New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-06

. ois SUDDEN attack. The letter Of the SEQ
Ietaiy OF war contains a comparison of the es-
inmates OF the Endicott board with the amounts
aareaoy appropriated for the present defence
and the estimates of the new board from which
II appeared that complete defence of our
coasts emitting cost of ammunition and sites
can De accomplished for less than the amount
esuhAaeeu oy the Endicott board. even including
the addiuonal localities not recommended by It.
IN the insular possessions the great naval
Dor, the coaling stations at Guam and San Juan
require protection, and in addition defences are
recommended for Manila Bay and Honolulu be-
cause or the strategic position of these loca-
TONS In the letter of the Secretary of War will
pc round the sums already appropriated for de-
,snces at some OF these ports or harbors. and
estimates Tor the completion of adequate
defence In each locality.
TO DEFEND PANAMA CANAL
Defences are recommended for the entrances
TO the Panama Canal as contemplated by the
act OF June IS. 1902 (spooner aco. and under
the terms OF this act the cost of such FORTH
cations would probably be paid from appropra-
canal.
system OF coast defence is greater to-day than
twenty years ago, for the increased wealth Of the
country offers more tempting Inducements to at
tdck, ana hostile fleet can reach our coast In a
much shorter period of time. The fact that We
now have navy does not in any wise diminish
the Importance OF coast defences: on the con-
trary that fact emphasizes their value and ne
cessity for their construction. 1t is accepted
hava1 maxim that a navy can be used to stra-
siVe. and II can be free to operate only after
our coast defence is reasonably secure. and so
recognized by the country. II was due to the Sc
curely defended condition of the japanese ports
that the Japanese feet was free to seek out and
watch its proper obJective-the Russian fleet
without fear of interruption recall to guard
Its home ports against raids by the Vladivostok
squadron. This. one of the most valuable les
sons OF the late war in the East, is worthy of
serious consideration by country. with It's
extensive coast line. its many important harbors
and It's many wealthy manufacturing coast
cities.
The security and protection of interests
require the completion of the defences Of our
coas, ana the accompanying plan merits ana
should receive. the generous support of the Con-
gress- THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House, March 5. 1906
TO COST ABOUT s51, 100000
In his letter transmitting the report of the
board TO the President Secretary Taft says that
the board estimates the cost of completing the
defences at S6OS79399 or 500. 500. 606 less than
the sum proposed by the Endicott board. The
Secretary says the growth of the country. the
improvements IN ordnance and the increase of
the navy in the last twenty years have brought
about a rearrangement Of and additions to the
list OF ports made by the Endicott board. The
changes that have taken place IN the system of
defence have been so radical" he says that the
one proposed in 1886 is not comparable with the
scheme as 1t exists to-day"
Endicott board made its report. including Ches-
apeake Bay. follows:
Eastern entrance TO Long Island Sound in
Guiding S2.945,557 already expended, SS,O21, 263:
Port Royal, already expended S132 101; Tampa
including SIO4 4S7 already expended. S1,21O.377:
Puget Sound, including S4.2S0,915 already x
pended. S9,SO0,264 Chesapeake Bay, S6,1O2S7
The amount so far appropriated and allotted
Is S127tO5S3 He estimates the cost for the
defence OF the insular possessions. including the
naval bases and coaling stations. at $40 1878 800
in addition to the S2254. 920 already appropri-
ated. The estimated cost Of the defence of the
isthnian canal ports. exclusive Of land, is
81, So. $50
The report is made by the Taft board, which
was constituted by a Presidential order, and
consisted Of Secretary Taft. Lieutenant General
Chaffee. Major General Bates. Rear Admiral
Charles NJ. Thomas. Major General Story, re-
tired; General Greedy. Chief Signal officer;
General Crozier Chief of Ordnance; General
Mackenzie. Chief of Engineers; General Samuel
M. Mills. Chief Of Artillery. and Captain c. L.
Sperry. L. S. N. with Major George w. Goethals,
General STAFF. secretary.
While the letter Of Secretary Taft summarizes
report OF the board which accompanies the
message. this report is a voluminous document
and goes into detail the points covered in the
Presidents message and the Secretarys letter.
A considerable part Of the report is devoted to
the necessity for defences in the insular posses
sions and isthmian ports. The places mentioned
are Guantanamo. San Juan. GUAM Subig Bay,
Manila Bay, Pearl Harbor. Honolulu Colon and
Panama
DEFENCE OF HOME PORTS
The recommendations of the Endicott hoard
for the defelces OF home ports have been revised
and the following ports recommended: Kenne-
bee River. Portland. Portsmouth Boston, New
Bedford. Narragansett Bay. eastern entrance to
Long Island Sound. eastern and southern en-
frances 10 New-York, Delaware Bay, Baltimore.
entrance TO Chesapeake Bay. Hampton Roads.
Potomac River Cape Fear River. Charleston,
Savannah. Key West. Pensacola. Mobile Bay,
Mississippi River. Galveston. San Diego. Column
bia River, Puget Sound, lake ports and Kska
Island
A large part of the report is devoted TO the
questions of guns and projectiles 20 he used for
defences. The board gives the following opinion
on this subject:
Ports of the first importance should be de-
Tended with 12-inch guns and mortars; channels
liable TO cruiser attack. 1O-inch guns; places
subject TO naval raids, 6-inch guns; for the pro-
lection OF mine fields. 3-inch guns.
The naval opinion is that the first class fortif-
cations will not be seriously attacked by any
thing less powerful than battleships. The board
recommends that no change Of policy be made in