The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-06
Calls Especial Attention OF Con-
gress to Protection Of Chesa-
peakc Bay Entrance.
WANTS s6,1o2, s71 FOR LATTER
Board Estimates Cost Of Complet-
ing All the Defense at
s5o,S7o,3o9.
tRy Assoclnted preas1

WASHINGTON, -. c., March g.
President Roosevelt sent u message to
Congress- to-day. accompanying plans for
coast defense prepared by joint board
Of army and navy officers, In which he
emphasized the necessity for further de-
lenses and reviews tho history of defen-
slve works in this country
The President cnlls especial attention
to the recommendation or the board that
the entrance to chesapeake Bay be added
TO the list of places In tie United States
10 be defended. He says the insutir pos
sessions cannot longer be neglected II
the Unified Suites desires to hold them.
Defensea are recommended for Manila
Bay. Pearl Harbor. S.mntannmo. Guam,
San Juan and Honolulu because of their
strltegic locations.
Defenses are recommended for en-
frances to the Panama Canal. The Pres
idont says:
Importance of Defense.
THE necessity for a complete and adj
cquate system OF coast defense Is greater
to-day than twenty years ago. for the In
creased wealth of the country offers more
tempting Inducements to attack. and a
hostile fleet can reach DIR coast In n
that we now have n navy does not In
any wiso diminish the Importance OF
cosst defcnscs; on the cortrary, that fact
emphasizes their value and necessity for
their construction II is an accepted
naval maxim that n navy can be used to
strategic advantage only when acting
on the offensive, and 1t can be free to
so operate only after our coast defense
is rcn sonabiy secure. and so recognized by
the country. It was due to the securely
defended conditions OF tho Japauese ports
that the japanese feet was frr & 10 seek
out ard watch its proper objective-the
Russian neet--wlthout fear Of Interrupt
ton or recall to guard its home ports
against raids by the Nladvostok squad
ron.
This. one OF the most valuable lessons
of the late war in the East, is worthy
of serious consideration by our country.
With it's extensive coast line. its many
important hartors. and Its many wealthy
manufacturing coast cities.
The security and protection of our In
terests require the completion of the de-
lenses of our coast and the accompany
ing plan merits and should receive the
generous support OF the Congress"
To Cost Over Fifty Millions.
In his letter transmitting the report OF
the board to the President, Secretary
Taft says that the board estimates the
cost Of completing the defenses at $780,
s1s,3s9, or s2a.sSj,6oS. less than the sur
proposed by the Endicott board.
The estimates for the ports added since
the Endicott board made its report, In
Guiding Chesapeake Bay, are as follows:
Eastern entrance to Long Island
Sound. Including s2.e.5.557. already ex-
pended. sl2,lG1; Tampa, including s7c4.-
is7. already expended. sl,2io.211: Puget
Sound. including s.,eS0,9l5, already ex-
pended. se,soo,26i: Chesapeake Bay, s.
1@.su.
allotted Is s72,75o.5s3 He estimates the
cost for the defense of the nsular pos
sessions. including the naval bases and
conlins stations at s1aS13.S95. In addition
to the se.25ia20 already appropriated The
estimated cost for the defense OF the
1sthnian Canal ports. exclusive OF the
cost OF land is si.SS7,sS2
The recommendation of the Endcott
board for the defenses of home ports
has been revised and the following ports
recommended: kennebec River. Portland.
Portsmouth. Boston. New Bedford. Mar.
ragansett Bay, Eastern entraflce to Long
Island Sound Eastern and Southern on
frances to New York, Delaware Raw.
Baltimore. entrance to Chesapeake Bay.
Hampton Roads. Potomac River Cane
Fear River, Charleston Savannah. Key
West, Pensacola, Mobile Bay. Affssissipni
River. Galveston, San Diego Columbia
River. Puget Sound. Lake ports. Kissa
Island.