The Washington times., 1907-01-28
COAST CITIES DEFENSELESS
AGAINST HOSTILE WARSHIPS
Authority Says Harbors Could Not Be Ained Quickly in
Case of War, and Trained Artlerists Are
Lacking

his men-of-war into any OF the large
coast cities Of the United States. The
trouble i not with the guns, which are
world. nor with the trailing Of The roeT
IL - because the artillery has suf-
iefeu from Congressional Indifference"
No Mines or Artillerists.
The article asserts that since lss5
when the report Of the Endleott Board
on Coast Defense was adopted. the
Government has spent a total OF sias.-
$3.50 for harboT defenses or this sum
F'S'Noov'v has been used exclusively for
guns and mortars, the remainder going
Tor ammunition. plants. purchase OF
sites for fortihcalious and for care and
maintaihance"
nut Win strange perFersity, no pro
vision has been made by Congress for
the mine defenses Of the barbors. and
while The guns have been provided reg
ularly from year 10 year. there has been
NJ legislation 70 supply the trained
srtilleristz without whom the guns are
useless. sixty-eight forts have been
SoAsuucled, defending tWenty-seveu
hafDOfs on the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts Nearly 800 batteries have been
punt, some costing half a million each
treat powder and gun factories have
peen erected and put !n operation. and
bright officers OF the Army have de-
voted the best part Of their lives 10 Tfe
ueFlnpment or ordnance material until
now the United States is acknowledged
me peer or any country in fhe manu-
lecture OF death-deslng engines Of war
But with all this material. there are
not sur1cient Men 20 handle H. With
total or liis3 guns Or all -calibeFs
mounted In the forts, only so are IN
~ ms. HH
and covered with canyas-idle for want
OF sufficient men. Volunteers cannot be
taught 10 man sea coast defenses fu
less than gear. At least.
II war should suddenly befau the
United states the need OF mines would
De greatly felt. Military officers the
world over agree thai mines should be
lald within tWenty-f9uF hours after var
- declared. but there IS not a harbOr
In the United States today provided
with the material or men Tor effective
defense.
Defense Calls for 100000
The Artillery Corps has done all in
its power 10 remedy the evil but Is
helpless without the aid OF Congress. A
Well-concelved scheme finally has been
mapped out by the artillery, which. If
put into operation. would effectively
close every haTbOr IN the United States
against intrusion within fortv-eigHt
hours after war became imminent This
plan would cost about 5000. BJO-scarce-
~ one-tAlfd the cost Of one Of the newly
authorized DaIleships. It's adoption
would enable tie whole navy 10 cut
loose from the coast ana carry the war
10 any part Of the world. with perfect
confidence that with every harb0r mined
and adequate coast defense American
ports would be secure from the entrance
OF a hostile fleet.
In speaking OF how easily New York
would fall q victim 20 a foreign power
in case OF war, Mr. Mason says: do
the kings OF finance IN Wall Street ever
stop 70 think that their city would be
at the mercy OF a hostile fleet running
By the fort sat night2 IL only takes twelve
minutes for three battieships 10 run past
the f0rtihcauOns Al Sandy Hook. That
is, 81 is twelve minutes from the time
the foremost or these ships comes with
ia range OF the guns until the last of
the trio has passed out OF range. The
forts, besides not having enough men 10
work the guns, have only been pro-
vided with about One-fifIl the number
of searChiighJs which are necessary 10
make the Cefenses potent during The
night"
The skyscrapers would be excellent
targets