The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-12-13
MORE MEN, BETTER
FORTS, MORE GUNS
Recommendation Of Secretary
Of War
Coast Defense Is Sadly Neglected and
Trained Gunners for Heavy
Artillery.
MORE OFFICERS ARE NEEDED.

Washington. Dec. IA consider
able portion of the annual report of
the secretary of war on the army is
devoted to the matter of coast de-
Tense. both domestic and insular. Mr.
Taft outlines in a general way the
work that remains to be done and
urges that the plan be carried out
rhe total cost of completing the plan
IF the Taft board which revised the
oast and harbor defense scheme of
he Endicott board of 1856. including
ammunition and sites, is estimated at
s50,s79.339. II will take sl9,S73.-
S95 to carry out the plans OF fortify-
ng the insuiar possessions and s4.-
S27,6S2 to protect the entrance of the
Panama canal.
In connection with his discussion
# the coast defense. Secretary Taft
avs that it is all important that a
iufficient personnel be provided for
manning the guns and to care for the
ostly plant already installed.
at should be remembered he
itated. that the fighting elements of
his defense depend absolutely upon
heir hitting capacity. and this. in
urn, depends upon the skill and
raining of the personnel using those
clements"
Wants Artillery Personnel Increase.
Accordingly. Mr.. Taft renews his
recommendation of last year for an
Increase in the artillery personnel.
There is a bill pending before the
louse which provides an increase in
he coast artillery personnel of 1sG
ulcers and 5,Oi3 enlisted men. This
Increase would give the coast artil-
cry 700 officers and 1876 men, but
wen this is less than so per cent of
he personnel required for one man
ling detail of the defenses already
completed.
The next most important matter.
Mr.. Taft declares. is to perfect and
complete the submarine mine equip
ment. to complete the installation of
he range and position finding, and
% provide for the necessary search
tights for harbor defense at night,
The estimates of the Taft board for
ais work places the cost at $l4, :
j13.OS4. and to this should be added
he sum of ss.0G2.664 for power
plants and electrical installations for
Use in connection with both guns and
mines.
Secretary Taft says that the Ches-
'peake Is the most important place to
rotect. AS conditions now are. a
iostile fleet, once Il gained control of
he sea, could SAT- unmolested into the
)ay. establish a base, have access to
;upplies OF all kinds and paralyze
,reat railroads, all without coming
under the fire of a Singie gun.
The secretary also points out the
Importance of perfecting the fortifi-
,atlons at the entrance of Long Island
found, due 10 the fact that they con-
stitute the first and chief line of de-
'ense of New York City against naval
attack from that direction. They will
prevent the occupation, Mr. Taft fur
ther says. Of Gardiner's bay or other
Interior waters as a naval base. and
VIII also provide protection for vari-
ous manufacturing towns, including
New London, Bridgeport and New
Haven. 40
Recommends More Army Officers.
In another portion of his report
Secretary Taft renews his recon-
mendatlon of last year that addition
al officers be provided for the army.
In a table he shows that 627 officers
served on detached duty during the
year. and pointed out the evil effects
of this system. He renews also the
recommendation that when an officer
below the rank OF major is detailed
to the general staff a vacancy in the
line should be created. He asks for
legislation which would provide this.
The relative number of assertions of