The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-08
PLAN DEFENSE
 OF BRIDGEPORT MUNIT|ON SHOPS Guns to Be Mounted to Sweep Sound in Event
 of Attack. SEARCHLIGHTS WILL ILLUMINATE WATERS Factories Doing Govern ment Work Here Now
 Excellent Targets.

Bridgeport and her big munition plants are being worked out by the strategy board of the United States with details of men from the engineer ing corps and the coast artillery corps has been busy here fer several days Their work is said to be the selec- ticn of sites for concrete bases on which heavy guns can be mounted and arranging for the Illuminating of the harbor in the, case of a night attack by any hostile craft which might pass the forts at the eastern entrance to Long Island Sound.
 For more than a month numbers of men i'll civilian clothes but of mili- tary bearing, have been making auto mobile trips about the city. They passed in and out very quickly and very quietly. The purposes of their visits here are now disclosed. They have been making plans of the heights to the north of the city and picking places there as sites for cannon which will be mounted to protect the city. It is reported that the work of plac- ing tho concrete will begin within a few days.
 In the general plan of defense for the city, sketches of 8 system to iI- illuminate the harbor have been made. It is proposed to mount powerful searchlights along Pleasure Beach, at Seaside park, the plant of the Loco mobile company and other prominent places about the harbor. The big searchlight al, the State Armory, used for practice by the Coast Artillery men has been taken down and it is said will be used to test out this de- fensfve lighting system.
 In case of an attack at night the idea is to throw out heavy lights which will illuminate the sound half way to Long Island shore, hostile ships which might appear to Lombard Bridgeport will thus be exposed to the troops who man the guns that are to be placed in the hills back of the city. The lights will also give a warn ing of the. approach of any hostile submarine.
 Similar plans are being worked out for the defense of New Haven.
 The Lake Torpedo Boat Co. is now building seven submarines for the United States government. The Lo- comobile Co. of America is making trucks for the government. The Bridgeport Projectile Co. has a big munitions contract. In the event of war with another. power both Bridge port apd New Haven would be great workshops for the supply of muni- tions and defensive weapons for our army.
 Every .precaution is therefore being taken to guard against attack and to provide adequate defenses in the event that any hostile craft should slip into the Sound. A single gunboat which succeeded in passing the defenses at either entrance to the Sound might easily lay off this harbor and within half an hour demolish every munition factory within range of it's guns. Half an hour later the gunboat might be off New Haven harbor and repeat the same performance.
 Neither port has any guns or de- lenses nor at present could the slightest defense be offered. Naval experts estimate that irreparable de- struction can be accomplished here before such field batteries as the state has equipped could be brought into action. But with guns mounted to
 
 tillery men to man them there would be another story.
 A party of military men recently en- gagged in the survey for the arrange ment for these defenses stood. off Point No-Point in a power boat re- gently and noted the harbor lines The great new buildings of the Remington Arms U. M. c. Go. which are hidden from view in most other parts of the icty, stood out from the sound as if painted on a curtain. That they would make targets which could scarcely be missed lby hostile marine gunners was remarked by all the men in the boat.
 The need for more men to enter training with the local Coast Artillery companies in order that they may know how to man the proposed de- lenses, is being emphasized daily by the officers of the corps stationed here. Although they are loath to discuss the mater the fact that each officer is ar his private affairs so as to be able to answer the call at any time is taken to indicate that they expect to be called to active service very shortly.
 Officers of the Coast Artillery com panies last night held a long confer ence at the State Armory with Capt. F. l.. Dengler, U. s. A., the inspector Instructor, detailed with the Con- necticut corps by the war departmer t. The meeting was called for the pur- pose of discussing the assignments which will be made the Coast Artillery companies if they are called to the island forts at the eastern approach of Long Island sound. The officers, however, refused to give out any in- formation concerning what tran spired. It is known however, that some changes in the plans for mobi- Hzing the local companies was male, and it is now believed that all the men can be assembled and be req dy to march from the State Armory within two hours notice.
 Through arrangements with Col. Frank l.. Armstrong, commanding the United States Boy Scouts in this section, the members of his organiza- ton day or night will promptly sum- mon the members of the Coast Artil- lery corps when a call comes. The city has been divided into sections and
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