Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-03-19

/ Fort WOOL IL STANDS as SeuIH0i
keeping watch over Norfolk and Rich
mond The army men and the Vir-
ginians think that third sentinel
| should be posted, but congressman
have taken issue with them. Across
| the mingling waters of Chesapeake
bay and the ocean lies Cape Charles,
whose rough coast is visible on clear
| days to the gunners on Monroe's par
| apets, but if what has been said by
supposed experts Is true, no projeetlle
! which the big guns of the fort can
| hurl ever is likely to prove effective
against battleships steaming into the
channel close under the Charles pro-
montory to make the run up the wa
/ tiers leading to the capital.
/ The forts at Cape Henry southward
/, across the entrance to the inland wa
tiers, army men seem to think, We Id
nearly perfect the system of defense,
but the proposal for a Cape Henry
fertilization is only one of several
plans which have been made from
time to time u complete the defenses
of the harbor, cay and river
Hints at Selfish Interest
There was plan first to build fort
on Cape Charles itself, but later this
was changed in favor of a plan to
plant big guns on half submerged
island midway of the entrance to the
Chesapeake. This plan was consid-
cred by congress several years ago,
and there were hints that some selfish
interests were connected with it, but
no one ever made direct charge, and
there never was any proof advanced
of what were but whispered insinua-
tons.
1t seems to be the tGu belief OF
many army officers that one day an adj
ditional fortif1cation in the vicinity
of the Virginia capes will be author
lied by congress. AS things are now
pilot deserving the name on board
the leading ship, could slip into the
Chesapeake under cover Of haze
while the shore artillerymen, no mat
ter how watchful, would know nothing
of the movement until there was nc
target to fire at, but the broad wakes
of the invading vessels.
Fort Monroe is said to be a bull
wa k of defense in itself, but It seems
even to the layman that the picture
drawn by some of the congressman oil
a capital laid waste by the guns OF
foreign, feet, or by troops which had
secured landing back of the present
g l. Y fv-Ar
hand guided by freer imagination
If vessels should succeed In getting by
Fort Monroe they would have a hare
time getting up the Potomac river. for
below Washington the Potomac's
channel is safe-guarded.
Make an Easy Target.
Pictures also have been drawn oil
the demolition of Richmond and Nor
folk by hostile guns. 1t would seem
that the Virginia capital and its sea
port might be able to rest in conf
dence that no foe can come up the wa
ter to their troubling. The main ship
channel at the mouth of the James
is within easy great gun range of the
parapets of Fort Monroe, and the gun
ner who could not hit so fair and con-
fronting a mark as a battleship or a
cruiser at double the distance would
be discredited after one pushing of
the electric button, and his place
would be taken instantly by a man
able to drive every projectile home
for the army is not worthless, there
are many such men in the artillery
ranks
| IF the marksmen at Fort Monroe
should happen to fail in their cunning
| there is perhaps little chance that
their brother artillerymen at Fort
| Wood would fail in theirs, for the en-
| envy that would attempt to force q
passage of the James would almost
| brush the muzzles Of the smaller forts
guns. Artillerymen have occasional
chances to test their skill A govern
ment tug tows red triangular pyra-
mids made of cloth stretched on a
! framework of wood across the line OF
fire, while the men at the big rifles
peg away at the targets drawn
| through the fire zone at q ten knot
gait In order to make a hit 1t Is
not necessary Ito hit" for II 1t is
| found that the shot has made itself
effective" in space fore and aft of
the target, not greater than that
which would have been covered By the
battleship, hit is credited. 1t seems
to be fair system Of marking, and
is the only one used by the land and
sea artillerymen of the world when
firing at moving marks.
Hits at Commerce Court.
Representative Thetus Wilrette
Sims of Tennessee is the repre-
sentative in congress who intro
duced the bill to abolish the com
merce court. 1t probably will be re-
membered by ~most newspaper read
ers tina: the commerce court disa-
greed with a good many of the find-
ings of the interstate commerce com
mission, and that the Supreme court
stood by the commission, In some In
stances at any rate, and as a result
there has been q good deal Of agita-
ton In favor of abolishing the so
called railroad court. This tribunal
was created In part by the direct
recommendation of President Taft,
and there seems to be little likeli-
hood at this session at any rate that
any strong attempt will be made to
get a bill through congress which
shall wipe the court out Of existence.
Fortune Awaits Inventor.
crL 4, for4rua II many millions