The Washington times., 1902-07-10
Long Island and Conaec-
ticut Cost to Be
Defended.
PREPARATIONS FOR ATTACK
Elaborate Arrangements to Protect ths
Shore FIom Attacks cf the Navy
Mr. Eoody Guarding Proposed Az
Talgements.

Elaborate preparations for the de-
fensc Of tae coast Of Long Island ard
Connecticut against an attack by ths
navy in the coming joint maneuvers have
been made By the army.
The line Of defense will extend from
the eastern entrance Of Long Island
Sound to Fort Rodman. at New Bed
ford. and coming south along the coast
the principal defense works are at Fort
Adams. Port Gyeble. the batteries on
Connonicut Island, the forti1cations al
New London. and line extending from
Napatree Point through Fishers. Gull
and Plum Islands.
The navy is guarding very jealously
its plan OF attack. In fact. il Is de-
clared that only Admiral Higgnson.
who will command the naval forces, viii
know what point along the coast is to DO
attacked. 1t Is 70 be the work Of the
army to anticipate this attack, and be
ready to pour the hottest kind OF shot
and shell into the sides of the great
battleships.
OF course there will be no damage,
owing TO the fact that actual shells will
not be used. and that there is no dan
ger from the loud noises and great
puffs Of fame that will beleh from the
hidden defenses on shore
Gen. Wallace F. Randolph. chief OF
the artillery, was the first TO suggest
to the Secretary of War that the army
and navy participate in joint maneHvers
and he has been busy for several months
past in directing the preparation of the
defense works.
Battle of Science.
Correctly speaking. the battle is TO
be between the science OF calculation
and the science of naval strategy No
one is 10 be able to tell whether the
attack is to be made the first night Of
the series or not, or whether it will
center around the eastern entrance to
Long Island Sound or take place near
Newport The army's preparations in
ciude a scheme for detecting the ap-
proach of the naval force in time to
notify the men in charge of the defense
works and bals. the effort of Admiral
Higginson TO catch the landsmen nap
ping"
The signal corps Of the army has pre-
pared plans for d wireless telegraphy
system from Napatree Point to the i'm
portant stations in the vicinity, and
should a naval vessel be seen any way
from Napatree Point the men in charge
OF the guns will lie quickly notified and
make ready for the approach OF the
enemy.
Chart Plotters at Work.
Meanwhile the chart plOtters in the
stations on shore Will direct their ef-
forts at finding the approaching vessels
and upon sighting them will calculate
with mathematical precision the speed
Of the ships Then taking a given point
in the~channel the time for the vessel
to reach it will be computed. the time
for a projectile TO reach the point esti
mated and then all the guns Of the
fcrt will be trained upon that spot.
Il is the intention of tie army tereea
TO calculate these points with such nice
" that when the guns are fired they
will be sure to catch the vessel at the
spot indicated.
There will be an umpire on each YES
sci and one at each fort. and they VIII
watch carefully the work OF the oppos-
ing forces. Should the umpire on snip
beard decide that the vessel was causn.
within the range Of fire 1t VIII. OF
course be put out OF commission. but
s5crId il escaTe the hre OF the forts
il will continue up the channel to tho
objective point CT attack.
Use Of Search Lights.
Tho enemy may he detected also by
.earchIigEts from shore. in which case
t1e vessels Will. Of course, retire and
make an attack on some other place
Electric batteries have been installed
at nearly all the forts, and their power
ful searchlights are expected to COM
mand all approaches.
The defenses OF the eastern entrance
os Long Island Sound are as follows;
Two 'twelvc-inch breech leading rides
On disappearing carriages, model OF
1897; two ter-inch bTeeeh loading rifles
on disappearing carriages, and TWO six
inch rapid FIRE guns on pedestal mounts.
IN electric plant was installed at th-s
Point last year, and powerful search
ig-lt is ready Tor use There are 4 mum
Der of submarine mines here in addition
TO the regular defense works.
II has not yet been determined
whether or not the navy will attempt
TO land marines at any point on the
coast. but the army has under consid-
Grafton tic ordering Of I troop OF cav
airy from Fort Ethan Allen and regi-
rent Of infantry from Madison Barracks
to some point convenient for the pur-
pose OF meeting any landing party
should the naval vessels succeed in get
ting near enough to the shore TO carrT
cut such a project.
North Altar tic Squadron.
Prior to the war game. the North At
lantic Squadron will engage in some
practice on It's own account TO deter
rhine the feasibility OF scouting for
hostile feet.
Some of the vessels of the squadron
will be sent to sea-, and It will be the
business OF these to attempt TO get close
to the remaining vessels Of the squad
rcn or IN sorre specified harbor without
being discovered by scout ships which
are 10 scorr the ocean fer the enemy.
The scout system was not given fair
trial ir the Spanish war be-
cause the fast cruisers sent to the
vicinity of Santiago did not get there
until after Cervera vessels had entered
the narbor.
The Harvard the Ynle the St Louis