The Grit-advocate., 1906-03-09
COAST DEFENSES
URGED BY PRESIDENT IN sPE-
CIAL MESSAGE.
MUST PROTECT HARB0Rs
New Island Possessions Must Be For
titled if We Expect to Hold Them
Draws Lesson From Japanese War.

Washington. - President Roosevelt
sent message to Congress Monday
accompanying plans for coast defense
prepared by joint board of army and
navy officers in which he emphasized
the necessity for further defenses and
reviews the history of the defensive
works in this country.
The President calls attention to the
recommendations that the entrance to
Chesapeake bay be added to the list of
places in the United States to be de-
Tended. He says the insular posses
sions cannot be longer neglected if the
United States desires to hold them.
Defenses are recommended for Ma
Mia bay. Pearl harbor, Guantanamo.
Guam, San Juan and Honolulu, be-
cause of their strategic locations. De
fenses are recommended for entrances
to the Panama canal The message
says:
Our coast defenses, as they existed
In 1860. were not surpassed in eff
cheney by those of any country, but
within few years the introduction of
rifled cannon and armor in the navies
of the world, against which the smooth
bore guns were practically useless,
made them obsolete. For many years
no attempt was made to remedy the
deficiencies of these seacoast fortifica'
tions. There was no establishment in
the country equipped for the manufac-
ture of high-power ritled guns. There
was no definite adopted policy Of coast
defense, and Congress was reluctant to
undertake the work, the cost of which
could not be stated even approx
imately and the details of which had
not advanced-so far as could be as
certained-beyond the experimental
stages.
"Defenses are recommended for the
! entrances to the Panama canal as con
| templated by the act of June 2S, 1902
| (Spooner acD and under the terms OF
| this act the cost Of such Notifications
! would probably be paid from appropri
atoms for the construction and defense
of the canal.
"The necessity for a complete and
I adequate system of coast defense is
| greater to-day than twenty years ago
for the increased wealth of the coun
try offers more tempting induce
ments to attack and a hostile fleet car
reach our coast in much shorter per
| ior of time. The fact that we nov
have a navy does not in any wise di
minish the Importance OF coast de
fenses; on the contrary, that fact an
phasizes their value and necessity fol
their construction.
| 1t is an accepted naval maxim thai
a navy can be used to strategic advant
age only when acting on the offensive
and it can be free to cooperate only
after our coast defense is reasonably
secure and so recognized by the coun
| try. 1t was due to the securely de
Tended condition of the Japanese ports
that the japanese fleet was free tt
seek out and watch its proper objec
| tive-the Russian ileet-without feal
of interruption Or recall to guard 1t!
home ports against raids by the Vladi
vostok squadron. This, one of the
most valuable lessons of the late wal
in the East, is worthy of serious con
sideration by our country, with its eX
tensive coast line, its many important
harbors and its many wealthy manu-
| featuring coast cities.
1.-The security and protection OF OIL
interests require the completion of the
defenses of our coast and the accom-
panying plan merits and should receive
the generous support of the Congress.