The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-12

Sea coast artillery is now most de- sired by the War Department Tor the defense of the coast area of the coun- try. and the organization of coast ar tillery in the National Guard or all tns
 sea coast States is being encouraseo and urged by the authorities. It IS suggested that in many States neld artillery batteries may be, converteo into seacoast artillery companies, as can also many infantry companies near the. coasts. There is not much diner- enoe between the equipment or an in-
 fantry and a sea coast company and the, change could ip most instances be easily made. In case of war with any foreIgn power our ~ea coasts would have to be defended. and trained men would be needed for the purpose There is tery little sea coast artillery, while in Avery other branch of service the organizations are more numerous and are more or less trained for duty and ready for active service. The chief of artillery has given the matter much thought and has concluded that the good and demands of the service re- oufre rat some of these organizations beschanged into coast artillery. In furtherance of this idea, sea coast man. euvers were held this summer and many trained men, used to discipline in the service. were taught the rudi- IN8<flS oI COdSL tlltcfy LdCItISs tFoAhNo to use the heavy rifles and made ac- uuAinted with the details of the forti- fications and given knowledge that would make them available in sea coast defense in case of war. The idea is to have each State assign a sufficient number of regiments to coast artillery to properly man the fortifcations of its own State; these organizations to be known as coast artillery and each trsnh osa lighting force of some certain fort and every year, fnstead of the State encampments. they would be stationed at their own fort and in real war would be stationed at. that particular fort. This branch of the Guard would thus lose none of It's value or lose none of its former organ- ization by such a step. They would drilI as usual as infantry, in the armo- rfes, and be subject to riot duty as in- faHtry, and only gaining by the change Knowledge that would be useful and help make the coasts secure from out side attack. In The National Guard Magazine. Lieutenant Stockton points out fully tic value and operation or the proposed change and thinks that the advantage to many officers ana men thereby would be great. He shoWs that there are many men of the Guafd to whom a war would mean loss of petition and serious financial difficulty should their commands be ordered at Ii distance from their home State. Un- der the new scheme. it would not be necessary for the regiment to leave its own State. and it would seem that the officers and men would only need to be present at the Notifications at certain intervals for drill, and when 6anger of attack was imminent. For instance, if war should be declared with Japan. the men on the eastern coast would fear no immediate sttaclS. Japan having no navy on the Atlantic and inconsequence beyond some drill- ing. could be allowed to devote much time to their business and friends. The maneuvers of the coming summer will decide the future success of the pIan.