The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-07
FOR COAST DEFENSE
SUBMARINE OPERATIONS BEGIN AT
TYBEE IN A FEW DAYS.
GILMORE ARRIVES TUESDAY.
OFFICER FROM FIT. TOTTEN
SCHOOL TO INSTRUCT COAST
ARTILLERY.

Will Drill the Men in Planting and
Removing Mines and i'm Operating
Them-New System viii he In
stftuted at Fort Screven-Savan-
nah HnrbOr One of the First on
the Coast 10 BE Provided with the
Improved FaciIities-Capt. Gil
more Will Succeed Capt. Cruik-
shank.
Capt. ]. c. Gilmore, Jr., of the Coast
Defense Artillery, U. S. A, will ar
rive on Tuesday to take charge of the
submarine defense preparations which
will be carried forward at Tybee. He
will assume command of the Fifth
Company of Coast Artillery at the fort,
succeeding Capt. w. NJ. Cruikshank,
who was transferred some time ago to
Fort Totten, New York harbor, and
who is at present taking a course in
the government school of instruction,
like the one which Capt. Gilmore had
recently completed, Capt. Cruikshank
having taken command of Capt. Gill
mores company at that post.
The assignment of Capt. Gilmore to
this post is in line with the policy of
the War Department to establish a
thorough coast defense along the At
lantic coast harbors. Coming from a
school, established solely for instruc-
ton in submarine mine operation, he
is we'll equipped to perform the duties
delegated to him in this special line
of service. The lack of knowledge on
the subject manifested itself during the
late war, and the government, profit
ing by the experience, determined to
take radical steps at once.
Protected by Mines.
The work contemplated by him is
more in the nature of instruction that
in the actual planting and operation OF
the mines. AS is well known the en-
trance to Savannah harbor during the
Spanish American War was thick with
the death dealing machines. 1t would
have been impossible for a hostile boat
to have come within range of the fort
without encountering one of the mines
But these mines were not left in the
water after the war was over. Outside
of the lack of necessity for them. the
resultant rust and general deterioration
caused by the salt water, made it prac-
tlca Die TO remove them. But they can
be placed in position in a short while.
and be repaired for operation at short
notice. 1t is for the purpose of in
structing and drilling the men in the
methods taught at the school at Fort
Totten that Capt. Gilmore comes to
Fort Screven.
instructed In Mining.
sWhile every post of the coast ar
tillery has Instructions in submarine
operations, that instruction has been,
necessarily and unavoidably, of a
rather limited character. A detail OF
about 20 men were instructed last fall
by Lieut.. w, G. PeaSe. The men at
the post expect to get valuable. in
struction from the new captain and
instructor 1t is probable that short
| ly the men will engage in the plant
ing and removing of the mines and
the operation of them by electricity
| from the fort. The system employed
will be remodeled and modernized.
| Savannah is one of the first cities
on the coast to. be given the advan-
tGges gained from the new school OF
instruction. 1t is the purpose of the
War Department to provide all of the
forts along the Gulf and Atlantic
coast with the new system, and K
station instructors at all of the posts
Capt. Gilmore has already received his
| instructions from the War Department
| and is ready to come to Savannah. He
| will arrive on the day before Gen
| Chaffee, and will be given an excel
lent opportunity of inspecting the for
thoroughly at the time the inspection
| is held.