The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-29
Estimates For Rivers and Har.
bOrs Made Up.
List of Places to Be Improved
and the Cost.
DEFENSE OF COASTS.
Expense Will Be Augmented by
New Possessions.
Porto Rico Alone viii Require
$I,sOO,OOO.

Washington, Oct. 29-The important
subject of coast defense is the one con-
sidered in the annual report of J. NJ
Wilson, chief of engineers. Generally
speaking, he reports most gratifying
progress in the eff1ecution of the various
projects during the last fiscal year. Be
cause the report included the fiscal year
only, the subject of the destruction of
the Galveston defenses by the Septem-
Der hurricane is left for treatment in a
subsequent report
Some of the points Of interest treated
by General Wilson are as follows: The
torpedo system has been under careful
study by expert officers in the light of
the experience gained during the Span
ish-American war, but so far only minor
changes have been proposed. Up to the
present thirty localities have been Sc
lected for defense on the coast. No for
mai projects were added to the list dur
ing the past year, but preliminary pro-
jects have been framed for the defense
of the entrance to Chesapeake bay, and
the defense of several other localities
IS under consideration Attention has
been given to the subject of coast de-
fenses for Porto Rico and the Hawaiian
islands, and in view of the Importance
of these island possessions, General Will
son says active measures for their de-
fense is deferred no longer.
A detailed project for the defense of
the harbOr of San Juan, Porto Rico, in
wolves an GSl1Il1aIeQ expenditure OF
500, 600. Preliminary projects for Pearl
harbor and Honolulu are also already
available and ready for execution as
soon as congress shall appropriate the
funds. The great changes in the char
acter of guns and armor and ships since
the Endicott board framed the coast
defense plans now under execution have
involved corresponding changes in those
plans The tendency toward reduction
in the caiibre of guns together with the
adoption of a successful type of disap-
pearing gun carriage for 12-inch guns,
has rendered unnecessary the armOr for
forts originally planned, and now in use
in Europe. There has been q reduction
also in the number of mortars and a
considerable strengthening of the bat
teries Of secondary guns owing to the
development of the rapid-fire type, al
most unknown at the time the Endi-
colt board made it's plans. These
changes have resulted in marked econ
omies, without sacrifice of the strength
of the defenses and they will be con-
tinued.
The war with Spain had the effect Of
fastening the work on the coast defenses
and now ten years after the work be-
gan in earnest the chief engineer is able
to report that so per cent. of the work
is complete. Twenty-Five of the prin-
cipal haTborS of the United States now
have sufficient number of heavy guns
and mortars in place to offer an effect
i've defense against naval attack. Ex-
listing projects contemplate the mount
ing of about $50 guns for seacoast de
fense, of $50 rapid~fire guns and about
800 mortars. at an approximate total
cost of IS 000, 900. Up to the present
time provision has been made for the
emplacenent Of 309 heavy guns, 36S rapid
fire guns and 372 mortars The arma-
nnent placed during the war in tempo
rary e1nplacements will be transferred in
time TO permanent works, but the tenn
povary works will be held in reserve for
an emergency.
Attention is invited to the urgent
need for an increase of the artillery arm
of the service, which is now too small to
take care of the costly and complex de-
tense works.
During the past year negotiations have
been in progress for the acquisition of
fertilization sites in Boston loarbor (two
sites), Narragansett Bay (two sites),
New York harbor (extension of Fort
Wadsworth), Port Royal, S c., San
Francisco, and Rich Passage, Puget
Sound, but the proceedings are slow,
owing to legal difficulties The most
important sites are those at Boston and
one in New York harbor, rendered nee
essary by the construction Of the pro-
posed deep water entrance. The report
gives a concise statement of the work