The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-18
OUR BIG GUNS IN
N OF CARETAKERS
Gen. Weaver Finds Force Only Half of That Needed
Forts Menace to U. S. if Enemy C~ame-Land
Fire Excels Dreadnoughts.


lack OF sufficient men to man the gun
Americas elaborate system Of coast de
FENCES Is more n menace than a pro
lection to the country IL a point drive
bone In the annual report Of Brig Ger
r. M. Weaver. Chief Of Coast Artillery
made public tonight.
According TO Gen. Weaver the coas
fortiications Of the United States, com
pleted at a cost Of S16O. 1000. 900. are tn
most formidable In the world. with suf
hctent men to man the guns these forti
hcations would be as impreenabie q
human ingenuity could make them. h
saos.
The failure Of tho ALLIES to force IN,
Dardanelles and the effective protection
given the German feet by fertilization
guarding the Kiel Canalhave demonstrate.
tho ability Of oas works TO pro; &c
ports and ancborases from lombard
ment Is another point made.
But with this elaborate system of dc
fences, Gen. Weaver says. there are oni!
~ per cent. of the officers and So pei
oent- Of the men necessary a. q mini
mum force. lie emphasizes that becaus<
Of this shortage the Notifications mish
easily b. captured n turned against
the American forces.
Commenting on the present system Of
manning the forts Gen. Weaver describes
as an absolute failure the Arrangement
whereby one-hAlf of the authorized force
liz supposed 10 he furnished from the
National Guard Of the coast States. Oh
the I'll odicsrs n 1899 enlisted men
which the state organisations were ex-
peoted to furnish his report shows that
, only 40 officers and 7,48s men were
found a-ailable at this years inspection.
Forces Far Too Low.
with the completion OF coast defsnces
In the Canal Zone. Hawaii and other
insular and territorial possessions. the
report goes on to say. there WIN
be available for the coast defences in
the United states proper only 40 oficers
and 1919 men of the regular army.
whereas the regular army quota should
be $40 officers and 23.0i7 men.
Secretary Garrison In his recommen-
dations to the President, which have
been Incorporated in the Adminietra-
tons national defence programme. urges
the addition OF nfty-two companies OF
ftkuidT army COdSt dTttlIeTy, WHICH
would bring the total enlisted force Of
regulars In this branch to 2b.sss men.
According to Gen. Weaver the total regu-
lar army force required. even II the
present system he continued. Is 1881
officers and 29.s47 enlisted men.
Inquiries tonight OF Secretary Gar
rison elected the information that his
recommendation for ffty-two additional
companies WAS based entirely on a de-
sire TO replace the companies moved to
insular possessions. He did not ask any
further increase. 1t was learned. because
of the need for an increase In the reg
ular mobile army. II the latter is raised
to the strength he proposes n the
continental army Ia created he believes
that any increase In the coast artillery
which might be needed would come later.
The situation az viewed by Gen.
Weaver In his report follows:
The Wars Lessons.
The European war has confirmed In
a remarkable way the value OF coast
Notifications. All that has ever been
claimed In h way OF coast fortinca-
lions being able successfully to resist
the attack OF warships has been and
is being demonstrated at the Darda-
nelles. Beyond question II has been es-
tablished there that gunfre ashore Is
more than an equal match for gunirs
afioat. Similarly the Notifications pro-
the German coast on the North
and Baltic seas have served to protect
the German navy from the overpower-
ing English fleet. Also the improvised
coast defences constructed by the Ger
mans along the Belgian coast imme-
after the occupation OF that
have proved their effectiveness
in holding Off the British warships. Here
after the ability Of coast Notifications
TO protect coast cities and anchorages
from bombardment and to prevent an
enemy's naval forces from running past
fortihcations In restricted waters can !
be doubted.
The Congress OF the United States
has appropriated Sl75, 900. 900 In the in ,
OF our present system OF coast
All approved projects as
by the Endicott and the
coast defence boards are now
practically completed. While certain
additional Notifications are planned and
certain notifications of old projects now
'eem advisable, M while some old bat
cries may he abandoned as a result Of
he evolution OF conditions OF naval at.
ack during the past twenty years, Il
nay be said In so far as material IL
that the United States possess
es to-day the most formidable system
II Goa defences In the world.
LegislatiOn Lays Behind.
Unfortunately. however. in connection
With the installation OF this coast de-
equipment there has been NO paral-
Fl attempt by legislation to provide for
It. and until such provision be
our coast defcnces cannot be con-
adequate.
In 1905 the Secretary OF War approved
policy as To h personnel needed.
'hich contemplated that all of the guns.
lortars and mines Of the oversee de-
ences and all mines Of continental
'nited states should be manned by rcgu-
" coast artillery troops and that one-
air OF the guns and mortars in the con-
mental United States should II prac-
no manned by the coast artillery
lilitia forces Of the seaboard States.
The present authorized strength of the
'gular coast artillery corps Is 7Ol ON.
srs Exclusive of ~chaplains) and 1903
len. The present strength is short sac
Ulcers and l0,S2S enlisted men on the
asis or the minimum number of officers '
hd men necessary for an efficient SER
As the defences outside of continental
nited States nave been completed and :
ready for their garrisons II has
necessary to transfer 10 these a
'nsiderable number of coast artillery
oops from the home Notifications to I
Divide the requisite manning bodies. I
Farther Reduction Ahead, I
When the oversee Notifications are !
mplete POI officers and $500 men will n.