The Washington times., 1915-02-22
Tells House Some Of PRINCIPAL
Seaooast Cities Are Not Safe
From SheIling.
FORTS COULD BE CAPTURED
Congressman Asserts Land De.
lenses Are Not Protected
and Might Be Taken.

With the injunction yankee Doodle,
guard your coast" which he said WAS
handed down by the forefathers. Con-
rreesman Augustus p. Gardner. OF
Massachusetts, spoke In the House to-
day on the inadequacy Of the coast de-
fenses Of the United States.
Mr.. Gardner said the coast defense
snnL now havo only 3 per cent Of the
mr. imum amour: Of ammunition need
ei and the pending sortiica:'ons bills
increased the amount to only TAN per
| cent.
General Weaver has said" continued
Mr.. Gardner. that the proper allow.
ance Is two hours ammunition for each
Of our coast defense guns, instead Of
ono hour. At the present rate Of appro-
rriation It will be eighteen years be-
fore We will have ammunition for our
coast defense guns to last even one
hour. Perhaps by that time we will get
around to considering the declaration
Of tho chief Of tho coast artillery that
Seacoast Cities Not Secure.
| Asserting that some Of the principal
| seacoast cities are not safe from bonn
tardmsnt. Mr.. Gardner said: "I believe
It to be true. and I have heard. that tho
published hearings do not contain all
that transpired In the Appropriations
Committee room when officers present
discussed the safety of our seacoast
cities. l am not convinced that these
cities are safe from bombardmen. by
the new British and German super
dreadnaughts. with their long-renge
/, guns
, Mr.. Gardner rrofcssed impatienca
| with Investigating boards" reminding
the IIonsc that the fortihcation OF Ches-
hpeake Yay was recommended nine
years ago, but the work has not been
begun.
In part. Mr.. Gardner said:
Il believe it to be true that tho Of
flcers pointed out certain very grave
are supposed to protect some OF our very
largest cities. ] know 1t to be true that
! both General Crosier and General Weav-
er averred that additional fortifications
creased range Of naval guns and on ac-
count Of the territorial growth OF cer'
tain OF our fortified cities.
Chesapeake Bay Unguarded.
"If it is u fact. as believe. that this
serious danger exists and that the COM
mittee knows it to exist. l can only ex-
pres. my deep regret that the nettle
has not been grasped. | am told that
the matter has been referred to board.
which will report next winter Judging
by the rapidity with which we have Sc
cured and acted upon the reports OF
boards in the past, II vii be good
many years before much Is accom-
plished.
For instance. take the report made
in 1906 by the national coast defense
board.
That report WAS made nine years
ago, but not one spadeful Of earth has
vet been turned in fulfillment Of any
fortification project for the defense CT
Chesapeake bay. To be sure, We nave
bought land on Cape Henry at the @n.
trance, and the ordnance department.
has prepared plans. and has submitted
to the Secretary Of War a supplemental!
estimate Of 81. 10000 to be appropriated d
this year. I regret very much that the
Secretary mas refused to recommend
this appropriation to the committee.
and. OF course. the committee mas not
done anything about It,
Forts Unprotected In Rear.
THE Secretary points out that the
conditions Of the public treasury are
not such as to justify this expenditure.
a singular attitude sto take. alt things
considered. The Secretary's view u the
matter reminds me of the farmer with
the valuable live stock who refused 10
repair his fences because 1T cost too
much .
. "Do you realize that we haven't ever
! a strand Of barbed wire to impede al
attack on our forts in the rear? NO
even a rat trap to catch an unguardee
, soldiers toe? Our forts are open on tn
our seacoast guns. they can't help U!
. to repel land attack. for we hay!
ingeniously 80 arranged 1t that onl!
three out Of the entire LOO arc mounted
so as to shoot In any direction.
i Foe Could Capture Defenses.
2 There can be no doubt that troops
! conveyed and landed va successfu
foreign nation could readily take ou
coast fortihcations In the rear. Obvi
: ously enough. that Is so. 1nless Mr.
( Bryans million patriots suddenly sprant
!, !, to arms and could find the arms t
5 "secretary Garrison tells me that
, will take Ao.o0o.0o to complete TN!
, work In the continental United state
alone For the last ten years We haV
been appropriating on an average o
: 81, $50. 600 a year to carry on the ZOO
work. At that rate Of progress ! shal
be a Rip Van Wrinkle Of eighty by tn
time that the Job which was begun II
my boyhood has reached completion"
: Tnoroict 4 rrucoI