The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-12-17
BETTER DEFENSE Of
COASTS IS REQUIRED
Chief of Artillery Murray Points
Out Urgent Need of Re-
pairing Deficiency.

| WASHINGTON. Dec. 16.-'' Both the
coast defense and the artillery are bad
| ~ deficient in both personnel and ma.
| terial; neither is in even approximately
| proper condition for instruction in time
oil peace, much less in condition for rea-
time necessary to put either in the lat
ter condition ls not matter of days or
weeks, but of wears -
Brig.-Gen. Arthur Murray, chief Of
artillery, thus summed up the condition
OF his arm OF the service in his annual
report made public today. He says it
cannot be too strongly. urged that ap-
make good the deficiencies and to cor.
rect the defects referred to.
The total cost of the present system
of coast defense OF the United States to
February 81 last, Gen. Murray says, was
S72, ,305, and the estimated cost to
complete the defense of the United
States, including estimates for amnuni-
tion and cost, etc, is $50, 0,S79,3S9. The
deduction is made that clearly more
than half the work Of coast defense has
been completed. The three elements Of
defense most needed, and which will
secure the greatest measure of public
safety at the least cost, Gen. Murray
says, are the completion of the installa-
tion of the improved system OF range
duu lQI an gums duu
mortars mounted; the providing of nee
essary searchlights for harbor defenses
at night, and the completion of the
submarine mines equipment of all for
titled ports.
More Millions Needed.
The proper defense of insular ports
and the entrances TO the Panama canal,
it is estimated. will cost S19,ST3, ,895 in
the case of the former and $4,S27,6
for the latter.
The value of submarine mines as an
element of harbor defense, Gen. Muir
ray says, has been demonstrated, and
he maintains the view that the system
adopted by the United States army is
practically perfect as a war weapon.
Being under complete electrical control
from the shore, he says, line Of mines
may be rendered instantly destructive
to an enemy or harmless to passing
friendly vessels Therefore, he adds,
having so many guns and mortars al
ready mounted in the United States, it
is believed that the greatest amount of
harbor defense at the least cost can be
procured by the completion of the mine
defense Of all fortified harbors Of the
United States,
Trained Men Required.
f'We cannot afford, however, Gen.
Murray 1urtner states, - 10 wall 1or
war before completing our mine defense,
but must be prepared beforehand.
But even then, he says, complete
equipment would be of no use unless
there were a trained personnel to plant
the mines, maintain them intact and
explode them at the proper instant IN
action.
The desirability Of separation Of
coast and field artillery into a corps
as is now done, is not only unsound as
q military principle, but the frequent
interchange of officers between these
tactically unrelated arms is considered
to be clearly detrimental to the eff
cheney of both. -
If a reasonable standard of efficiency,
he says, is to be maintained by the ar"
tillery, it will be necessary to provide
additional officers and men for the pur-
pose of manning the submarine de.
fenses. He contends that regimental
should be provided for the
field artillery, and finally, that certain
new grades should be provided with ap-
propriate pay connected Herewith, for
expert enlisted men of coast artillery.