The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-01-30
OUR prrENsELEss coAsTs

In the number Of the Infantry Journal the lead
ing editorial presents vital for an the mobile
Of the Nation which has particular application the proper
defense Of Oahu without of the mobile army Oahu
hardly hope have her garrison increased 70 the number q g
Of troops which be depended accomplish
Island today the forts could not Be held The Infantry journal
begin with quotes General Story formerly chief Of coast a
lery, who said: ssts
port against direct naval attack Against wonderful
enough to land the coast forts have defensive value and
may even prove element Of weakness did Port Arthur
to Russia
With this as text, the journal says
"The development Of efficient artillery due in very
great measure to the general impression that the construction Of
coast deenses at our principal ports will afford means Of pro
looking to the construction of Notifications for proc
ton Of our most important harbors cities
ing manning detail for the guns mounted within the forts
The fay Of this general belief is voiced in the quotation
the Of this editorial It's author General Story
formerly chief of coast artillery distinguished officer fully
ons na W a ana 81 % arm sea coast iorca
close our principal ports to the fleet Of the and when
repaid their 70 the for they have deprived the S
bases from which to conduct land naval operations
While however their function most important It which
is most limited The protection they afford local. confined to
attack from the If consider the extent Of line
be least avail to prevent an enemy from
landing shores almost any he select Having
he WILL but easily he desires from
the and these for his bases History full examples
where tins has been done fact
attacks forts have been the result of
land and naval attack the actual attack threatened
the land resulting in the fall Of the forts This very clearly illus
traed in of studies by Commander w L. Rog
Fortified Harbo wherein he shows the vunerab Of forts to
land attack In his summing Of the results Of his illustrations
Commander Rogers states
Throughout there has only been one good wa
Of accomplishing this namely by making the principal
by shore and involving the ships such an ex
serious injury to them Indeed we NAV
consider that the late operations against Whwei and San
tago which have examined where navy took such
inactive parts in spite of the exclusive naval obectves we may
believe say that these campaigns clearly forehadow harbor
practise This view confirmed by the thought that
attacked because plays part the system Of comunca
ton But fleets duty occupy region and control the
sea communication therein and SO is poor policy gain
desirable seaport ships which are the 6ny
means utilizing the capture In other words the ships
feet should actively assist in the capture of seaport only when
their probable losses will control bf the sea- Thus
comparison of operations conclusion that
the attack fortified harbors be- the future chiefly
work for army navy rule should confne itself
to maintaining and protecting the communications Of
besiegng army. sgt lt sstt. 81
he deductions Commander Rogers may be amp6ed by the
illustration which Port Arthur affords This fertilization re-
uced not by the action of the Japanese feet but by the
the Japanese army. tt'E#ssg r. s.hei-.
Notifications in the defense Of have been greatly overema
ed by the general public Important and they
part OF the general system of defense yet analysis
evident that the protection they afford only
against naval attack The true defense Of the floats the
defense OF the forts themselves lies with mobile army which
must for successful resistance Of that of enemy ready to
oppose any attempts to land on our coast Who for
that attack New York made
directly those porsf army will coast out
OF reach Of our coast deens and march the forts from
ward taking them and the cities which they constructed
protect lr& a&st4stsl fstj rrf1 III t5,tf EE4.7t.3
The conclusion is irresistible that an Immense amount Of MONEY
has been spent important part system
while the other and important part system namely the
gb quantity The time has part that the mobile
plays in the Nations of defense recognized
increased and properly organized consideration is given
the claims of any other corps army our coasts
are at the mercy OF nation which defeat hold
our navy.
WHY GUAM9
Far he FROM A.,