The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-30
CHIEF WILSON'S REPORT
San Juande Porto Rico Needs Near.y
Two Millions.
OF OUR BIG PORTS Is WELL DEFENDED
For Waterway From Norfolk to Our Sounds
$29,870 is Asked, For Improvements
on Cape Fear, Paplico and Tar
Rivers S257,O
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, Oct. 29.-The important
subject of coast defense is the first con-
sidered in the annual report Of Gen. j. M.
Wilson, Chief of Engineers. Generally
speaking, the report shows most crafty
ing progress in the execution of the
various projects during the last fiscal
year Because the report included the fis-
cal year only, the subject of the destruc-
tion of the Galveston defences by the Sep
TENDER hurricane is left for treatment in
subsequent report.
Up to the present time thirty localities
have been selected for defence on the
coast. No formal projects were added to
the list during the past year, but prelim-
mary projects have been framed for the
defence of the entrance to Chesapeake
Bay and the defence of several other
localities is under consideration. Atten-
ton has been given to the subject of
coast defences for Porto Rico and the
Hawaiian Islands, and in view of the inn
portance of these island possessions Cen
eral Wilson says active measures for
A detailed project for the defence of the
harbor of San Juan de Porto Rico involves
an estimated expenditure of $1,000, 900.
Preliminary projects for Pearl Harbor
and Honolulu are also already available
and ready for execution as soon as Con-
gress shall appropriate the funds. The
great changes in the character of guns
and armor and ships since the Endicott
board framed the coast defence plans
now under execution have involved COR
responding changes in those plans. The
war with Spain had the effect of hasten
ing the work on the coast defences. and
now, ten years after the work began in
earnest, the chief of engineers is able to
report that so per cent of the defence
work is complete. Twenty-Five of the
principal harbors of the United States
now have a sufficient number of heavy
guns and mortars in place to offer an eff
fective defense against naval attack Ex-
listing projects contemplate the mounting
of about $50 guns for sea-c coast defence,
of $50 rapid-fre guns and about 900 NOR
tars, at an approximate total cost of
$50. 100000
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 defence
works.
The total of the estimates submitted
on account of Notifications for the next
year is $5715, 000 and of this amount
$4,7 GOO is on account of the construc-
tion of gun and mortar batteries and
position finders.
General Wilson makes an earnest plea
for the reinforcement of the engineer
corps, which has been overtaxed by the
additional work required on account of
the addition of new territory.
The second section of the report treats
of the river and harbor improvements of
the country, for which estimates for the
fiscal year ending 1902, aggregating $780,
900, 900, are submitted, to which are add
ed $2,000,000 for surveys and contin-
gencies, $3,S90000 for the Mississippi
River Commission, 100000 under the
Missouri River commission, $4,000 under
the California debris commission, and
$72,S00 to prevent deposits in New York
harbor. The expenditures for the year
ending 1900 were $1S,4S5,29S.
The estimates above $4,000 for the
river and harbor works next year in the
South are as follows:
Inland waterway from Chincoteague
Bay, Va, to Delaware Bay, 100000.
Patapsco River and Channel to Balti-
more, Md, $525,362.
Harbor of Southeast Baltimore, $780,
OOO.
Potomac River, Washington, D. c.,
100000.
Potomac River below Washington, $780,
4eO.
Rappahannock River, Va, $4,000.
James River, Va, 100000.
Norfolk habor, Va, $56,7O0.
Waterway from Norfolk, Va, to the
Sounds of North Carolina, $29,S7O.
Pamlico and Tar Rivers, N. c., $32 500
Cape Fear River, above Wilmington, n
c., $4,000.
Cane Fear River, at and below Will
mington, N. c., 100000.
Winyah Bay, S. c., $525,0O0.
Santee River, S. c., $4,000.
Congaree River, S. c., Columbia to
CRANKY, $4,000.
Charleston harbor, S. c., 100000.
Savannah harbor, Ga. $4,000.
Savannah River, Ga, 100000.
Dobey Bar, Ga, 100000.
Atamaha River, Ga, $4,000.
Ocmulgee River, Ga, $4,000.
Cumberland Sound, Ca, and Florida,
100000
ST Johns River, Fla, 100000.
st. Johns River, at Orange Mills Fla,
$4,000.
Key West harbor, Fla, 100000.
Sarasota River, Fla. 1870, 500.
Tampa Bay, Fla. $1S7 900.
Hillsboro Bay Fla, $175,O0O.
Apalachicola Bay Fla, $4,000.
Flint River, Ga, 100000
Chattahoochee River, Georgia and Ala
bama. below Columbus, 10000.
Pensacola harbor, Fla. $4,000
Coosa River, between Rome, Ga, and