The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-24
NAVY MAY ATTACK
BALTIMORE CITY
War Maneuyers May Be In
Chesapeake Bay.
TO TEST LOCAL DEFENSES
To Repeat British Assault on the Capt.
ital in 1SI4-Plans Being
Considered.
TO TEST LOCAL DEFENSES

BALTIMORE, July 23.-It IL probable
that the joint army and navy maneuver rs
viii be held near Baltimore next year.
The field Of operations will extend from
the Capes to. Washington, with Balti-
more as the central position.
The present plans of the War Depart
ment contemplate, it is said. an cxten-
sive campaign for the defense of the Ma
tional Capital. The plans have not yet
been worked out. but the campaign will
probably begin with an attack by the
on Fort Monroe, and a dash up the bay
Then Baltimore will be attacked, and
If theoretically captured, troops VIII be
sent against Washington. and Washing
ton NAV fall into the hands of the
enemy. The joint maneuvers are very
spectacular Not only will thousands Of
regulars and militiamen be brought to
Baltimore. but thousands Of visitors viii
be attracted by them.
Local Companies Stay Home.
In support of the above statement. it
will be noted that none of the five com
panies of Coast Artillery stationed
around Baltimore have been ordered to
the army maneuvers at Manassas. II is
usual for each company to attend the
n1aneuvers every other year.
Last year only one company from Bal
timore attended, and that company did
not return to Baltimore Naturally the
men expected to go away this year, but,
up to the present time, orders to that
effect have not been issued.
Few realize the strength Of the for
/ tifcations defending Baltimore. In ad-
dition to the forts is the great strength
Of the natural defenses. In order to at
tack Baltimore a feet would have TO 81
lence the forts at the mouth Of the bay
Solid Fort Monroe.
Fort Monroe. one Of the forts guarding
the bay entrance. is considered one Of
the strongest Notifications in the world
On the trip up the bay there would be
the great danger from submarine mines,
which could be laid inside of a week
Judging from the japanese war, this
would prove a great defense Twenty
miles from the mouth of the river tine
warships and cruisers would have to fol
low the CraighHl channel.
During the Spanish war, when there
was no immediate fear of an invasion.
the channel was so mined that 1t was
dangerous for the small excursion
| steamers to come into the harbOr at
night, If once word was sent that a
| hostile ship was inside the Capes. mines
would be placed in it so thickIy that
rowboat could not follow 1t and escape
being blown up.
Must Pass Two Forts.
! Allowing that the enemy escaped all
| these dangers. while they were vet
twelve miles from the river. the Y and
/ is inch guns, at Forts Howard and
| Smallwood. just inside the mouth OF the
river, would reach them. At this time
the forts would be absolutely out OF
/ sight. The whole harbOr and bav for
miles is plated. so that the men in the
| empiacements would fire the big guns
, without seeing the enemy, and might
! even destroy them without knowing 1t
As the feet approached nearer the
smaller guns would come into action
/ and the big 16-inch mortars could be
| used The latter are worked on TIE
theory that the enemy should be attack
| ed at his weakest point. They are fired
up into the air so that instead Of hit
/ ting the ship on the side. where the
! steel armor is from ten 70 sixteen inch
es thick, the proJectiles will fall OF the
deck, where the armor is only from two
to three inches thick
Fort Carroll, In the middle of the har-
/ Dor. and Fort Armistead, on the south
side OF the river. could join IN the de-
Tense as soon as the enemy got within
| ten miles. Fort Carroll. which was
| planned by Gen. Robert +. Lee, has
been provided with modern guns, and is
now considered strong fort.
Where British Landed.
Fort Howard is located on the very
spot where the British landed in 1914
The men Of the two companies Of the
Coast Artillery now stationed there-the
Fortieth and the One Hundred and Third
point out to visitors the tree In which
Wells and McComas hid when they
killed General Ross
The fort contains handsome quarters
for the officers and large barracks for
the private and non-commissioned Off
GERS. The ground has been filed in, and
at one place where large sailing boats
passed a few years ago there is high
land. Earth removed from the channel
in deepening it was used for filling in
Fort SmaIlwoOd is on the opposite side
of the river. 1t is much smaller at pres
ent and is garrisoned by a detachment
from Fort Howard. There are emplace-
ments for large guns, which could be
mounted in few days, at this post
Fort Armistsead is on the south bank
of the river on Hawkins Point, almost
opposite Fort Carroll. A number OF six
inch guns are already mounted here. A
small detachment from the Ninetietf
Company of the Coast Artillery, sta.
toned at Fort McHenry, looks after
Fort Armistead. A detachment from tbs
Thirty ninth Company Of the Coast Ar
tillery, stationed at Fort McHenry, has
charge OF Fort Carroll Both COMPANIES
go down the river daily TO drill at the
other posts.
Fort McHenry Anticipated.
Fort McHenry. which at one tim,
lproved to be the chief defense Of the city
would not be used. Only old-fashione(
guns of the time OF the civil war ar,
mounted her II is used now as &
Government reservation. at which troop:
are stationed for convenience
The quarteCs in the fort proper hav,
been abandoned by the men and ar,
used as a storehouse for the quarter
masters supplies. The three barracks
inow occupied by the men We're originally
stables Some years ago the cavalry
was transferred to some, other post, tn,
stables were renovated, and companie.
= of the Coast Artillery We're ordered {,
the fort.
! Nearly COO men are stationed at tn
: Dosts around Baltimore. There are fiv,
companies of the Coast Artillery, eacl
, numbering 100 men. In addition, Their
lare three officers for each company
Col. Frank Thorp's staff and the hos
Uital corps. Major Medorem Crawfor,
ann a l.