New-York tribune., 1905-11-19
FORT NONE TOO STRONG.
Princes Remark and Commanders s
Plan for Fort Hamilton.

When Prince Louis of Battenberg COM
mented the other day upon the ease with which
hostile fleet of warships anchored in the North
River could knock New York into smithereens a
chorus arose from military authorities declaring
that no hostile feet could ever gain access to
the North River, because the Notifications of
New-York Harbor were much too formidable
1Dr any fleet to get past. Well, they? No
exact statement of the strength of these forts
can be obtained from the War Department, for
obvious reasons, but the weakness OF at least
one of them, Fort Hamilton, has long been ap
parent to the military authorities and because
of this Colonel G. G. Greenough, commander of
she post, has prepared and submitted to the War
department plans for it's reconstruction and
hrgement, at cost of about $4,000, 000 Sec
etary Taft is much interested in the project.
Ind there is reason to believe that the needed
appropriation will be granted by Congress.
Colonel Greenough points out that the fort in
IT'S present condition is in poor shape to with
stand a concerted attack from land and sea.
I!is remedy lies not only in the rebuilding of the
entire post, but in the establishment and main
tcnance, upon a forty-fve tract adjoining j.
ON the north of permanent sanitary camp site
OF which a large force of regulars could be
moved at short notice and camped for in
definite period thus affording a support to the
garrison and adequate protection against land
attack in the rear.
Colonel Greenough makes no attempt to mince
matters in what he has to say about the condi-
tiCn of the fort which, because of it's relation TO
Ncw-York City should be, he declares, the
strongest in the land.
There should be sentimentalism,' says
Colonel Greenough in his report upon the needs
of the post about the facts in this case. The
old fort and redoubt do not adequately protect
NeN-York from land attack. The natural plan
cP NaJTr VO
Dor would be a sea feint in support of a powerful
landing party. A successful dash by the lett
flank Of such a force would carry the works
now absolutely unprotected and open in the
rear"
The Importance of this post as a strategic
point in time of cannot be overestimated.
said Colonel Greenough recently "One of the
chief defcnces at the main entrance to New
York Harbor it is practically part of the city
itself, and should be so thoroughly manned and
equipped as to render it the strongest point in
the country
"lAt present the post of Fort Hamilton is an
eyecore," declares the colonel in his report, and
he adds: Nor all the efforts of the usual
small gcirrisOn prevent it from being So
The need for the prompt rebuilding of this
post is painfully apparent A large percentage
of the buildings are of temporary character ana
exceedingly uncomfortable and cheerless besides
belng dllapldated and unslghtly. The fairly good
ones are so badly placed to bar all improve
Tern of the present haphazard arrangement
one in which neither comfort nor sightIfness
has been considered. Buildings have been stuck
anywhere and eTeryThere without definite or
apparent reason plan, probably because O:
Inability to obtain funds for proper grading |
draining or filling in of marshy places possibly |
because of lack of artistic taste OF of foresight
with respect to future growth"
Coonel Greenough's plan contcmplates laying |
the forty-fve acre camp site out with water and |
sewer mains which he estimates can at small! |