New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-21
DEFENCES OF NEW YORK.
GREAT ENGINEERING PROJECTS UNDER
WAY AND PROPOSED.
PLANS INVOLVING VAST EXPENDITURES
DESCRIBED BY GENERAL WILSON,
CHIEF OF ARMY ENGINEERS
fpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.l

fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEl
Washington. Oct. 20-Perhaps the most IN
teresting chapter OF the voluminous annual re-
rcrt Of the Chief OF Engineers. General wilson.
reviewing In more than a thousand pages the
engineerng works committed by Congress 10 MS
corps relates TO Notifications for defence against
foreign invasion. Under the general scheme OF
National defence projects for seacoast batteries
we're adopted for thirty localities, the most I'M
portant naturally centring about New-York, at
the entrance OF the harbor. at the eastern enc
Of Long Island Sound and at Lake Champaign
In addition TO this great scheme already APP
nroved. 10 cost over S55On0op0. TO include the
use NJ about 500 heavy guns OF from : TO IL inch
calibre. and about 500 rapid-hre guns and NOR
tars on which over 10000 600 has already been
spen, the last year has thrown on General VIII
son and his assistants the subject OF coast oe-
fences for insular possessions. resulting in me
co,,nls.ion Of rroiect Of defence for the harnor
q, San Juan Porto Rico and OF preliminary
n-oiects for the defence OF Honolulu ana rear
uarhor IN the Hawaiian Islands. and the con-
s,ruction Of batteries for the defence or 'hose
no,n,s can begin as soon Congress sees III 10
snnronrta,e the necessary funds THEREFOR
THE NEW DEEP WATER ENTRANCE.
The last year has been marked. Geherai VIZ
son SAYS By the adoption OF denhl'e po''''
regarding the armament OF rapld IRE gums
which have assumed most important P'S'"o'
az weapons for coast defence Inc duop''oi' ~
Corcrsss ~ The project for new deep water
entrance 10 New-York Harbor has compeHeu al
.x,srs,ve revision Of the future work proposed
Tor the defence Of the southern entrance 10 '"e
harbor The plans for this work have been COM
tarvofWar. Further revisions Of existing projects
viii nrobablv be required from time to time 10
nrovide for improvements and changes in ora
uo,oa arrnor and ships Construction work on
the present system of permanent defences was
,ac,,, about ten wears ago at few or the
principal harbors. Since that time the WORN
has heen successfully extended TO other local-
,ias IN the order Of their importance, as rapidly
&c funds became available. The average annual
concentrations for the last four years nave oeeh
he,veen five and six times as large as the
average annual appropriations for the years
preceding.
o,vine to these increased appropriations ana
IN The war with Spain. rapid and gratifying
,ropress has resulted In the fiscal year the
construction Of defensive works has been vlgor-
orslv carried on at twenty-fv localities. at
nearly all of which sufficient heavy guns ana
r-,r,ars are now installed 10 permit or an Ell
fective defence against naval attack. An III
crease in the rapid fire armament is now the
most urgent necessity. Although large num-
her OF emplacements for rapid fire guns were
COMPLETED in the year the armament mas not
vet been delivered. owing. II Is UNDERSTOOD 10
dificulties with the contractors The temporary
batteries erected in the war with spain at VaIi-
ous noints on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts were
maintained until the close Of the war THOSE
erected on private land have been abandoned
and provision made for the storage ana care u
the armament
PRESENT CONDITION OF DEFENCES.
The present condition Of National coast de-
fence is graphically presented in the following
summary: