The Savannah morning news., 1902-08-09
FORTS NOT inefficient.
GEN. CROzIER CONTRADICTs THE
STATEMENTS.

He Admits That There Has Been
But Says That the Coast Artillery
Is Now Being ReorEanized and In
creased-Forts Screven, Sumter
and Others Along the Coast viii
BE Equipped With Heavy Ord
nance on disappearing Carriages.
Some Small Guns Are still to BE
Supplied, But the Men Have shown
Efficiency with the Large Guns.
Washington. Aug. S.-According to
some of the unofficial "tipsters," who
are specializing in certain newspapers,
over the war game TO take place this
month. between the army and the
navy off the New England coast, many
of the important fortified tons along
the Atlantic seaboard are lacking in
efficiency.
Fort Sumter and Sullivan's Island, on
the South Carolina coast, and Fort
ScreVen at Savannah are said to be
classed among the coast defenses UNI
prepared to meet hostile attack. Al
though Charleston and Savannah are
not included in the zone of the COM
ing war game, the question of the in
efficiency of these two important sea-
ports defenses is an interesting sub
iect.
1t appears, upon inquiry at the War
Department that the published state
ments concerning Charleston and Sa-
Nannah are too broad and sweeping.
Gen. Crozier. chief of the Bureau of
Ordnance, informed me that while
some of the forts along the Atlantic
coast may not be up to that state CT
perfection desired, it is unfair to state
that they are lacking in efficiency. He
applied that statement to Charleston
and Savannah.
In commenting upon the fortifica-
tons at Charleston and Savannah,
Gen. Crozier spoke in the highest
terms of the equipments and the or
CARNATIONS at those points. In view
of the fact that prior to the Spanish
American war, little or no attention
was paid by Congress or the press, to
coast defenses the Coast Artillery
Corps had been neglected. Recently,
the country has demanded that more
attention than heretofore be given to
the protection of our sea coast, and the
result has been that liberal approprla
lions are now made for that purpose.
The Artillery Corps is now being re-
organized and increased to meet the
requirements of the service, and the
unpreparedness complained of is dis
appearing as rapidly as the men be-
come familiar with the improved style
of equipment of modern Notifications
Well Equipped With Big Guns.
Fort Sumter, Sullivan's Island, Fort
Screven and other forts along the coast
are well equipped with heavy ordnance
-1O-inch guns on improved disappear
ing carriages. While it may be true
that these forts are not supplied with
all the small guns intended for Them
recent tests have demonstrated that
the men in charge of these great guns
are fast becoming familiar with them,
preparatory to efficient operation in
time of action.
1t will be remembered that when
President Roosevelt visited Charleston
last spring, one of the most interesting
features of his trip was an inspection
of the 10-inch guns on Fort Sumter.
On that occasion the gun crew was
ordered to quarters and they manip-
ulated that great monster resting upon
disappearing carriage with such
skill and proficiency that the
President personally complimented tht
sergeant of the squad. 1t is conceded
that modern coast guns are extremely
complicated. For this reason coast ar
tillerymen have much more to learn
than field artillerymen or cavalrymen
The work of defenses is new to many
of the men, who have been in the SER
vice scarcely less than a year. Many
OF the junior officers have been APP
pointed from civil life, and therefore
it is unreasonable to expect the newly
organized Coast Artillery Corps to be
in state of perfection.
Charleston and Savannah fortifica-
tons are by no means ineffectual
There are some of the forts where the
equipment is more complete, and where
the garrison has had a longer expert
ence in handling these big guns, but
Charleston and Savannah are keeping
up with the general improvement of
the service, and so is Fort Monroe,
Forts Wright, Adams and a number of
other. forts supposed to be in the in
efficient class