New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-18

few years ago. and this too. at q reduced total
cost OF $4,000
while il must be admitted that this feature Of
the nations defence slways has been and always
viii be necessarily al expensive one. IL is also a
necessarily unayCida BE one, which no politica!
party can ever alorG. nom preterslCls 70 re-
form! or economy. TO ignore or neglect.
From recent Special report Of the newly APP
pointed General STAFF OF the army, the subse-
cuent interesting figures are taken 10 illustrate
the magnitude Of this part OF the work Of mill
ra~v defence. which in time OF peace-the only
s..f-v and SAFE time for its ocroronIishnent-
cannot be too long delayed. This consolidated
statement shows the expenditures for fortihca-
lions armament, electrical appliances and
Quartermaster's construction and supplies up 10
SeF,t-l'n-F. Sab TO have been $50 $50 62l ~
And further. according TO the official estimates
by the same military authority or the cost OF
completing the defence project Of the so-called
"End!cott Board" modified from time 70
tine. Il VIII yet cost for continued ana add
tioual similar work IN the projected scheme Of
national defence, SO SO CO. 9S: that when
this projected scheme Of coast defence is COM
pleted the aggregate cost OF defending our
80 -aacbeS = ~ 80 51.; n II addition 70
this must ne considered the annual cost Of
maintenance Of coast defence fortihCations, IN
Guiding garrisoninC and annual supplies, esti-
mated az S1S.OS3.145 50.
WORK OF PRESENT ADMINISTRATION.
The present administration OF the War De-
partmeut under the direction Of the President,
realizing fully the value and vital Importance OF
this coast defence work has boldly met the
from the groUndless criticisms which the IN
Informed partisan is pleased 10 make on the
score Of alleged increased militarism every time
military expenditures are recommended. 1t is
true that curs0-y reading of the statistical
statements Of national expenditures each year.
l.,farv classified under the laconic heading OF
..vs~'' aggregating. a. they do. for the last
eight years nearly SS00O0O.0O0. are likely To mis-
lead the average laynlan VINO CONSTITUTES the ap-
prOpriations as being Tor army purposes only
But al examination Of the nature OF those So
called expenditures OF va "--4 el-O" ina
much Of them is expended in tine OF peace, and
viii show also that those so-calied war ex-
pen6iIures not only INCLUDE the comparatively
small cost OF maintaining the minimum regtl-
lar army hut the various undycidZ Die eNpeldl-
lures which political party could even II II
wished. Well avoid Tor example. the mill
ions OF dollars expended annually Tor internal
improvements. lake improvements preservation
os public parks road aid bridge building, az
well as fo- me manufacture u ordnance and
arms and the munitions ot war, a reasonable
amount Of which 1t IS always wise ana safe 10
accumulate IN time o. peace
Due attention has been given 70 the matter of
coast 6efences in the insular possessions projects
for the defence OF san Juan, torto hico. feari
Earbor and Honolulu Earbcr, Hawaii; san
Luis d'Apra Guam. and Manila Bay and Subig
Bay u the Philippines have been made ana
approved. The subject Of fOrtifcaJOus Of naval
stations in the West Indies has also been urged
upon Congress
In addition 70 the general work OF engineer
construction Of Notifications and the man1fact-
Ire Of heavy ordnance armament, much labor
uons for submarine mine system Under me
direction az a board Of engineers a submarine
mine scheme was formulated even before the
Spanish war. but no funds then available
for replacing the ole style material with the
new In March. 1895. when war seemed inni-
nenI. about thirty-fiye hundred mine cases We're
hastily stored al number II tire principal har-
bors. out of a total Of eight thousand required
Sor The complete project but there were prac-
tically and essentially needed mine working
paraphernaiia ana necessary searchights. Th!s
defective feature Of coast defence was, however /
quickly net and corrected cy President Mckln- Z
ley. who promptly used q part OF that emergency I
$50 000Cs-0 appropriation by directing the hur- 4
-ied planting Of twenty-eisht harbor mines Thus
Il vas that on April l. 1885. system Of sub F!
marine mines had been quickly and etfeCtUaly !
established IL nearly al the important ocean .
harbOrs OF the country, where they were main /
1sined until the signing Of the protocol OF peace
when they were removed by explosion or by
raising and unloading. Subsequent apprOpria- !
tons have enabled the War Department 10 pro- .
vide suitable arrar gernents avoid the lar1en- I
table defects Of 1898 and now with few excep- !
tons all harbors are equipped with torpedo 4
storehouses. cable tanks and serviceabIe mining
easements.
SUPPLYING UTENSILS OF WAR
While this splendid work Of Improvement Of |
waterfront desences has been proceeding so /.
sa ct0rily. the ordnance department Of the /
army has been kept busy in various other ways
boxing 20 ire supply Of the army with small !
aims and equipments. IS well as mobile artiI- /
lery weapons. Tine was when the United /.
States, proud Of its boosted legions of available /!
citizens believed 10 be ever ready for the call I
10 arms, forgot OF overlooked the important ne-
eessty Of securing OF storing ready for use IN 4
emergency. The required fighting utensils Of war.
II may be remembered that in 1851 Cyhen fort
lnately, the enemy 10 be met We're no better 4
OF than the federal army the Springfield Arm (
CRY, then the only government gun factory even I
With hastily enlarged facilities and Increased +
labor, could manufacture and supply the first 4
year OF the war only l3, 500 guns: whereas IN /
Der the calls for troops in that year. 7O06 $50 men
--fe SUPPOSED 70 Dc under arms and equipped !
,or battle. ~ that time il became necessary 4
70 railsack al the gun shops ana junk stores 4
OF Europe for needed arms. and no one can now /
tcli me disasters ana deaths attributable that
unPreparedness. Fortunately, steady effort mas I
Been made ia this direction. and to-day the I
United states possesses two OF che biggest and I
seSl e4ulpEeo goF eminent gun and equipment /
factories il the world. Even up 10 1897 how /
ever despite the vastly improved conditions, the
COUNTY, wholly dependent for that most I'm
portant weapon Of fighting armies the infantry /
man Inusket, upon the Springfield Arnlory in |
Massachusetts, whose greatest capacity was /
only 40 guns a day Of eight hours labor. (
Though 70 some this may seem comparatively a
large daily output, yet when Il is considered /
With reference 10 needed numbers even casual !
comp utatlon VIII SHOWS its tnadeQuacy For in I
stance 200 guns = day would mean about sixty |
q year. about four years to equip /
an army Of 10000 men In recogn{ffon NJ this /
fact and the further fact that during each bat
tie or campaign much loss Of weapons occurs /
TIE ordnance department has been required 70 |
increase It's gunmaking facilities so that now
lAe Springfield ArFnOry capacity has been ad- /
Ianced from 200 10 400 guns day. and in ad- |
clifton a gun factory has been developed in the |
Rock Island Arsenal, where the government has |
: lfeloic water power and magnificent store |
houses. with d capacity OF $50 guns a day of
e.ght working hours. The combined capacity Of !
eJV guns day can, by working double shifts OF /
labor and longer hours in an emergency, be in
creased 10 about fifteen hundred guns a day