Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-13
DEFENSE OF C0AS 7
Board Appointed to Revise
the Endicott Plan.
GEN. J. P. STORY'S VIEW
HOW THE ESTIMATED EXPENDl-
TURE MAY BE REDUCED. i.
Proposed Utilization of the Develop
ment of Harbor Defense Factors
in Recent Years.
GEN. J.P. STORY'S VIEW

An important order has been issued by
President Roosevelt. convoking board, IN
ending Secretary Taft, as president, ana
seven officers of the army, to revise the re-
port of the Endicott harbor defense boaro
appointed in 1885. The board Is instructed
TO extend it's examinations so as to 1nclude
estimates and recommendations relative 10
defense of the insular possessions. In ad-
dition to Secretary Taft the members OF
the board are as follows: Lieut.. Gen. Adna
r. Chafree chief of staff Maj. Gen. G. L.
Gillespie, assistant chief of staff; Brig.
Gems A. w, Greedy, chief signal ofncer'
VIM Crozier, chief of ordnance; John L.
Story, chief of artillery; Alexander Mac
Kenzie. chief of engineers. and Maj; George
W. Goethals, recorder. In his ORDER con-
Voking the board the President says:
The Presidents Comment.
1.-THE report of the Endcott board, sub
mitted nineteen years ago, was very care
fully considered by it's distinguished mem
bers 1t enunciated sound military prln-
ciples. and recommended the best appli-
cation of these principles with the condi-
lions then existing. 1t fully deserved the
generous support 1t has received from Con-
gress Nearly two-thirds of the land arma-
ment recommended by the board has been
of the report so many conditions then eX-
listing have been materially modified, anu
the engines or implements of war nave
been greatly improved, and others I'M
tried or unknown of undoubted value, de-
veloped giving a greater advantage to the
defense, that 1t is confidently believed our
harbor defense can be completed effectively
and satisfactorily with much less ex-
penditure of money than has been hereto
fore estimated. With this object in view
the board Will recommend the armament,
.1I~ET h
marine mines and all other defensive APP
pliances that may be necessary to COM
plete the harbor defense with the most
economical and advantageous expenditure
of money.
1.-THE board will also recommend the order
in which the proposed defense shall be
completed SO that all the elements of har-
Dor defense may be properly and effectively
co-ordinated.
Gen. Story's Memorandum.
The action of the President in this mat
ter was based mainly upon memorandum
prepared for the Secretary of War by Gen.
j. P Story, chief of artillery. In his memo
randum Gen. Story calls attention to the
fact that Secretary Taft. in his annual re-
port for 1904, estimated at S63 ,346 ,0S2. OIL |
the cost of completing the work of coast
defense. based upon the recommendations
made by the Endicott board, January 49,
1886, as follows:
For fertilization engineer corps. S21,-
306,5659S; for armament ordinance de-
partmenD S2S546,1 10; for electrical appli-
ances (signal corps), So, 434 ,222. Oh; for bar
racks, quarters, etc. (quartermaster' de-
partment) SIP ,059, 124.02.
1T Is probable says Gen. Story chat
the engineer estimate only included the
land armament, and not the completion of
the range-fnding equipment and Of the
submarine defense. 1t is quite certain the
estimates do not include torpedo boats and
submarines for harbor defense, which are
recognized indiSDp0S1
artillery efficiency.
Nineteen years have elapsed since the
report of the Endicott board, and so many
conditions then existing have been modi-
fled that there is no doubt that the system
then recommended may be judiciously re-
Vised so as to save many millions of esti-
mated expenditures, and yet preserve a
sufficient and satisfactory harbor defense.
The following reasons, in my judg-
ment, warrant a revision:
Il. At the date of the report the superb
ority of the gun in it's duel with ships
armor had not been determined in favor
of the gun.
-. A rapidity of fire in guns in all cali
bers, and especially in the smaller cali
bers, has been developed that was not
and, in fact, could not, with any data in
the possession of the board. have been
anticipated.
"3. By means of electrical communica-
ton we are now enabled to determine
quickly and accurately the position of a
moving target (war vesse) and to trans
init the information to the guns of
large caliber so expeditiously that we are
justified In expecting more hits at longer
ranges than at the date of the report
could have been hoped for by any system
of range finding then known.
Use of Electric Searchlights
a. While in the report of the Endicott
board the use Of electric searchlights was
recommended as an accessory in connection
with the torpedo defense, their utilization
for gun defence against naval attack was
not even suggested. The army and navy
mareuvers in Portland Harbor in 1903 DEM
onstrated the effectiveness of search
lights, under the atmospheric conditions
then existing there, up to 10000 or more
yards range. Artillery fire at night, when
the target can be seen by means of electric
searchlght, is as effective fire by day.
This statement means that no increase of
armament Is necessary for the night de-
fierce of Earbors
-. If submarines are successfully de-
veloped as now appears certain, no feet
viii lie in front OF port supplied with
them. Submarines will in connection with
wireless telegraphy work a revolution in
blockade operations, and make a surprise
in naval attack most improbable.
"It has heretofore been regarded that two
reliefs (manning Shifts were absolutely
necessary to serve the coast armament in
war, since hostile fleet might lie Just be-
yond gun range, and by threatening attack
tire out a garrison kept on a constant
watch, and finally select some favorable
condition of weather which would make
30 the attack surprise.
Il can confidently assert-and / believe
this is the first time such an assertion has
been officially made-that IL submarines
prove successful second relief in time of
war, which would require for all the arma-
ment now mounted or projected some 80 900
men. will be unnecessary. II a reserve
manning relief can be omitted in time of
war many millions for pay of personnel
will be saved.
o