The Detroit times., 1915-06-04
Our National Defense.
COAST FORTIFICATIONS
COST L. ;. $4,000. 900
ARTICLE ~
BY (. JAW Es

ARTICLE ~
Our coast forrifcatious cost Sl4oo0o0o"
The principal armament az present IS As toi
lows Thirty-one Itinch guns. l5s l2inch guns,
552 Pinch mortsrs. 1876 loinch guns. Is s-inch
guns. and 53i smaller pieces. single Pinch
Eun costs 10000 and each shot fired Costs
$500 The accuracy life OF l2inch gun is -5l
rounds
Though we have guns and Qualifications. we
have neither men nor ammunition sufficient 20
man them.
Twelve of our continental forts must DO
closed-lefi Wlth "careiaker" garTisons is the
official ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS troops are needed 20
man Tho fortihcatl0ns IN the Panama cana! zone
and rho Philippine islands.
Of he ammunition supply. Gen. WCfher-
spoon ir an official document said
The supply q guns and ulortar- and min"
material ,s fairly adequate bg; rhere IS serious
deficiency lu ammunition We tzy % have or
hand ono hours fun supply and two hours in
4n-ul1r f0rritiCatiCEs The amount on hand ar o
provided f0i Sea .appropraf i0ns a only - per
cent ~ that amount FOR guns ard ~ per cent
Now as 70 men To each ~ our sortifcations
total ~ - officers and - SO enlisted men
would De- required The war department at
tempted TO rely on state militia 70 make up The
Geilrieuc5 t0 TIE ranks OF -" coast artillery
ltlt it ~ the II coast states have made no move
toward organizing militia companies for such
purpose
So ahcu our lnsglar Qualifications get tho
ecsaHay auofa 81 regulars there VIII De left
'a~ tAa horne tefsnscs only iTs officers and
-.5s3 men where q minimum o. So officers and
1929 enlisted men il required That B. the
reason for -carefakers' So all bat the primary
home f1vtifrafioas
experimenting coast Qualifications are sub.
merged mines and TIE hos ~ 'arpod0 stations
ai1ch srf scattered along ne P4oift Atlantic.
and ruB coasts All mine equipment 81 fur.
ul bod from Fort T0frel. fhs torpedo depot To
lay 'rr mines m protect our coast we have only
so mine planters described az sufficient for
iu -truef on In times ~ peace IN case of war.
tae 81 eaamenf would have 70 take possession
7 90 every available coast vessel and convert
/ them Ir'p mine layers.
Ire Radio Torpedo
/ The great American achievement IN coast Do.
tense o. $3.50 wireless ar rsd.ocortrolled torpedo
Gen r. II Weaver chief % tte coast artiller7
! corps, ln describing ihe Hammond Tadio.cOn.
I lrolief torpedo says
Hammond has worked out the details ~
radio control 80 a. 20 make ~ possible 20 apply
/ q in tie form u a spar torpedo 20 p motor
soon have the oqupmen' for a submerged tor.
\ pedo under radio control from shore
"fEe distarce 20 which this control can he
exercised is limited only by the distance ~
vision aided by telescopes The new type 81
/ weapon foes not displaCe the submerged mine
defense The mines are planted n certain VA.
tcr areas over which enemies ships must pass
/ The ships must come tu The mines ~ mako
them effective The rad controlled 'Orpcdl
on the other Hand b. an offensive weapon and
Ike prniectilps 81 guns AM Nortars. serks fc
own target ard socks % under constantly con.
trollcd direction n such 4 means 81 attach
were ADDED go those now have ~ would b.
able 10 attack enemies ships by mortar fire fall
iuE vertically on the deck-. b. gun fire against
he side turrct and barbettc srn0r. and by sub
marine mines and radio-controlled torpedo BE-
low water"