The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-10-13
CONDITION OF COAST FORTS,
eT\. BROOKE SAYS POWDER
MAGAZINES ARE DAMP.
s.u. es Them Vt fer the storage OF Pew
der-wssui LAck ef Men 70 Take
sare ef Inc Expeus,ve Armament TIVE
v.,s sf Supplying the Dencseacy.

a nj AIIDUINIn3 Inc IDEUH1IlCys
WARRINGTON, Oct I'm hs annual
heyogt 20 the War department. just msoe
pabhc. zen 'ohh ~. p'voAe' A.s
the department OF the East points out u
deplufable condiuoh OF the po""o' nhass
rnc, - the New England coast ioIthca-
tons Ait"f a cereiui "rpVo'fon W e."
Of the forts he declares hat the powder
magazine OF nearly every iof' Is osihP
And unfit for the storage OF powder. he
~, r.marks upon the woful lack OF suf-
- -, 90 ,aLa cara NJ thu vary expan-
nNe''.
eve a'Hl@h'en',
-Slncc submitting my last nnusi rePoft
NJ iusr-ctions for the preceding year 1
h,y. visited and inspected all Of the posts
...wa., nt,h a t.w .,csptions
W nm pa". ~. -. -. a,
and am gIainleu !" ~ =
al 81 the artillery posts where the modern
armament has been installed. and particu-
-. :, wh.n the ANAL number OF men
N. - -. ard nr..arva-
A'ai'n'r ~ u'.h' a"" IN -.
ton oi me hHainsh' NJ al u'' 49,
4. taAeu into consideration The numerical
.,.,,,b ~ IN. sarrisons had not been in
- ,h., i've, 4, INV last re-
oi'~~n ''yoHa 20
ports. whereihh was ursrn'iy
that the strength OF all seacoest garIrohS
ia snch A. To allow one relief for each gun
n,o,,,ad giving the minimum required
"'"" - - l.-.x.w ,h
IN es'h Jaw "op,u' S~--~.LL
the gradual increase Oh the M,nfery "nn
4. nov Ia progress, that q sufficient number
~ trcop, will he available TO supply the
- -, ,ha .aacoas, fortiacations
Hay''"' '" ---.i o. t,,laI
with the numo"r Oh men requ"eu ~
the-e conditions
Cen. Brooke renews the recommendation
II. 10 ID. last annual report Of preparing
pa 60 49, ,ha lam .ide or rear 81 sea
-, ~tor,iNcationr in time OF var He calls
.,an,ion 10 the r.por1 Of Lieu, Col. J.
~ So, a%,,lieyv In-n.c,or. who SAYS.
".TSa No., ,mnortant problem now press
10" a.. a%Itilsry u how TO provide a
Wy 49,, ,n,,har ~ ceica,x and men quail
III ~ ona,.,s IN. mining defence~ OF our
/, h. admitted that the present
eStahlshed strength Of the coast artillery
.iu not furnish one relief for the modern
Armament already provided, and that In
aunme, 49, ~. dsaci.ncy must be
.,o,Ii..J hv raw recruit. or by volunteer
i;Isrv /, var acre to occur With a
sn,-.ro, naval power. an important dash
sll-Itol al pnrnn one or more OF our
-, ir,nor,an, nor,s To oppose such an
.,,oL ~ .hould have an inst ructed force
- .uscient strength to execute. Ia less
,b,n m. xesk after the declaration 81 war,
49,. ann,nva.d proiect for the planting Of
mins- In Iii our harbor-.
TO operate thss.s mine. In the hsrbors
q, ,ha I'ni,ed states and 81 its distant poe-
see.ions win require about seventy officers
and J. 100 soldiers. Al the tine Of the imme-
A.. ulan,in. an addition Of 900 men as
49, md bos, crrus viii he temporarily
neaded All orif~r. smployed on thi. work
ouyh, 20 h. rxp~rt in electrcitv. With
RESPECT 20 the offcer now being appointed
10 .Le artillery from tho srmy their enami-
nation for appoIn,ment doe. not include
even an eleman.ary knowledge Of cleo
,rictty and IL 10 probable that lev n any.
of them will ever he qualified for this work.
n a sufficient permanent establishment
cannot To supplied for this purpose then a
volunteer reserve must lie organized and
onic,,red nv electrical engineers graduates
~ technical schools. This appears 10 be
the only feasible plan Of securing enough
~oric.r. for his rr.~cial service suficiently
qualified for the work. The advisabillty
81 creating volunteer organizations for
mining service should receive early oon-
.ideration
The frs, .,ep that should be taken with
,h. le,s, nractjoahle DELAY is the e.tab-
h-hm.nt of an army school OF mines for
tpe,,re,ioal and practical instruction. To
this school. In my Judgment, ought TO bs
attached the school for electrician ser
geants. now at Fort Monroe, Va. The
oonstruction OF quarters and the acquire
mon, ~ The necessary land for the 1ooa-
iiun ~ quarters at the new artillery posts
'n this Department have not made satis-
factory ptogr-~s during the last wear.
Thus Unsatisfactory condition has esistet
for thre year. and has been mentioned
IN INV nrcyioi. annual reports.
1t is no, known tina any progress has
h~en made in providing auto sights for the
rapid fire guns Of our coast defence. These
sights have received so much commentator
from some military authorities abroad that
early steps ought TO 10 taken for he'll
trial 10 determine their value for adoption
into our service for rspid-fre gum
4, !. recognized that the present estab-
lshed strength OF the coast artillery II
not sufficient 10 furnish one relief for the
ornament already provided This deficiency
In time u war can only he me In two WAYS
'ons by increasing the enlisted strength
n 10 C,,nnanI.~ yrttb r.rr1iits without