The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-03-08
ROOSEVELT URGES
COAST DEFENSES
President Sends q Special
Message to Congress for
Consideration.
NEED A BIG ARMAMENT
He Says Toso's Victory in Recent War
Was Due Largely to the Effective
Coast Defenses OF the Jap.
anese Government.

Washington. II. G.. March 1.--Prcsi-
dent Roosevelt sent "A message TO con-
grcss yesterday accompanying plans
for coast defense prepared by "A joint
board OF army and navy officers In
which he emphasized the necessity
for further defenses. and reviews the
history OF the defensive works Ia
this country. The president calls es-
pecial attention To- the recommendation
of the board that the entrance to
Chesapeake bay be added To the list OF
places In the United States TO be de-
Tended. He says the insular possessions
cannot be longer neglected II the United
states desires To hold them.
Dcfenses are recommended for Manila
bay. Pearl harbOr. Guatanamo. Guam.
San Juan and Honolulu because OF their
strategic locations. Defcnses are rec
commended for entrances to the Panama
canal. The message says:
Our coast dcfcnscs. rs they existed IN
fSo. were not surpassed In efficiency by
those OF any country. but within few
years the Introduction OF r.ned cannon and
armor In the navirs OF the world. against
which the smooth bore guns were prac-
ticaily useless, rendered them obsolete
For many years no attempt was made 10
remedy the deficiencies OF the sea coast
fortincationS. There was no establish
m-nt In tho country equipped for the man
was no definite adopted policy OF coast do.
tense. and congress was reluctant 20 un-
dcrtakc n work the cost OF which could
dsaIis OF which had not advanced-so far
az could be aSccrtaincd-beyOnd the cx-
p~rimeptal stages.
lauds Recent Inventions.
The president then tells OF tho organ
iEation aud report OF the gun foundry
board" under the act OF March, isS5. and
later OF the reports OF the Endicott board.
-
l. iSS5. and shows where later Improve
m.Ets In gunmaking and In explosives
rendered necessary many changes In these
recommendations.
The president calls attention 20 many
Of the changed conditions under which tho
work OF fertilization must now be carried
or. and adds:
point joint board of officers of the army
and navy. ito recommend the armament
nxcd and noatirg. mobile torpedocs. sub
marine mines and all other defensive APP
planes that may be nccsssary 90 com
plete the harbor defense with IN. most
economical and advantageous cxp.ndi-
lures OF money" The board was further
instructed ito extend Its examinations 50
"a to include estimates and recommended
lions relative TO tn. def.nses OF the insu-
order I'm which the proposed d.fenses shall
be completed 81 that all tn. elements 81
harbor defense may bs properly and 81.
srUflENIN a..
Tho board has completed It's labors. and
iis report. together with letter of trans
initial by the secretary OF war. II here
with transmitted for the Information 81
the congress.
Need Of Fertilization.
The president mentions tho nov points
considered In need % fertilization. and
Gays:
Tho necessity for a complete anil adr.
quatc system OF coast defense l. greater
today than twenty years ago. for On" In
creased wealth OF the country ofrcrS NOR"
tempting Inducements to attack. and a
hostile neet can reach ont coast Ia "a much
shorter period OF time. tn" fact that We
now have navy does not In any wis"
diminish the Importance OF coast def"ns"s:
but, on the contrarv. that fact emphasizes
their value and necessity FOR their con
struction. IL IN an accepted naval ma kim
that "A navy can bc used "a Strug"tic ALL
vantage only when acting on the offensive.
and II can he free tO 80 operate only when
our coast defense II reasonably secure. and
recognized by the country,
II was due TO the securely defended con-
dillon OF the Japanese ports that the
Japanese fleet WAS free To seek out and
watch It's proper nbjective-th~ Russian
rect--without fear OF Interruption or recall
20 guard It's HON" ports against raids by
che ValdiyoHtok squadron. This. nn" OF
the most valuable lessons of the late war
N the east. h worthy OF serious consld~ra-
ionby our country. with itsrNt~nsiNs coast
lir". itA many IMPORTANT harbors aud It's
-
Tho security and protection uI our inter
"-ts require the completion 81 the def~nsss
an our coast. and tn" accompanying plan
merits and should rrC"tN" the generous
support OF the congress.
The Cost az Estimated.
In his letter transmitting the report
~ the board to the president Secrr-
Jary Taft says the board estimates the
cost Of completing In" dcfenses at
1SO.s79,399. or s22. ss6. 500 less than the
sum proposed by the Endlcott board.
The secretary says tn" growth az
the country. the improvements In the
ordinance and the increase in the navy
IN the past two years have brought a
Encouragement OF and additions To the
list OF ports made by the EndIcott
board. The changes that huv. taken
place in the system OF defense have
been so radical. he says. that the ono
proposed In 1856 n not cOmparlIhl.
with the scheme AZ II exists today"
The estimates for tn" ports added
since the EndiCott bu4Td mad" It's r"-
port. including Chesapeake" bay. ar" rs
follows:
Eastern entrance to Long island
sound. Including s2.gis.JbI already cN-
pended, ss.Osi.2G3. Port Royal already
expended, sl3s.iOi. Tampa. including
iTOtt0T already expended, Sl.2lO.1iI:
Puget sound. including si.-NO.9i5 al
ready expended, S?.Noo,.6I Ch"sl-
peake bay. Ss.iO2.A'l
lie estimates the cost for tn" defcns"
" the insuiar possessions, Including the
naval bases and cnaling stations, at
lls.sT3sgs. In addition - the S..251.-
120 already appropriated, The "Sti-
mated cost for the drfcnscs uu the
ls,hmian canal. exclusive ~ ~" cost 90
and. is s4.Ss1.sS:.
Several Points Exposed.
The letter ~ Secretary TAFT sum-
murizes n report 81 the board which
companies ia" message. \ cnnsid-
"rabie part az the report II devoted Ia
the necessity fur dcf"nS"S In the inSu-
lar possessions and tn. is.hmiun ports.