Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-05
BUILD BATTLE BARNS
FOR COUNTRY's DEFENSE
Proposed Combination for Use In
Time of War and Service
I'm Peace.
MAKE COAST IMpREGNABLE
with Such Concrete Structures
Along Sea Front and Border
Lines Invasion Would BECOME
Almost Impossible.

\ recent article states that General
Sarrail. Of the French army. now in
command Of the allied forces at
ialoniki. admitted that ninety Ger
mans with forty machine guns killed
""cr 1000 Frcnchmen and held back
e large army for several days" The
ninety Inen were hghting from star
iorts,' which are no more nor less
man sunkcn concrete chambers having
iunnel-likc arms extending outward
The ends OF which arc protected with
steel turrctH
" is n denDonstratcd fact that the
large, expensive and once powerful
forts are now practically obsolete. be
cause they are so quickly located and
easily destroyed with modern guns and
high-explosive shells
II is also a proven fact that the small
steel turrets used in the German star
forts" are not only easily hidden with
small shrubbery screens or disguised
with paint and earth. but that they are
almost impossible TO hit with sheli,
large enough to destroy them while Il
lew men In one of them equipped with
modern machine guns, now down
reat masses OF Invaders like grain
hcfore the scythe.
This country Is certainly learning
some valuable lessons IN this the war
or wars-lessons that may help II to
protect It's coasts and its southern
border with star forts" OF AN i'm
proved kind for sometimes a suyges-
lon or an idea may change. yes. com
nletely revolutionize. the laborious
work. Of lifetime.
rows OF, RE-ESFORCED
CONCRETE BARNS PROPOSED
One or two rows OF rc-enforced con-
ercte barns ffty TO sixty feet In dia-
meter. one or two stories high. might
ne built along the coast. or at the
most critical points. placing them. say.
'"o miles apart. and Just FAR enough
pack from the coast 10 be out Of range
If ba,tleship guns, yet close enough
% permit good View OF possible. land
nr places.
The basemen, or lower portion of
these barns could be bull; similar TO
he Germans star forts" and a very
few men IN each OF them, properly
e7uipped with arms and ammunition.
oould hold back many times their mum
Der for several days or until heavy
artillery was landed and used by the
invading forces Even then each barn.
also the small outlying steel turr.ts.
would literally have to To- shot 10
pieces before the invading army could
move toward tho Interior
\ barn s." built would FIRST Of all
act as "A signal station. as tho watch
toner over the silo would give com
plc'e survey for miles around. ANA
from which signals would cnabl. con-
ccnl.d ARTILLERY 10 work havoc on
roth 'hc ships and landing forces
Th. heavy wire screen iuclosing the
-'trigeon hatchsrr-- would help 70 pro
tsct the barn against bombs from avi-
tlprS. Tn" basement, or star fort
and steel turrets would give such
splendid protection to light artillery
and mach!nc-gun men that quick
PUSHES from landing forces would hc
suicidal.
In building these barns excavations
should be mad. 10 about onc-haif the
depth OF the basement and the earth
banked up almost TO the top of tho
Basement wall. which should have port
hole windows. over the basement "a
very strong and heavily REINFORCED
concrete floor should be placed. SUI
nciently supported to carry the ON
lire load ~ the supe rstructure after
II had been demolished by she'll fire.
WALLS OF RoUND BAHN
WOULD CRUMBLE SLOWLY
AS the shape of tho barn would be
round. and the walls heavily re-cn-
forced, they would crumble very slow
~. and practically all OF tho debris
caused by the enemys guns would
fall inward instead Of outward. thus
leaving the portfolios fire. for use
IF the defenders, and making the base
ment and steel turrets or star fort"
part of the structure almost imprcg-
nable.
The Mexican border not only offers
an easy entry for invading armies, but
presents weakness not readily over
come by a small army, and one that
is not within reach of the navy. Just
% long as the death to rrnCo" feel
ing exists In Mexico or the anti-Ameri-
can feeling exists In Japan. the men
ace confronting the southern border
is problem 10 be reckoned with.
row OF concrete battle barns along
this boundary would I've great pro-
lection
a chain, or even 49, or three rows;
along the coast and border by the gov
eminent In a few years with small
part of the annual naval expense, and
would not only serve as 4 protection
of the very best kind, but would in
direct way be the means of building
up tho stock-raisinS and feeding in
dustry. now very much neglected in
these sections. for the example set by
The government showing tho utility
and practical features OF such u stric-
ture would certainly induce Thousand;
nf individuals 10 follow the plans.
RENT LAND AND BARN
WITH SUITABLE RESIDENCE:
The government might purchase IL
tract Of land at the proper point for
The location of each barn. and after
IT'S completion rent land and barn,
with suitable residence. to the high
est bidder, for period of years. or
he government might use tho whole
property for experimental stations
imIlar to those now in existence. The
enter. whether II farmer or stock
rpcder. would pay Il sufficient amount
- money annually for upkc"p ana in
inrcst, also for setting aside sink
"g fund which in comparatively
Few years would return to the govern
rent the entire investment.
From the renters farmers stand