 10 fortifcations. show
ing that the existing approved pro-
jccts for seacoaSt defenses conteIn-
plate the emplacement of about $50
heavy guns Of 5. IT.. IL and 16-inCh caliber;
of about 500 rapid-drc guns. and of about
1000 mortars. at an estimated approximate
cost for The engineering work OF s.3.oto-'
UUp. An estimate Of 81. 5Oo,opy is submitted
for continuing the work Of construction of
these batteries and for the defense Of Por-
to Rico. Th- sum of 81 i';&ooo was allot-
ted by the President out of the national de
Tense fund in all for the engineering depart
meEt.
Under the head of Notifications. Gen.
Wilson says that in addition to the thirty
localities in the United States for which
projects for permanent sedCOasI batteries
have been adopted the defense of several
other localities is now under consideration
though no formal projects have yet been
completed and approved In addition. con-
siderable study has been given TO the sub
JsCt of the defense Of our inSular posses
slons, resulting in complete projects for
San Juan and preliminary projects for
Honolulu and Pearl harhor. so that the
construction of batteries for these places
can begin as soon as Congress apprOpriates
the funds There has been considerable
izfl Of evils "a htT
points. caused by the development OF the
rapld-fire gun. and further reVisiGns Will
be required 10 meet improvements in ships
and ordnance. The proposed deep-water
entrance TO New York haTbor neCessitated
an extensive revision Of the projected de-
lenses for the southern entrance 10 the
harbOT.
Coast Defenses.
Owing to the increased appropriations
during the last four years and to the war
with Spain, rapid and gratifying progress
has been made in the construction of the
coast defenses- Work has been vigorous
y carried on at twenty-five localities near
y all of which are even now supplied
with heavy guns and murtarS as to permit
OF effective defense against naval attack.
An increase in rapiG-hre armament IS now
the most urgent necessity, there having
been delay in securing these guns in the
PAST year owing Ia difficulties with con-
tractors The temporary batteries erected
during the war with Spain have been aban-
dOEed where erected on private land. Up
to date provision has been made for en-
placing 29I heavy guns, 81, rapid-tire guns
and "a mortars- This armament is dis
posed at SeVenty-seven localities at thirty
harbors. During the year there was added
to the seacoast complement eleven twelve
inch guns. thirteen ten-inCh guns. twenty
four eight-inCh guns. twenty rapid-tire guns
and thirty-twO mOrtarS. With this rapid
growth of the coast defenses, the artillery
organization which must care for them has
been utterly unable To cope, and the diff
Guilty has been increased by the withdrawal
of two regiments for foreign service and
by the necessity for the services Of skilled
electricians and mechanics to care for the
highly complex ordnance.
The work OF installing dynamite batteries
at San Francisco harbor has been COM
1leted, but at Sandy Hook provision re-
mains TO be made for the permanent pro-
lection Of the guns in place. Contracts
have been made for dynamite batteries Of
one gun each at Fishers Island and Port
Royal. : -
To complete the acquisition of sites still
required 70 carry out approved projects of
coast defense funds must he provided for
enc size in Boston ha-pOr. two in Nara
gansett bay. one in New York harbor and
one in Port Royal hartOr. s. G. The BOs-
ton site is most urg enty needed at an early
date The site is on Deer Island. and the
small detached areas which the city offers
10 donate being utterly inadequate for lie
fensive purposes. and the city refusing TO
either grant or TO ell larger area, con-
domination proceedings must be entered
into.
Valuable experience was said to have
been Cair Cd with 9Th torpedo system as
adopted during the war with Spain. In
general. that System fully realized all Cx-
pectatiOUS. and Only d few milo changes
are contemplated.
Rivers and Harbors.
Turning TO the subject Of rivers and har-
b,rs, the chief Of engineers expresses sat
isfacttor. at the working Of the contract
system generally. He recalls that in the
case IF the vast Mississippi river improve
EneEt, on that section Of the river between
ST. Paul and the mouth Of the Ohio. Con-
grcsS has twice made provision for three
year periods of work. and. this last ap-
preparation is about 10 lapse, he recon-
meudS that provision be made for a fur
Their period of three years by apprOpriating
the sum of 81 ;IrUsyI with q provis0 that
3he Secretary Of War may let additional
contracts for continuous Improvement Of
the Mississippi between the points named,
OF undertake the work by other methods.
under a limit Of expenditure OF $1.JI0,WOO
Der year Tor three years, commencing July
]. 1871 The appropriation is to be divided
So that S6s%&Ei-; shall be expended be-
tween the mouth Of the Ohio and the
mouth Of the Missouri, and the remainder
on the upper river
The required channel was maintained in
the south pass except for fOrty-eght days
during the year. The engineer board which
Is preparing a project for a thirty-five foot
channel through the Southwest pass, Will
be able to submit its report to Congress at
the next session.
The conditions under which the Secretary
consented To the connection Of the Chicago
drainage canal with the Chicago river are
set out in detail by the report General
Wilson says that this canal is of vast i'm
portance TO Chicago, but, the other
hand. the most serious problem is raised
by the possible i'll effects on navigation by
the lowering Of the level of the great lakes
The question. he says. has been only tenn
pOrarily settled by the conditional permit
from the Secretary. but owing to its great
Importance il should receive the attention
of Congress.