The evening times., 1900-01-06
MEN FOR COAST DEFENCE
A Demand by the New York Cham
Der of Commerce.
The Senator's and Representatives of
lie Empire state Requested to Sc
cure the Enactment of a Measure
That VIII Add 1S.4O2 ArtfIIerymen
10 the Number Now in Service.

| n copy Oi d TtoOluilJu dhOptcu " IhC
New York Chamber of Commerce calling
upon Congress for an increase in the num-
| Der of heavy guns and the forces of men
on the sea coast defences, has been sent
to the Secretary of War. Copies of the
same resolutions will also be sent TO all OF
| the New York Representatives and TO
Senators Platt and Depew. With the latter
| copies will be sent letters calling upon the
Senators and Representatives to do all in
| their power to have a bill passed by Con-
gress making the increase requested. 1t Is
| announced that a delegation from the
! Chamber, of Commerce will probably come
! to Washington during the session to work
| for the passage of such bill. The Ieso-
! luton calls i2r Is 402 men in addition to
! the 9.702 men Row in this branch Of the
| service.
| The New York Chamber OF Commerce is
! the strongest body of its kind in the United
| States, being composed of the most inn
! portant merchants and manufacturers in
! the country. Ii was established during the
! reign of King George III, and has con-
| tinued TO grow in power until the present
day. II is very seldom that it passes
resolution Of the character of the one just
| sent to this city When II does the desired
| result is nearly always obtained.
Only OH four previous occasions has il
| asked the Government for an increase In
| the army The first OF these Was just prior
| to the war of 1872. The outbreak OF the
| Mexican and civil wars were anticipated
! by the chamber in similar resolutions call
! ing upon Congress for more troops, and
| before the Maine had been blown up, and
war with Spain was generally expected,
| the chamber called together and
| resolution demanding adequate protection
! of the seaports was passed. and copy was
sent to President Mckinley
In New York when the Chamber OF
| Commerce takes such an action. il is gen
! orally anticipated by the business men
| there that serious complications with some
| foreign power are not far on. Just what
power the Chamber of Commerce has in
view now however as being desrous of
attacking the United States was d mys
terry that no one at the State Department
could solve today. though it was admitted
that the United States is involved at so
many points in the worlds affairs that bet
ter sea coast detences are Indispensable. II
was also admitted that the troubles be
tween Great Britain and Germany over the
searching of the steamship General and
other vessels had reached a critical stage,
and that should the searching and seizures
continue eyentualities were likely to de-
velop. The officials however. could not
see how the United States could become in
volyed In this trouble.
Secretary Root has called attention to
the need of more men in the sea coast bat
teries and reports have been made that
the guns and Notifications are suffering
from lack of care, as a result Of the short
age of men, every available soldier having
been sent to the Philippines. In his re-
port. Secretary Root says:
The plan OF coast defence adopted by
the Board of Fortifications and Other De
fence appointed pursuant TO the act OF
March 3 1885 commonly known as the
Endicott Board, provided for a system OF
fOrtihcatiOns at tweuty-Seyon ports, re-
quiring Ca heavy guns and S24 mortars of
modern construction, at the cost OF S9I,1S2.-
SEQ
Three ports have since been added to
the plan and rapid-tire guns have been en-
braced in the proposed armament. De
tailed and preliminary projects have been
prepared or approved for all these thirty
points and the construction of permanent
works under these projects at twenty-five
points has been well advanced.
The present condition of the engineer
ing work is such as to permit of effective
defence against naval attack at most of the
principal ports of the country. when the
guns are provided and properly manned.
The plan as originally adopted with the
notifications and developments contem-
plates the use of PEA 12-inCh. 194 10-inch
and 9S S-inch heavy guns. S29 rapid-fire
guns. and l, ,0S7 12-inch mOrtars.
AT the end of the fiscal year. June 50
1899. provision had been made for emplac-
ing 297 heavy guns. SOS rapid-tire guns.
and 344 mortars. being about 90 per cent
81 per cent and "a per cent respectively.
Of the aggregate number of heavy guns.
rapid fire guns. and mortars projected iOr
the defence of the sedC0aSi The following
shows the progress made:
Twelve -inch-Guus mounted a.: ready for ar
msnteut -; under construction. 10. Total, So
Tcn-inch- Guns mounted. l0l ready tor arIEa-
mcnt. 10: under construction. :. Total. us.
Eight -iuch-GnrS mounted. 81; ready for arnLt-
mpnt. "a under construction 4. Total, q.
Rapid-hrs-CunS mounted, 46 ready for arrna-
meut. lls; under construction. 50; not yet begun
- Total. :0s.
Twelve-inch mortars-Guus mounted. 20S; ready
for armament. -: under construction. =. Total,
ga.
"Of the guns now mounted. eleven 12-
inch guns thirteen 10-inch guns. twenty
four S-inch guns, twenty rapid-tire guns
and thirty-two 12-inch mortars were placed
in position during the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1899.
The number of heavy guns completed
UP TO November 30 1899. was eighty-three
S-inch. one hundred and fourteen 10-inch.
eighty-three 12-inCh. and two hundred and
siXty-nine mOrtars.
Under the provisions of the Fortihca-
tions act, approved March 8. 1899. addi
tional contracts have been placed for five
sets of 10-inch gun forgings. fifteen sets of
12-inch gun forgings. and thirty eight sets
of 12-inch mortar fOrgings. Three hundred
and fifty eight 12-inch mortars in all have
been completed or are under manufacture.
Six hundred and five seacoast gun carriages
of all classes had been delivered by the
Ordnance Bureau up to June 50. 1899. of
which 216 were delivered during the fiscal
year ending at that time.
Three hundred and eighty such car
riages remain under manufacture. Many
tests of gun carriages, projectiles, and ex-
plosiYes have been actively prosecuted dur
ing the year.
The entire amount expended in the plan
of seacoast defence down to the goth of
June. 1899 was $45, ,979, ,2S5.93 There still
remain to be provided for under the plan
III heavy guns, 452 rapid-fire guns, and go
mortars The total cost on completing the
work is estimated at 3,274, 1856"
The War Department has been notified
that the briggs Seabury Gun Company has |
begun the shipment of eighteen 15-pounder
guns to Sandy Hook, where they Will be
tested by the Government authorities. The
guns are part of large consignment, Of
which one hundred 15-pounders and nearly |
forty 6-pounders are still to be delivered. |
With each gun the company furnishes un |
der contract 300 rounds of ammunition, !