The age-herald., 1900-05-27
FORTIFYING THE NICARAGUA CANAL s5ssRse---ss
Army and Navy Experts Submit Plans for the Protection of
 Great New Waterway

1t to remain practically unprotected has not yet been settled, the experts on ord nance and Notifications of both the war and navy departments already hard at work preparing plans of defense that will be submitted to congress at the first fa- vorable opportunity.
 While these plans have not yet been worked out in detail and will not be fully prepared for several weeks, the outlines of the scheme have been semi-offcially announced, that it is now possible for students of military affairs to gain pret- ty good idea of the form of defense that has been decided upon by the government al experts.
 All the expert opinions that have yet been given agree in one point and that Is If the canal is to be fortified the defenses must extend from one end to the other Not only must the two entrances to the waterway be guarded to secure it against purely naval attacks, but it's whole length must be protected in order to offset any attacks that might possibly be made by landing parties.
 Of course, in such an instance the ques- tion of neutrality would enter in, but that would be a matter to be decided after the war was over, and in the meantime the op- posing nation might obtain the greatest possible advantage over us by gaining pos session Of the canal. As the result it is
 
 all 1t must be done thoroughly
 Of the two entrances to the canal the western mouth is the one that can be most easily fortified, and it will be a somewhat difficult problem to construct suitable de- fences at the eastern entrance At this point the land Is low and swampy for sev- eral miles from the shore and the only hills that offer natural commanding sites are so far inland that they would be prac- tically useless if fleet should commence its work of bombardment a couple of miles out at sea. Despite this, however, the problem is one that can be solved
 THE EASTERN DEFENSE.
 The only way out of the difficulty will be the construction of artificial foundations at the proper position, and while this work will cost an immense sum of money it can be accomplished without much trou- ble. If it is decided to fortify the canal therefore, it can safely be said that the eastern defense will be built upon firm foundation at the very end of the swamp
 Here it is more than probable, will be placed some thirty-five guns, ten large guns and some twenty-five rapid-fire pieces. Owing to the nature of the ground at this point, it is also quite probable that turret, to contain two 16-inch guns, would be erected short distance south east of Greytown.
 If these situations were taken it would be possible for fire to be delivered upon any anchorage held by the enemy, or upon any waters that he might choose to occupy while in action. If to the north of the en- trance should be placed a battery of eight 1O-inch guns, on disappearing carriages it wouold be possible for the holders of the position to effectually sweep the field in front, and, with the aid of the guns from the turret, deliver a terrific cross-fire upon any close approach of hostile vessels.
 As has already been stated, the defense of the western mouth of the canal is a less difficult problem, and can naturally be accomplished at a much smaller ex- pendture of money.
 In addition to all this, the position itself Is less important one It is from the Att lantic ocean that attacks would naturally come, and it is doubtful if in case of for eign war, any considerable fleet would af,- pear in the Pacific waters
 1. All this however, will not be sufficient to persuade the experts that 1t would be safe to leave the western mouth of the canal even slightly protected According to the plans that are being prepared. every possi- ble point of attack will be fully covered.
 BRIGHTEN THE ENEMY.
 On the western mouth of the canal there are no natural difficulties to be overcome. The land is high and steep, and lends it. self to military plans so easily that 1t will be possible to do away entirely with the turret that will be one of the most costly of the defenses at the eastern entrance On the westeren side both Hanks can be effectively protected by the use of a com paratively limited number of 10-nch guns.
 The fact that it is not sufficient to fur nsh an adequate volume of fire but that the dangers of a hostile entrance of the canal must be multiplied to the last de- gree, would make 1t necessary to cover both mouths of the waterway with torpe- does. It is well known that these little in struments of warfare are capable of in spring a most wholesome dread in the heart of an enemy, and, as the result the chances of being compelled to come to close fire is minimized, and while the tor pedoes could be relied upon to do taeir work if necessary, the rapid-fire guns would be able to sweep with a scathing fire the torpedo-strewn area.
 In order to be of the capabSlity to keep the enemy in motion while delivering his attack, which would necessarily di- minsh the accuracy of his fire, mortar batteries would be used, and with these weapons it would be possible to droY gro- jectiles upon the decks of the enemy.
 As our 12-inch seacoast mortars fire a 1,000-pound projectile a distance of five miles, the fire from this source is one ths1 would certainly be dreaded. In fact, the only way in which an attack could be avoided would be for the fleet to keep con- tinuously in motion and such conditions would make it impossible for the enemy to undertake a very accurate and damaging fire. It matters little how large and pow erful war vessel may be, she has the greatest objection to being placed under the fire of the mortar.
 According to the present plans, this source of defense is not to be dsregarded. Two mortar batteries of sixteen pieces each are to be emplaced one either side of each end of the canal, and these will add not a little to the power for defense.
 To assume from the facts already men, tioned, however, that the defense of the great waterway is assured by the mere in- stallation of batteries would be to foster an incorrect theory. It is absolutely nec- essary that all the elements of the posi- tion should work together for the one common end In other words, there must be an accurate division of labor. means for the quick transmission of all intelli- gence and countless other features that appeal only to the mind of the expert or the student of military affairs.
 PROTECT THE LOCKS.
 If ship attacks were the only possible danger the shore defences would be easily able to preserve the integrity of the water