The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-17
WE CANNOT AFFORD
TO WAIT FOR WAR
Urges That Provisions Be Made
at Once to Complete Work,
and to Train Regulars
and Militia
for This
Duty.

WASHINGTON. -. c.. December l6 -
Both uie coast and the field artillery
STe badly deficient ln botn personnel and
material. neither is fra even approximate 3
proper condition Tor instruction ln time
O. peace. much less in condition for req
honaDly eihcient service in war. and the
t4nle necessary 20 put either bra tre latter
condition is not q matter u days or
weeks. but of years
brieadler-CiensTal Arthur Murray chief
o. artillery. thus sums up the condition
OF his arm OF the service iu MS annual
report. made public to-day. and in which
D. says So cannot hc 700 strongly urged
that appropriate legislation BOO obtained
u make good tie deficiencies and 10
correct tf.e defects referred TO-
The total cost of the present system OF
coast defense OF tho United States TO
February -ftn last. General Murray says.
was ST. ~. and The estimated cost %
complete the defense ~ the United states
Including estimates for ammunition and
ccst of sites is 81 ss3 s39. From these
figures the deduction ls made that con-
silnraaly more tlan haf the work ~
coast defense has been completed The
three elements ~ defense most needed
end Wllcn wll secure the greatest
measure ~ public safety al the least
cost General Murray says. are the com
Ilsuou ci tAe installation Of the approved
system ~ range and position finding FOR
4
ficlng - necessary searchnghts for har-
tor dcfenfe az night. and tile completion
o. inc submarine mine equipment Of all
fortified har1ors.
Defense of Panama.
The proper defense Of insu.ar ports
snl tle entrances 90 the Panama Canal
81 ls estimated. viii cost S1s s-3.ssl. in the
Cuse cf the former and 3 80 6.2 for the
latter. The value ~ submarine mines
as an element of hsrbor defense General
Murray SAYS has been demonstrated
and lfo maintains the view that the sys-
tenn adopted by the United States Army
S. practically perfect war weapon
Eeiug under complete electrical control
from the shore be- SAYS a line OF mines
may he rendered instantly destructive To
1u enemy. or harmless 90 passing friend
ly vessels. Therefore. he adds, having
s. many guns and mortars already
mounted in tne United States 70 is be-
leyed that tle greatest amount OF har-
bor defense ~ the least CDst can be pro
cured hy the completion 20 the mine de-
feuse ct al fortified narhors OF the
United States.
"Ne cannot. however. afford" General
Murray further states. "to wait for war
before completing our mine defense. hut
must ho prepared beforehand But even
then. Re says. complete equipment would
be ~ no use unless there We're trained
ffAf.f.A I'd pant ffIN ines.
them intact and explode them az tie
proper instant in action.
Separate Branches.
The desirablity of separation of coast
md field artillery. General Murray says.
IS apparent. ON tais subject he says
The combination OF the coast and field
artillery into a corps as is now done.
s. not only uns0und as a military prin-
cinie. bur IS considered t. be clearly
detrimental 20 the efficiency ~ both.
II reasonable standard og eff
cicncy.' DE- said, lis 70 be maintained
by the artillery. IL Will be- necessary TO
provide additional officers and men for
the purpose OF manning the submarine
defcnscs."
Previous recommen dations FOR boats
FOR artillery work exclusively are Sc
newed Pointing out that IT viii require
2.ZS officers and 55110 men TO provide
one relief for all the coast defenses con-
structed and proposed in the United
States al the entrances OF the Isthmian
canal. and In the insUlar possessions.
General Murray remarks that under the
present system II would be impracticable
20 furnish this number. Therefore, he
saws. attention must be directed 70 some
plan that Will supply at the outbreak
Of war the deficiency from the organized
militia