The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-19
FORTS ARE NOT
SOLE Defense
Secretary Garrison Tells Of
Necessity Of Army IN
City Protection.
HOSTILE ARMY FEARED
Province Of Hinge Land Guns d to
Oppose IN Attacking
Fleet.


American seacoast cities can not rely
for their safety in time of war solely
upon Notifications, according to Secre-
tary of War Garrison.
The Secretary yesterday made public a
discussion of the coast defense situation,
Of adequate size, available for the de-
tense of our coast cities. our Notifications
easily might be taken by q hostile army
attacking from the land side.
The Secretary points out In his state
rnent that II is the function of the big
guns of the seacoast Notifications to fire
at a hostile feet and not at troops. Most
of these guns are too big for use against
an army and only are intended for firing
at battleships. To protect these works
from attack on the land side as well as
from the sea. says Secretary Garrison.
an adequate mobile army must be pro-
vided. Increased preparation is being
made in all coast defense works. accord
ing to the Secretary. to guard against at
tack from the land side, and the mount
ing Of small guns to be used as a defense
against land attack is being considered.
But, after ALL" says Secretary Gar
rison, "fhis whole question brings up very
forcibly the folly of depending upon
fortresses alone. Their usefulness 10
very much restricted unless there is an
adequate mobile army. The real purpose
of seacoast defenses is to prevent hostile
fleets from bombarding cities behind
them, occupying the harbors whose en-
trance they are designed to close, or bonn
harding fleets taking refuge in those har-
bors. Their guns are of a heavy type
necessarily, too heavy in most instances
for work against troops. Their function
is TO fight armored ships.
'All systems of coast defense which
look to security through Notifications
49, 20 hn Of Tn,
time of real war. the Notifications are
only a part of the defense, and while
they are entirely adequate for the pur-
pose for which constructed, they are
fixed defenses, effective only over the
area within range of their guns: beyond
this range an enemy Is entirely free to
operate, unless he il opposed by mobile
troops. 1t was to demonstrate the fact
that the great mass of Notifications de-
Tending Boston was helpless to prevent
capture of that city by land attack that
the Massachusetts, maneuvers of 1908 were
held. The attacking troops were landed
at New Bedford, and occupied Boston
from the rear.
This is feasible at any Of our coast
cities unless the coast defenses are sup
plemented by an adequate mobile force.
The well trained and we'll armed soldier
on his feet is the determining element.
and ~ country which trusts itself to
unsupported by a mobile army
is destined to disaster. Each helps out
the other. and both are absolutely neces-
sary.
THE department is now considering the
of guns up to six-inch cali
bre, with all-round fire, with a view to
helping out in the defense of the works
from land attack, and it has paid much
more. attention than heretofore TO the con
struction Of batteries which have a well
thought out and prepared system of de-
lenses against land attack"