The Washington herald., 1908-01-20
TO DEFEND PACIFIC
Coast Cities Ask for Sub
marine Torpedo Boats.
APPEALS MADE TO CONGRESS
AdJutantS General of California, Ore
gOn, and Washington Have Agreed
90 Allow Militia 10 Cooperate with
Army as Coast Defense COFps-City
of Seattle, wash, Concerned.

Stronger defenses for the principal cities
Of the Pacific Coast is a subject to which
the War Department is giving its atten-
ton.
The fact is realized that in the event Of
a hostile emergency the three cities Of
San Francisco. Portland and Seattle are
not as well protected as they should be.
! While no particular show is being made
Of the effort to secure better defense, the
matter is one which is causing some con
cern.
For discussion Of the subject the War
Department recently invited to Washing
ton the adjutaHts general OF California,
Oregon, and Washington. This was done
because Of the fact that these three
States indicated an unwillingness 10 CO.
operate with the War Department in Its
plan for joint army and militia coast de
fense exercises in the districts Of san
Diego, San Francisco, Portland, and Seat
tie during the coming summer.
scheme of War Department.
The scheme of the department is to
have the various Coast States assign
part of their militia permanently TO assist
in coast defense as reserves ana supports
IN order that if war should come. the
coast Notifications, which are now in-
adequately manned by the regular army
might be materially strengthened.
Practically all Atlantic coast States
have approved the plan and indicate
willingness 20 cooperate with their mill
tia organizations. The three Pacific Coast
States. where. at this time. it is par
ticularIy desired to improve the defenses,
failed to accept the departments propo-
sijiou.
Instead these States recommended 10
thc War Department the establishment
OF a Federal militia 20 serve as a coast
defense reserve. AS this plan would re-
quire legislation by Congress which was
believed could not bee obtained the de-
partment did not take IL Up. but instead
invited Adits. Gen. Lauek. Of California.
Finer. of Oregon. and Hamilton. Of
Washington, FOR conference.
Agree to Cooperate.
The result was an agreement that the
Coast cities were iu need of more ade-
quate defenses. and that the States them
selves should cooperate. To this end the
militia officials have returned home with
a plan of organizing separate companies
n their militia organizations. which viii
ACT in conjunction with the army as coast
defense reserve corps.
The alarm which Is felt in the Coast
cities over what they believe 70 be in
adequate protection is expressed in reso-
lutious which have been adopted by
chambers Of commerce and sent 20 Con-
sress asking for better protection.
The Chamber of Commerce of San Fran
cisco adopted q resolution which was pre-
scented by Representative Needham. ask
ing that Congress vote an appropriation
for the construction and maintenance of
a fleet OF submarine torpedo boats 90 aid
in the defense Of the harb0T of that city.
Seattle Wants Submarines.
Seattle is likewise concerned Repre-
sentative Jones. Of Washington. has iu-
uroduced "a bin TO appropriate $lco0UJ
for submarines 90 be stationed in the
waters Of Puget sound
Representative Kahn is also making an
effort 20 have Congress improve the forti-
ncatlons Of Pear Harbor in the Ha-
waliau Islands, ard At least one point IN
Alaska.
These cities DO not believe that under
present conditions The land fOrtificati0ns
are sufficient and have united IN an ef-
fort TO induce Congress 20 station perma-
nently tn their waters surface and sub
marine torpedo-boat fleets. There are
now only two submarines located on the
Pacific Coast