Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-02
COAST D[FENS[S NEAK
Army Board Discovers Many De-
iiciencies in f1arbor Forti-
fications.
Big Guns in Poor Condition
and the Men Are Badly
Drilled.
Majority Of Artillery Men Are
Little More Than Recruits
Blame Not Located.

Blame Not Located.
Washington, Aug. 2.-There have
been some sensational disclosures re-
speeding our coast defenses as a result
army officers sent out by Secretary
Root in pursuance of a law enacted at
the last session of congress TO ascertain
by practical test the relative value of
the disappearing carriage and the So
called barbette carriage as mounts for
high power coast guns.
The board held a secret session yes
terday and allowed none of its delibera-
lions to become known. 1t was ascer-
tanned, nevertheless, that the members
of he board have returned to Washing
ton with consciousness that great
deal must be done to put the coast de-
lenses in an efficient condition. one
member of the board did not hesitate
to say that the country was defense
les, so far as reliance could be placed
upon the harbor Notifications.
This statement is the more remarks
BILE in view of the assertions made am
nually by the chief of engineers, chief
of ordnance, and chief of artillery that
emplacements, guns, and artillery force
were all in readiness for any sort OF at
tack which might be made from the
sea.
The observations of the board have
been interrupted owing to misshaps to
mechanism of important guns. which
will delay the work of the board for
week or more. The accidents will be
likely to happen at night time and give
occasion for the greatest anxiety that
were war declared the mechanism of
the coast defenses could not be depend
ed upon to outlast the attack of an en-
envy or to successfully repel an invad-
ing navy.
1t was discovered also that the drill
regulations of the artillery are antique
and must be revised. They do not tit
the conditions of modern armament and
are hindrance to the efficient opera
ton of guns. 1t was found also that
great difficulty and delay attended the
supply of missing parts or injured por-
larry mechanism. There would be moth
ing but disaster attending accidents of
this kind.
1t appeared, moreover, that import
ant and costly changes must be made
in the implacenents, and that officers
and men must be more thoroughly in
structed and better drilled in their du-
ties. One thing was obvious to the
board, and that was the necessity of at
least an annual inspection of the coast
defenses.
1t was evident to the board that the
practice in which the artillery men
have been INDUCED is inadequate and
results in inefficiency and uncertainty.
The use of sub-caliber tubes in target
practice is deemed insufficient for its
purpose Most of the men al the posts
visited showed a startling lack of ia
with the guns, and the officers
weer lacking i'm interest in their work
except at one or two places.
The blame is hard to locate. Ord
nance officers say the fault is with
the artillery for not training its officers
and men. The artillery puts the blame
on the ordnance for not supplying the
guns and ammunition.
Disabling of three large caliber guns
at Fort Wright, Fishers island, several
days ago by the gun carriage board has
revealed to the navy weakness in the
defenses Of that post that they are
hopeful will be Of service during the
coming nraneuvers. Naval officers who
have studied the situation are of the
opinion that lack of practice with the
big guns will be more than ever DEM
onstrated during the war game in Sep
TENDER. While this condition is no re-
Election upon any of the officers of the
army, they do not deny that the situa-
ton is bad.
At the forts within the war radius
between Fort Adams and Fort Terry
the electric connections have barely
been completed. The men have had lit
tie or no experience in the handling OF
the guns, and sixty per cent of the men
belonging to the artillery organizations
are little more than recruits.
The majority of the gunners operat
ing the big guns at Fort Wright had
never fired a large caliber gun before
ard a few of them had never seen a
modern coast defense gun before few
months ago.
The army experts will depend largely
Upon their elaborate searchlight ar
rangements to detect the approach Of
the naval enemy. There has been some
criticism of the navy owing to the APP
pearance of war ships in the vicinity of
Fishers island. Little Gull island, ard
Napatree point, 1t being charged the
naval officers have been securing in
formation as to the formation of the
land batteries and the exact situation
OF the guns as we'll as plotting the
location of searchlight towers, with a
view of avoiding their glare in an at
tempt to enter at New London.
1t is no difficult matter for any one
to obtain all the information they may
desire as to the conditions at Fort
Wright. Any one with a glass is able
to locate every searchlight tower, and
during the firing an intelligent observer
on the Connecticut shore would have
been able to tell the location of the
guns. Nothing would prevent the navy
from securing a complete plan of the
batteries of Fort Wright by sending
ashore for that purpose.
VOICES ILLINOIS, SENTIMENT.