New-York tribune., 1910-04-25
THE DAyINWASHINGTON
repeated. OF course. as often as necessars
20 accomplish the desired end

repeated. OF course. as often as necessary
10 accomplish the desired end.
AN AWFUL HAZARD.-The fact Is trat
no naval commander In his senses wouio
risk the awful hazard Of approaching '"e
canal fortifcations and thus cour'ins 'he
inevitable destruction Of his feet unissS
under the most extraordinary crcuiii-
stances. The perfection OF the searchheh'
has rendered an approach by night as ha
ardous as an approach by day. and II WOMB
be only under the protection of heavy ios
that such an attempt would be made. Thus
the adequacy OF the fortifcaticns will reaily
become an earnest OF peace. Such steps az
conditions render possible will be taken 10
prevent an attack even I'm the densest fog
by submarine mines. but there Is marked
reticence i'm military circles regarding the
details Of that form OF protection. Guns
cannot be MANUFACTURED and emplaced
without the knowledge Of foreign powers
whose military and naval attaches are ever
or the alert 10 keep their governments IN
formed on such subjects, but mines can De
laid and operated from the shore by cleo
trio cables without impsrting knowledge OF
their efficiency and location to any but
few officers and enlisted men.
PROGRESS IN MINING. Remarkable
progress has been made by the coast de-
fence CORDS in the utilization Of submarines
for the protection Of harbors and fortihea-
tons, and il is possible to describe some OF
the more essential and important features.
especially the service which this form of
defence performs during a dense fog. IL is
new possible TO mine a harbor or ch&hnei
with submarines. each floating placidly' ten
feet below the surface. and each containing
not less than one hundred pounds OF gun
cotton, yet each as harmless, unth re-
quired for use. as so many empty kegs. BY
the shifting of an electric switch In case
mate concealed on shore, often under
ground. each Of these mines can be con-
verted into a wstthman who will instan-
taneousy report the approach Of friend or
foe. This switch throws on a slight cur
rent. and when any object touches a mine
the fact is Immediately reported bv red
light in the casemate. which shows not
only the presence hut the exact location OF
the approaching object. Powerful search
lights concentrated on the spot viii usually
penetrate the fog and reveal the character
Of the object: or. il friendly vessels have
already Dfen " fiHFu az nN'iN Alf iliiiO
field. the pressure Of an electric button in
the casemate will cause the mine touched
TO explode under the hull Of the enemy. or
by the shifting Of another switch. every
mine I'm the channel can be rendered ex
pIosible on contact. i'm which case the first
warning of the approach of the enemy
might consist OF the explosion Of a mine
probably followed by the explosion of the
enemys magazines.
THE LAND FORCES.-With such effect
i've fortifcations, the maintenance of land
forces Of four thousand or five thousand
men might seem superfuous, but the Proba-
Utilities are that were an enemy to seek the
capture or the destruction Of the canal the
attempt would be made by means OF a
force landed at some distance from and out
side the range OF the fortihcations; and
while the landing OF any material force on
fortifcations would be attended with grave
difficulties, the administration purposes to
take no chances. and TO meet such a con-
tingeney will have an ample force of ield
artillery, cavalry and infantry at hand. The
protection Of the locks from cranks. an
archists. and even from the fooihardy spies
Of an enemy in time Of war, will also be
necessary, AND this work can best be per-
formed by the troops garrisoned along the
line Of the canal g H