Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-03-15
ROOSEVELT URGES
COAST OEFENSES
President Sends a Special
Message to Congress for
Consideration.
NEED A BIG ARMAMENT
He Says Toso's Victory in Recon; War
Was Due Largely to the Effective
Coast Defenses OF the Jap
anese Government.

Washington. l.. G.. March presl-
dent Roosevelt sent a message to con-
gress Yesterday accompanying plans
for coast defense prepared 10y n .loNut
board of army and navy officers in
lie emphasized the necessity
for further defeuses. aml reviews ihe
history OF the defensive works IN
this country. The president calls eS-
yecial attention ia the recommendation
of the board that the entrance 20
Chesapeake bay Toe added 10 the iist ~
places in the United states TO be de-
Tended. lie says the insular possessions
cannot he longer neglected il the United
states desires 10 hold them.
refenses are recommended for Manila
bay. Pearl harbor. ~Guatanalno. Guam.
san Juan and Honolulu because OF their
strategic locations. pefenses are rec
commended for entrances to the Panama
canal. The message says;
Our coast lofonses. rs they existed I'm
1860. We're not surpassed in efficiency lN
those Of any country, but within 4 rev
years III" Introduction of r.i'd cannon .ina
armor in tlc navies of the world, against
when The smooth bore guns were ir'to-
tically useless, rendered them obsolete.
For many years no attempt was maue 10
remedy the deficiencies of the sea coast
fortiiications. There was no "stapish-
ment In the country equipped for the man
ufacture of iiigh power riflcd guns. Ilrrr
was no definite adopted policy of coast de-
fcusc. and congress was reluctant 10 UNI
dertakc a work the cost of which could
not be stated even approximately, ana INC
lnails Of which had not adranccd--so TAR
as could be observation-disclosures the cx-
porimontal stages.
LauIs Recent Inventions.
The president then tells Of the organ
i2ation and report OF the gun foundry
board under tho act of March, 1888, and
later Of tho reports Of the Endicott hoard,
organized under an act approved Marcn
3. 1850. and shows whore later improve
ments In SUMMARIZING and in explosives
rendered necessary many changes in these
recommendations.
The president calls attention to many
of Tie changed conditions under which the
work OF fortified on must now be carried
on, and adds.
These considerations have led mo to APP
point IA Joint board of officers of the army
and navy, ITO recommend the armament
fixed and iloatirg, mobile torpedoes. sub
marine m.nos and an other defensive APP
planes that may he necessary TO com
pletc the harbor defense with the most
economical and advantageous cNrendi-
lures of money" Tho board was further
instructed ITO extend It's examinations 50
as to inclul. oSiimatcs and recommends
tions relative 10 the dcfcnscs OF the insv-
lar possessions" and TO recommend the
order In which tho propose d,fcnscs shall
be completed SO that all tho elements of
harhor defense may 10 properly and eff
icctivciv cc-ord' mated"
The board has completed It's lahors. and
IT. renort. together with a letter Of trans
INITIAL by the secretary Of war, is here
with transmitted for the information OF
the congress.
Need of Fertilization.
This president mentions the new points
considered in need of fertilization. and
says.
Tho nocossi,v for , connlo,. ,,a aae
olate system of coast d,fansn H. rr.,te
today than twenty years ago, for the in
creased wealth of the country offers mor'
tempting inducements to attack. and 8
hosliie net eii I'arh ON, COAST IN n mucf
Hnut'ti nei.o' ~ MI, y. L. M. W.
,iin"ipish M, ;n,,,nr, ,nca ~ 'oas, .Iaso,..e
hut ON thr contrary that f,rt ern,hae iyc.
their value and necessity for their con
striction. Ii is an accepted naval maxim
thai II navy can b" used n stragntic ad
sah'nse oh.y wheh actlhs ON me o,iehsivn
nin ! I "a" ~ IT, ~ 80 oi'elni' oii,y WIZ
so rcoopnizad hy h. .onntrv an
II MAS due to me securely defended con
dition of the Japanese ports that ia,
Japanese fleet was free to seek on: an
watch lis proper objectiye-,hc Russin,,
I'll ienr OF i~ntcrruptlon or Iecnl
10 euaru us hoih' l,ol,s asairst faias "
,he m nnId'v van,oh,e s9 iase . of ms ,ha one wa o
in the east. is worthy of serious considera
tIouby our country. with itscxtonsivcc oas
line. lis many important harhors ana it
many wealthy manufneturins cons cities
me security ara pfotactlpn q our inter
es's require IN" ,9haplel'on Oh me n"i'hs.
,inrj,a and shn,id ,orni,c iE H. w., ,m a. -
support OF the congress.
tn. co.+ &c E.;n,od
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