Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-05
GENERAL NILES LETTER
AGAINST USING DISAPPEARING GUN
CARRIAGES IN COAST DEFENsEs.
Experience of the Navy During Recent
War-System Tried and Adam
dOned Abroad.

Maj. Gen. Miles has written another let
ter to the Secretary of War in support of
his protest against the policy of using dis
appearing gun coast carriages in the coast
defense system. in which he says:
Tho conclusion to mount upward of 90
per cent of our modern high-power coast
defense guns in deep pits on disappearing
carriages was apparently reached after a
long academic discussion of the subject in
successive annual reports of the chief of
engineers. The conclusion is not believed
to be based upon any practical results of
fire from shipboard on land Notifications
obtained in war service. The history of all
recent naval operations is distinctly opposed
to such conclusion and no better example
OF this could be desired than that furnished
during the recent war with Spain. when the
fire from the vessels of our Atlantic SQUAD
ronS was directed for more than month
against weak. antiquated and exposed artii-
Iery ueienSeS of Santiago. with the net re-
suits that two guns were dismounted and
probably not more than 100000 total dam
age was done to the Notifications.
Experience I'm Recent War;
odd Moro Castle the eighteenth CEN
fury masonry work, exposed on a bluff less
than NO feet above tidewater, and armed
with four eighteenth century smooth-bore
cannon, withstood on one occasion the con-
centrated fire of our fleet at close range for
three hours. with the result that one corner
OF the masonry was struck and damaged
put the parapet remained intact, and not a
man or gun was injured so far as known.
similar experience was met with two
months earlier during the bombardment of
San Juan oi'ei' VI
There were no disappearing mounts on
ta ty " .ne spanish guns, and but little pro-
tectlon Tor guns or gunners, yet they sue
cesstully withstood the fire from the yerv
latest types of naval weapons Including
pattern. " i"'e9'
IF we go back to the siege of Port A.
lLur' TO the English bombardment of Alex-
aEorla or, earlier still, to the siege of Sc
e oastopoi' the story is the same. These are
iacts IN warfare versus theory in neare
As originally submitted to Congress in 1ssG
Tue eindlcott board report and systems of
coast defense outlined therein Were as nar-
!ect ana as comprehensive as the highest
ttchhlcal knowledge of the day could nrn-
duce. >' III -
1T is true that the great powers of
Europe during the period from 1870 to 1875
we're laVorably disposed toward the disap.
peaf1hg system of mounting guns and that
many guns of this type had become A mart
OF the coast defense. from time to tin1e
s.nce the beginning of the century down to
and during this period chiefly for trial and
experiment. In the closing paragraph. to
which exception has been taken, | referred
only to the modern coast defense system of
europe as affording a striking contrast.
The statement therein I believe To he Htnr-
ally true and based upon information 60
cured from the highest ordnance authori-
ties.
Tried md Abandoned Abroad.
deem 1t most unfortunate that we
should take up, develop and place almost
sole dependence upon type of mount that
has been tried and practically abandoned
abroad. In the fourteen years that have
elapsed since 1886 methods and means of
defense throughout the world have changed
rapidly, and We should keep STEP if not adj
vance. of progress made abroad Rapid-fire
guns on recoil-controling carriages are
being used almost exclusively on all guns
ny to and including six-inch caliber. while
the proportion of guns above six-inch cali
Der is decreasing.
protection to gun and gunner can as a
RUE. only be secured at the expense of
rapidly and accuracy of fire, and the best
protection that can be given to both gun
ard gunner is to make It's fire as accurate.
rapid and destructive as possible This
was the secret of the success of our navy
in sinking the Spanish fleet with guns all
IN bdrbette, and not one in disappear ing
carriage. Our present barbette carriage
was adopted and announced as type by
the board of ordnance and fertilization
more than five years ago.
The method of securing ammunition can
be much improved, and If one quarter of
the time. money and ingenuity already de-
voted to development of the disappearing
carriage had been given 10 the barbette
mount the advantage to the government
would. in my opinion. have been great.
My objection to relying almost entirely
upon the disappearing carriage was the
suit of personal inspection of large pro-
portion Of those mounted, and is confirmed
by the concensus Of opinion of many artil-
lery officers"