Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-09
new DEFENSE WORKS
Another Rapid Fire Battery Under
Way at Fortress Monroe.
1t win Command tho Approach to Norfolk
and Portsmouth, Newport News and
Kicl,mond Hampton Ronds We'll Eo,-
tilted.

| Within the past week another new
rapid-iire battery has been started at
Fortress Monroe, and when it is com
plctel it will command the approach
to NORFOLK, Portsmouth, Newport News
and Richmond. The site is In direct
line with the famous Rip-R aps, in the
centre of Hampton Roads, officially
Known US Fort Wool, and with Will
loughby Spit on the opposite shore
According to reports In circulation the
general scheme of defense for Hamp-
ton Roads and the Capes includes the
strengthening OF Rip-Raps and the
building of Il powerful rapid-tirc forth
fication at WillouShby Spit This work.
it is said will be in addition to the
foi'tiiication OF the Virginia Capes,
which command the approach to all
OF the inland Virginia and Maryland
bay and river cities.
The new rapid-firc battery at Fort
Monroe is already we'll under way and
the work will be hurried to completion.
1t is located on the plant just below
The Hygeia Hotel. and extends inward
lar enough TO take in the sighting tow
er which was hastily erected on the
peach during the Spanish war for the
manipulation of the wires connecting
Win the scores of mines that were
| planted in Hampton Roads Mt that
time. The fertilization will consist of
iour four-inch rapid-tire rifles and will
greatly strengthen the upper part of
Fort Monroe. which is armed principal
~ with old style guns. 1t is down
on the beach. very near the water and
OUTSIDE OF the walls of the Fort The
stone work on the walls is under way
anu cement foundations have been laid
for the rapid fire guns.
This will not be the only rapid-fire
battery at the Fort. The work of in
creaslng the strength of this, famous
fortress has not stopped since If was
started during the war with Spain and
now OH the strip of land below tn. Fort
proper are several powerful rapid- fire
batteries, and below these in the little
clulnp OF woods. so familiar to passen-
gers on incoming and outgoing steam
ers' is located the large mortar battery,
| oil which so much has peen written.
The new battery. with the proposed
| batteries at the Rip-Raps and at Will
loughby Spit will form a line of de-
| fence across the Roads, which will be
| absolutely impossible Beyond these
| points are the mammoth shinyard and
| chesapeake and Ohio terminals here
| the United States navy yard at Ports
mouth, the railway terminals at Nor
tolk ana the cities OF Richmond, Pc
| tersburg, Suffolk and Smfthfeld.
| The Virginia Capes, of course, com
mand the approach to all OF these cities
as well as to Washington and Balti-
more. Several weeks ago the state
legislature authorized the Government
| TO purchase lands at Cape Henry, or
| which, 1t Is said, a fort vlll soon be
erected. In fact, surveys have already
| been made, and as soon as the neces-
| sary appropriation is obtained from
Congress it is believed the work will
commence. 1t is also reported that
| Cane Charles is to be fortified
| The nCtbepinC of Ri0-Ro nc
| and the building of defense works AT
| Willoughby Spit have not been decided
on officially. rs far as known, but the
plan is being generally talked about at
| Old Point and it is believed that when
the work of terrifying the other places
referred TO IS completed these will be
| considered. According 80 one rumor
| The Rip-Raps is to be fitted with a
| thick outer wall of armor-plate. which
will be so placed that 1t will be in a
sloping position and cause shot and
shell To glance off rather than to ex-
| Mode snuaraly