The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-06

GGTVIft o,,, r,en8ed. due perhaps to the fact thaf a satisfactory powder to give tho s,,sevv desfred and a suitable projectile to aecor1 nifsh the desired construction nf arr,or were stfll in experimental stages. These questions are. however. no longer in doubt and congress ai- ready has made provision for some or the amuuition needed.
 The omissions in the estimates of the E.ndicott hoard and the changes in the ,le,aiIs of it's plans have caused doubts in tbe minds of many as to the money trat win ba needed to defend com nietaIv our coast by guns, mines and fheir sdfuncts. New localities are pressing their claims for defense. The insilar possessions cannot oe held un- less the principal ports, naval bases and soaling stations sre%fortihed oe- fore fhe outbreak Of war.
 uo.ra Named by Roosevelt.
 rrhege considerations have led me to sn,oInt ioint board of officers of the ar,,v ana navy, ITO recommend the ar,,s n,ent. fixed and floating. mobile torpedoes. submarine mines and all other. defensive appliances that may pc necessary to connect sne narpoi ue, lenses with the most economical and advantageous a expenditures of money The board was further instructed ITO extend its examinations so as to in- cluds estimates and recommendations relative to the defenses of the insular possessions." and 70 recon'mend the order in which the proposed defenses shall be completed. so that all the eie- ments of harbor defense may be prop erly and effactfveiy co-ordinated.
 The board has completed it's labors and It's reDort. together with a letter of transmittai by t;ae Secretary Of War, is herewith transmitted for the Information of the Congress. It Is to be noted that the entrance to Chesa- peaile Bay, not heretofore recommends ed or authorized by Congress. is added to tho list of ports in the United States ta be defended with the important re- con1mendations there clearly state1' thntlthe gun defense proper Is well ad- vanced toward domplcti m and that tho greate. part of the estimates is for new work or gun defesSe. for the accessories now so necessary for efietency. and TOT an aIlowanc of annmunitlnr, which added to that aireajy on hand. will give the minimum supply tllat should | be kent in reserve r. successfully meet any sudden attack.
 l The letter Of the Secretary of Wal l contains Q comparison Of the estimates I of the Endicott board with the amounts | already appropriated for the nresen | defense and the estimates of the new 1 board from which 1t appears that { l complete dafense of our coasts, omit | ting cost If afnmunitlon and sites, car l lie accomplished for less than thu .atnaunt of money estimated by the Fn l ,lieott board. even including the addi tional localities not recommended by IL
 The Need Of Protection. l Tn the iusuiar possessions. the grea l naval bases of Guantanamo. Subig Ba' I and Pearl Harbor. the coaling stations I at Guam and San Juan require pro I lection and in ad iitfon defenses are re l conimsneed for Manila B1y and Hon I oIulu because oF thc strategic import l auce nf thes1 localities. Tn the letter of the Secretary Of Wal l will be found the sums already appro l priated for the defense at some oi these ports or harbors. and the esti l mates for the completion of an ade' l auate defense In each locality.
 | Defenses are recommended for thu I entrances of the Panama Canal as con l templated by tho act of June 2s. 1902 | tsnooner act) and under the terms o l thfs act the cost of such Qualifications l weuld prababiy be paid for from appro 1 priations for the construction and de | fense of the canal.
 l The necessity for complete and ado | ouate system of coest defense i greater today than twenty years ago | for the increased wealth of the coun 1 try offers more tempting inducementi 10 attack and q hostile fleet can raacf l our coast m much shorter period o 1 time. The fact that we now have l navy does not in any wise diminish tn 1 importance of coast defenses; on thu 1 contrary, that fact emphasizes thetl 1 vnlue and necessity for their con | struction.
 | If is an accepted naval maxim that [ navy can be used to stragetlc advanf' ! 90 nFfAnqtVQ and 1t can bs free to so operate onl1 | after our coast defense Is reasonably secure and so recognized by the ecun | try. If was due to the securely defend ! d condition of the Japanese ports tha 1 the Japanese fleet was free to seel cut and watch It's cbJective-the Rus | sian fIeet--without fear of interrupt
 ion or recall to guard It's home port 1 against raids by the Vladivostoi
 should Be Supported.
 1he security and protection Of ou interests require the completion or th' 1 defense of our country, our coast ant inc accompanying plans merit. an' l should receive. the. generous suppor
 ot the Congress. ,. The White House.
 March 5, 1908.
 | In his letter transmitting the repor | of the board to the President, Secre
 tary Taft says that the board estimate the cost of completing the defense a
 s5o.s7o. .sss. or $22,s96.so6 less than th sum provided by the Endicott board. | The estimtes for the ports adde' since the Endicott board made It's re port, including Chesapeake Bay are al | follows: x
 Eastern entrance to Long Islan'
 sound. including ss.945'657 already ex
 penoed ss,921,2B Port Royal. alread!
 expended s132.10l; Tampa, includlnl | s7o4,4S7 already expended. sl.210.S1! !
 Puget Sound. including $4,2S0,S1S al
 ready expended. $9,S00,264; ChesapeaK
 Bay $6.102,S7I
 The amount so far appropriated ant
 allotted is $72,75O.7SS. He estimates th'
 cost for the defense of the iusular pos sessions. including the naval bases ant
 coaling stations. at Sl9.S7S,S95, in addi
 tion to the $2.254.92e alraedy appropria
 ted. Tbe estimated cost for the de
 fense of the Isthmian Canal ports, ex | rI,taiva af the cnst of land, Is S4,SST,bZS