The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-25
Down at Fortress Monroe Imaginary
Attacks Upon Our Shores Are Met
by Four Officers Whose Toys Are
Model Battleships and Forts

defences over a fleet attacking under
such conditions Gall of our American
coast defences. by the way, are less
than half mannedD is established be-
You'd question. There is no difference
of opinion here among military au-
thorities. In a direct daylight attack
the fleet would certainly be defeated,
probably destroyed.
But what If the enemy makes his
attack in fog or darkness? There
is another advantage enjoyed by the
fleet, that 1t can strike when it pleases,
choosing conditions as unfavorable as
possible for the coast defence. Sup
pose the fleet chooses darkness, steal
ing in, silent and menacing. in the
dead of night with all lights extin-
gushed save for small and hidden
stern light on each ship TO guide the
ships behind. Then what?
The answer is that searchlights on
the shore. sweeping the harbor and its
approaches with ceaseless watchful-
ness, make the coast defence guns
as formidable in darkness as in day
light-that is in clear darkness.
Indeed the shore guns have one
advantage in darkness, because then
the fire commanders and battery
commanders can more easily indicate
which particular ship they have Sc
lected for target. Instead of tele-
phonlng to range finders and gun
pointers a precise verbal description
of the vessel easily misunderstood,
the fire commander in a night engage
ment simply says. Target in number
one" which means that the vessel to
be destroyed Is out there clearly
illuminated by number one search
light. which every man knows. And
straightway the range finders and
gun pointers concentrate upon this
vessel.
The enemy's battleships then can
accomplish nothing in the darkness
so long as searchlghts from the shore
play over them. They must put out
these troublesome searchlights at any
cost. This is a more difficult task
than would appear.
One might imagine that a search
light, fully exposed upon high ground
and throwing forth a great beam
carrying the brilliance of millions Of
candles, would be an easy mark for
the ship guns; but the contrary is
searchlight is only five feet in di-
ameter, and to hit a five foot disk
six miles away with one of the navy
guns is like hitting penny half a
block away with pistol. 1t is a
matter OF extreme difficulty TO get
the range of a searchlight owing to
its elusive dazzle; and at Port Arthur
the japanese shot at Russian search
30, nd hnv
out.
1t IL certain. however, that our New
York enemy would try to put out the
searchlights Of Fort Hancock. He
might put them out. or fail. Night
after night he will send in a flock OF
destroyers, dozens of them, close in to
shore. to lombard the lights. His de-
stroyers will brave the mine fields, and
being of shallow draught will prob
ably pass safely over them. Besides
the forts will hesitate to waste their
mines on such small craft. holding
them rather for the battleships out
side.
SO it els possible that by buzzlne
about persistently, like moths around
candle, and accepting losses from
the rapid fire guns of the fortresses
and their patrol boats, these destroyer!
may accomplish their purpose anG
succeed in putting some Of the search
lights out of commission. Which will
be a serious matter, for they canno
be replaced.
Not only are these coast defence
searchhghts very expensive Ga singl'
one with its operating plant cost.
about $4,000, but the sixty incl
parabolic mirrors of silvered glass arr
not made in this country and coul'
only be imported from France afte
weeks Of delay. SO searchlight pu
out by a gun stays out, and il all tn
searchlights Of a fortress were pu
out-which is very unlikely-the for
for night work.
| may mention that a plan Is nov
under consideration in the War De
partment to equip our forts with dis
appearing searchlights. which II
emergencies and in the daytime vii
drop behind protecting walls after tn
manner of our disappearing guns.
During the manPuvres at Fisher
Island in the summer OF 1918 a
ingenious use OF searchlights agalns
shore defences was made by Admira
Badgers fleet in an effort to run b
the forts at night. A distance OF fou
or five miles separates the fortified
tons on Fishers Island from the gun
. at Fort Niche. and to run safely be
tween these defences would give
hostile fleet commanding pos
ton in Long Island Sound and woul