The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-03-02

in it's possession for long time. Why
is IL said that a foe can smash our
cities so easily? Because. army men
say. there is only two hours supply
of ammunition for our seacoast de.
fense guns. 1t is held in fact that II is
less than this, for II is said there is
only two hours supply Of ammunition
70 one-half the big guns guarding our
ports of entrance.
There is one curious feature which
stands out from all the facts which
have been presented to congress con.
cerning our need or lack OF need of
preparation for defense fror, possible
foes. 1t seems to be admitted that we
have big guns enough for the protec.
tion of harbors and cities, but that
we haven't the ammunition to make
the guns useful. In other words, con.
gress has been authorizing plenty of
money for guns, but has declined to
authorize the money for the purchase
of the ammunition which would make
the guns serviceable.
This is recognized as one of the
most curious phases Of the whole situ-
alton. 1t takes long while to make
the ammunition for the big guns and
It is urged by army and navy officers
that what ought to have been done
was to have ammunition making keep
pace with gun making. AS things are
now, a large mum 'er o. our great
coast-guarding cannon are serviceable
simply as ornaments, and cen never
be serviceable for anything else unless
money is voted to buy food to put into
their maws
Wilson's Trip to the capes.
President Wilson has been looking
over one of this country's greatest
Notifications, the guard over the sea
entrances to three great cities, one of
which is the capital of the United
States
When the president announced his
intention of going to Fortress Monroe
to have a few days time in which to
think on whom to appoint to succeed
Lindley M. Garrison. his former sec.
retary of war, he had one other object
in view, namely, the inspection of the
defenses at Fortress Monroe and of
the site of the proposed additional de-
fenses at Cape Henry. He wanted to
learn at first hand something about
the big guns and the water approaches
which they command.
To ole Sy,
edness plan upon which army officers
and legislators fixed their minds prior
to the great war in Europe and, of
course therefore, prior to the time of
the arousing of interest in this coun-
try in the subject Of quick preparation
for defense. About two years ago
plans were laid to build big fort
at Cape Henry to help Fortress Mon.
roe guard the entrance to. Chesapeake
bay and to the James river.
Up the Chesapeake at it's farther
most point lies Baltimore. Running
into the Chesapeake about midway
between the entrance and it's high
point is the Potomac river, and up the
Potomac lies the city of Washington
Just back of the main entrance to the
waters of Hampton Roads lies the city
of Norfolk, and up the James river,
which empties into the ocean near Nor
folk, lies the city of Richmond All
of these cities must be guarded by the
forts whose guns command the pas
sageway between Cape Charle' and !
Cape Henry
Really Two Forts There.
In reality there are two forts al Old
Point Comfort. There is the old For
tress Monroe built a hundred or more
years ago and which resembles to
some extent the fortiIcations of the
medieval period. There is the mason
ry fort with it's embrasures through
which poked the muzzles of now anti.
quated smooth bore guns, and there
is the moat fed by the waters. of the
bay and which was intended to en-
barrass If not to stop land attack.
Today as companion to the old
fort is new fortress, unlike it in all
particulars. It is modern and is
equipped with the most modern high
power rifles. Electrical and somewhat
intricate machinery has taken the
place of the old sponge and rammer
staff which was used to charge the
smooth bores of the
old time, Range finders and new in.
ventions for sighting have superseded
the old system of aiming the smooth
bores which, as matter of fact, were
pointed to considerable extent as
an ordinary rife is pointed.
The guns of Fortress Monroe can
1url projectiles across the entrance to
Chesapeake bay as far as the shore
waters of Cape Charles Enemy YES
sells in order to get into Chesapeake
oay proper and to head toward Balti.
more and Washington must pass with
n range of the Fortress Monroe guns.
However. If fog is on, or if the enc.
ny's ships are willing to take chances
hey could pass up into the Chesa.
'eake, hugging the Cape Charles shore
nd be in comparatively little danger
II disaster from Monroe's guns.
To Fortify Cape Henry.
In order to make such a passage for D
he enemy's ships more hazardous &
arteries have been placed on what 8
re called the Rip-raps which lie in !
he waters of Hampton Roads to the h
light of Fortress Monroe as one looks Il
eaward. This makes two fortifica- P
ons in place and ready to defend the
ay and river approaches, but these % %
wo have not been considered suff. A
lent to meet all the possibilities in
le case.
Therefore It was that congress pro- r
ided the means some time ago for o
le purchase of land for a fort on
ape Henry, the more southern of the
Vo capes between which the channel "