Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
Fortified Island at Virginia Capes.


1t is estimated at the War Deparanent
that the fortified artificial island FOR the
defense of the entrance of Chesapeake
bay. recently advocated by President la1t
in one Of his speeches before the water
ways convention at Norfolk. can be con-
structed for about $3.O0o.OOo. This is far
below the original estimates OF from SlO,-
OOO eco to $12,OOOOOo. The necessity for
such u structure was pointed out by tne
Taft defense board in 1905. but the propo-
sftion was dropped because of the great
expense The pan contemplated the
building of an island on what is known
as the middle ground in the entrance
midway between Capes Charles ana
Henry with heavy batteries so arranged
as to command the five-mile channel or
navigabe water constituting the only en-
trance from the ocean. That point IS
about eighteen miles below Fort Monroe
and beyond the effective range OF tine
heaviest guns at that fort.
The original plans have been materially
changed and the cost considerably re-
duced It is now proposed to construct a
fertilization similar to that on El Fraie
in the Philippines. That consists OF q
small Enclosure surrounded by wall or
concrete forty feet thick and contain
ing two steel turrets each mounting two
fourteen-inch guns. together with sec
onGary battery of four siN-lnch guns.
The use of turrets instead of disappear
ing guns is saving In space and ex-
pense. On the Chesapeake Is and IT is
proposed to erect the largest and most
effective guns obtainable. 1T is SAID there
are no engineering difficulties in the con-
struction of the island. there is a good
sand foundation about seventeen feet be-
low the surface. The plan is to confine
the allotted space with rows of piling,
fill it with finely broken stone and cap
er wallis forty feet thick. Ammunition,
mines, classmates. etc, will be placed be-
| meath the floor forming the base Of the
gun tuTrets.
1t is commended by military and naval
experts that the proposed Notifications
| would make the entrance to Chesapeake
bay irvulnerable and effectually sale-
guard the National Capital. Baltimore,
Annapolis, Norfolk, Newport News, Rich
| mond and the other cities and towns on
| the bay or its tributaries.
Deficiency in Army Food.
An unusual state of affairs prevails in
| the War Department on account of a
deficiency of nearly $30000o in the appro-
| priation for commissary stores for the
| fiscal year ended June 40 last. Congress
| failed to appropriate by that amount the
money needed to purchase material for
provisioning troops. The demands exceeded
| the amount appropriated mainly because
| of an unexpected increase in the force
l
meri. These troops had to be provided
with the regular rations. The expense
was greater than usual on account of the
general rise in the price of food products
entering into the composition OF rations.
Contracts had to be made in the reg
ular way however. for periods in some
cases covering one year and in other cases
six months, and remittances were made
under such contracts periodically as de-
liveries were made at military posts.
With a shortage of nearly 100000, many
of these contractors have found that the
War Department was unable to meet the
bills They will have TO wait until Con-
gress makes a deficiency appropriation.
and this will certainly not be until early
In the coming year.
Plaster Casts Of Horses Backs.
A machine has been made at the Rock
Island arsenal upon an ingenious plan to
register the conformation OF a horse 8
back. 1t is to be used in taking a
large lumber of registrations from numer-
ous mounts and to derive from them a
typicaI CONFORMATION, which can be used
as a basis for desired improvements In
the army saddle. The machine is a large
saddle tree provided with mum arous plung-
ers. which can be pushed down firmly
upou the surface of the horses back,
making il possible to transcribe to A
sheet of paper the measurements of these