The Washington herald., 1907-07-19


scheme for coast defense mapped out by
the national coast defense board. Con-
gress last winter appropriated S4S5.o0o for
submarine mines. apparatus TO work them.
and searchlights for the defense Of the
principal ports Of our insular possessions.
The first shipment of material purchased
under this appropriation Will be sent to
the Philippines early in August.
Brig Gen. Arthur Murray. chief OF
artillery. Of the army. who has been
working energetleally Ia this matter, has
let contracts for the full amount OF
money available and hopes 10 have the
apparatus installed before the end of the
fiscal year He viii shortly designate the
companies of artillerymen who are TO
90 out TO the Philippines and take charge
Of the new equipments.
Valuable HarbOr Defense.
In his report for last year Gen. Murray
said; Recent war has shown clearly
the value of submarine mines as an ele-
ment of harbor defense. II a harbor Is
defended by an efficient system Of mines
and the requisite guns for their protec-
ton against oountermining, sweeping, OF
other methods Of removing them, Il is not
believed that any enemy. however enter
prising. will ever attempt 10 force an
entrance into a harbor with large ships.
This conclusion has been supported
strongly by the terrible destruction
wrought by submarine mines at Port
Arthur. Dalny. and VladivostOk during
the RUsSo-Japanese war. Our system OF
submarine mines is practically perfect
as a war weapon. Being under complete
electrical control from the shore. a line
of mines may be rendered instantly de-
structive to an enemy or harmless To
passing friendly vessels"
Rushing Philippine Defense.
It is this kind OF a system which the
army Is rushing 10 the defense Of the
Philippines The plans contemplate the
installation of no less than 494 mines In
the approaches TO Manila harbOr and
Of 209 mines at sub!g Bay. A good pro-
portion Of these. with automatic and
moorlng cables. raising ropes, &c, viii
be sent on the army transport next
month. Material for the construction
Of the magazines. planting wharves. cable
tanks, telephones, bells, &c. will also
be forwarded.
At the Manila mine field it is pro-
posed to install two big searchlights and
one smaller one. These. Of course, are
for the purpose Of preventing the at
tempt of an enemy 20 remove the mines
under cover Of darkness. which could
be done with comparative ease. At
Subig Bay one large and one small
5earchlights will be installed In build
ings, electrical apparatus. and all other
kinds OF material needed for the proper
installation of the mine fields contem-
plated az these two points in the Philip
pines it is expected 10 eventually expend
about :'50O,O00.
Planned Two Years Ago.
The harbors Of Guam, Honolulu. and
Pearl River. in the Hawaiian Islands.
Guantanamo. Cuba; san Juan. Porto Rico.
and Kiska. in the Aleutian Islands. are all
to be equipped with these submarine de-
fenses. That the War department IS
sending its first shipment to the Philip
pines has. It is said. absolutely nothing
20 do with the recent talk Of trouble with
Japan. but is due TO an appreciation OF
the relative Importance OF the two har-
bors 10 be guarded there. The plans that
are now being carried out Il is also
stated, were made two years ago. long
before there was any thought of possible
complications with Japan.
Incidentally the work Of providing sub
marine mine defenses for the home ports
is being pushed forward rapidly on both
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts Large
shipments have recently gone from the
East to the West. The work is being
done in the ordinary course of routine OF
the artillery Office. The plans cOntem-
plate the sowing Of mine fields on the
Pacific Coast in the neighborhood Of San
Francisco. at Forts ROseCrans, Winfield
Scott. Niiley. Baker, and Bonita; at Forts
Stevens and Columbia, at the mouth OF
the Columbia River. and at three points
IN Puget Sound.