The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-19
Would Be of Little Use
in Attack on Land
Side.
STATEMENT MADE
BY WAR SECRETARY
Garrison Points Out That Unless
There Is Mobile Army to Meet
Enemy Cities Could Be
Taken Easily-Plans Have
Been Laid to Obviate
Danger.

Washington. May 1S.-Secretary of
War Garrison in prepared state
ment to-day. discussed the prepared
ness of seaboard cities to defend them
selves against land attack Mr.. Gar
rison emphasized at the outset of his
statement that he had issued it because
of "a recently published article respect
ing the land side defense of our coast
defenses."
HIRE is the statement:
My attention has been directed to
a recent article respecting the land
side defense of our coast defenses
1T is perfectly true that many of
our sea coast defenses would find Sc
rious diificulty in defending themselves
by their own garrisons against a land
attack by numerous force; and 1t is
also true that they have been con-
s;ructed in many instances without
an; reference to an attack coming
from the land side. but as was nat
ural. in view of their purpose almost
wholly with n view to giving protec-
tion to the cities and harbors behind
them against an attack by hostile
feet.
Land Defense Difficult.
This being their principal func-
tions. pretty much everything else was
subordinated to this end, and in many
cases fortificatlons were so placed in
the effort to secure the best field of
ire over the sea front and channels
as 20 render their defense from land
attack extremely difficult. 1t can be said
of many of them. in fact most OF them.
except those which are on the islands)
that their defense in case of any Sc
rious attack from the land side must
rest upcn bodies OF mobile troops as
signed TO this duty. Such mobile
! troops would probably be drawn, to a
! great extent. from the militia The
rt lar l,iI In vi
| for certain amount of work as in
! fantry, are primarily trained for SER
vice with the big guns and cannot well
! he assigned to other work without
ieopardiZing the efficiency OF the work
for which they are maintained. so that
as stated above, in case OF a land at
tack it vii, be necessary to assign
considerable bodies OF mobile troops
| to defend these works.
Before the advent of the modern
gun the common type OF fortress con-
| struction was IN the form of an In
closed work, capable OF defense against
land attack by its own garrison, hut
with the advent of the modern gun. and
the construction OF works involving
great outlay of money. insufficient at
tention was given to the problem OF
their defense from land attack and as
Il result, many of them are so stu
atcd and constructed as TO he liable to
IL u
forces landing from ships.
with n view to correcting this de
feet, lines Of land defense works have
been laid out, and necessary instruc-
tions prepared for their prompt con
struction in case Of threatened war
In future construction 1t is believed
| that much more attention would be de
voted TO make each individual grour
Of works reasonably secure against
land attack, even though unsupported
by troops other than its own garrison
Certainly the construction should be
of such type as to enable defense sum
ciently long 10 permit arrival lof as
sistance from coast guard troops.
Adequate Army Necessary.
but after all, this whole question
brings up very forcibly tho folly OF
depending upon fortresses alone. Thei,
usefulness Is very much restricted un-
| less there Is an adequate mobile army
| The real purpose OF seacoast defcnses
| is TO prevent hostile fleets hombardinG
cities behind them, occupying the har-
| hors whose entrance they are designed
to close. or bombardng fleets taking
refuge in these harbors Their guns
| are OF n heavy type necessarily, too
heavy In most instances for work
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