Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-30
IS IN ACCORD
WITH GARR|s0N's PLANS
Agrees With Secretary on Urgent
Need Of Preparation of Proper
Military Policy.
CAPE HENRY FIRST TO BENEFIT
Great Fortress Will Be Erected Mt
Entrance to Chesapeake Bay-Sec-
ond Fertilization Planned to De-
fend New York.
Especial to Tho imcs-Dispatch. ]

WASHINGTON. April 29-President
Wilson Is in accord with Secretary Of
War Garrison on tho needs of imme-
dlate preparation OF proper military
policy. which the secretary outlined in
letter to General Macomb, president
OF the Army War College. This state
ment was made to-day by a competent
authority.
The first result of tho new policy
Will be the erection Of n great fortress
ut Cape Henry. armed with sixteen-inch
guns. The second will be the erection
OF n similar fortress east of Sandy
HOOK. notwithstanding the denial of
some officials, this fortress probably
Will be on Rockaway Beach. Sandy
Hook Notifications are suitable, experts
say, for the channel entrance to the
east OF 1t, but 1t will require n fortress
with lonE-ranEe guns to command the
deep sea stretches to the southeast Of
Rockaway Beach
Nine out Of every ten officers. In
Guiding those who are mapping out the
policy to be submitted to Secretary
Garrison for final action, are aware of
the supreme Importance OF terrifying
the entrance to Chesapeake Bay be-
tween Cape Charles and Cape Henry.
1t was stated to-day that tho do
partment officials have already elimi-
mated the main proposition Of the Endi-
colt board and tho Taft board, that
because Of the distance between Cape
Charles and Cape Horny 1t would be
necessary to build an artificial island
midway. Tho adoption OF tho sixteen
inch gun. with range OF at least
twenty miles, makes such intermediate
defense unnecessary.
After "aghiDntOn and Neyv =
tention Will be given to Panama,
Hawaii and Manila The work ut Ma
Mia has becn planned. The fortress
mt Ell Fraile Island there Is to be pro-
tected by fourteennch guns in steel
turrets This Is the first time that
the United States has adopted tho
turret protection for any of It's guns.
Tho sixteen-inch guns for Cape Henry
and New York will be equipped with
disappearing gun carriages. 1t was
thought that the immense weight OF n
siXteen-inch gun would make a disap-
pearing carriage for 1t an impossi-
bllity. 1t was stated to-day, however
that the old siXteen-inch gun now at
Sandy Hook. which is to go to Panama
VIII be arranged on Il disappearing gun
carriage.
officials say that it Ia out of the
question to suggest to Congress steel
turrcts for all the sixteen-inch guns.
on account of the enormous cost OF tho
steel armament necessary, and, besides,
the disappearing gun carriage Is
thought to be safe and practicable for
such weapons.
The new policy will cover prepared
ness at all times" on the issues Of
sufficient field artillery. rifles. ammu-
milton, reserve powder and the ways
and means OF bringing into existence
n large army In case OF emergency.
Officials say that no better plan has yet
been suggested than that OF the re-
servo which was explained recently by
Secretary of War Garrison.
or the 1892 field guns. which experts
thought the United States should have,
$50 are built and building. This leaves
332 guns on which work Is yet to be
done, but which will be manufactured
as soon as the capacity of the manu-
facturers permit