The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-25
RICHMOND FILES
PROTEST WITH DANIELS
Committee Declares City Ii as SAFE
From Inyadcrs' Attack "a Site
Further Inland.
IDEAL SITE FOR ARMoR PLANT
Two Hundred Miles From Coast
Limit Held to BE Confession OF
Weakness Which Should Be Set
Aside.


hostile army 10 effect its capture
a delegation of Richmond business
men, headed by President Coleman
Worthani, of the Chamber of Com
merce, today urged Secretary OIL the
Navy Daniels to set aside the 2oo miles
from the coast ruling or the Army
War College IN considering site Tor
the governments armor-plate plant.
A supplementary brief was filed on
Eichmond's behalf, but ii is not an
ticipated that the board will visit
Richmond on its trip South shortly
TO be begun.
The text of the supplementary brief
follows:
Text OF Brief Richmond Submitted
To the Honorable. the Secretary OF
the Navy:
/. The city of Richmond Va, re-
spectfully directs the attention of the
honorable, the Secretary Of the Navy
TO a recent statement made by the
general board of the navy. and begs
leave 10 file in connection Herewith
this brief as Elementary to that OF
september IL, 1916.
:. In reply TO a letter from the
honorable, tile Secretary OF the Navy,
bearing date of November "a, 1916,
the general board Of the ravy sub
mitted to the honorable secretary a
list of cities which will satisfy the
provisions of the act of Congress APP
propriating for the armor plant IN SO
Tar as location ia concerned. with
especial reference to considerations of
safety in time OF war" In submit
ting this list. the general board OF the
navy stated that IL had been guided
10y the military principle which Was
laid down by the Army War College
on September u. 1915. aud with which
IT. was in full accord w. As a
general military principle. no supply
depot, arsenal nor manufacturing
plant of any considcra bic size. sup
ported by War Department appropria-
tons FOR military purposes. should be
established or maintained east OF the
Appalachian Mountains west o. the
cascade or Sierra Nevada Mountains,
nor within two hundred miles of our
Canadian or Mexican borders and
steps should be taken gradually to
esuse 10 he moved depots and manu-
featuring plants already esta blj shed IN
violation Of this military principle "
Eliminating with this statement. a
number OF cities which sought the ar
1nor-piate plant, the general board Of
the navy theTeupon listed certain
other cities which had made appli-
ratlon for the armor- plate plant
These, the board stated do not fall
within the prescribed area. and their
distance from the borders OF the coun-
Try, or their location beyond noun
tain ranges, where oar army would
prohsbly he able 10 check The advance
OF hostile force render them com
parativeiy safe in time Of war"
We Have Right to- speak
g. As Richmond falls within tho
area thus infcreutiailv declared liable
tn Mt i'm. -
Richmond offers . mos; desirable S}te
FOR the srmor plate plant the CITY
feels that IL has an interest % defend
and a right to speak: and It accord
,uEly submits. with all Difference. the
following considerations
4. The military principle laid
down by tho Army War College aud
endorsed ny the general board Of the
navy regards as potentially in danger
Of invasion practically all OF twenty
four States of the Union. and from
fourth TO e-ha1f OF niue others
only fifteen States in their entirety
and from one-half to three-foprths OF
ntne others are regarded as safe from
INVASION in time Of war
; The general beard OF the navy
would not We take it. he willing 20
admit the probability OF the simul-
famous occupation of all or this
fen~e is declared impractica bic in
va.ion is possible nv - combination Of
enemies. and conditions might arise in
which. were this principle soand,
thirty-three States OF the Union might
he occupied in whole or in part by
enemy armies
6 In such r case
l. tif,y-one per cent ~ the total
sres OF the continental tinted states
would be in enemy hands.
H. Approximately 1874 per cent Of
tho population OF the Union would be
under the military rule of the armies
OF occupation.
III. Less than tG per cent OF the
present developed HORSEPOWER Of
American industrial establish ments Of
every description could he applied To
the problems OF defense and sub
eistence.
". Not per cent Of the anthracite
coal mines of the country would re-
main in loyal hands.
V. Only IS per cent OF the present
hituminous coal mines of the United
states could be reckoned as safe from
invasion.
VI. Less than - per cent OF the oil
and gas wells OF the country would be
left for American use.
VII. Seventy per cent OF the
copper mines Would DC IN ocCupieu
territory.
WEI or the present iron mines Of
the Union. only % per cent could be
operated for the use OF our armed
forces ana our industries.
TX. Only 1914 per cent OF the
manufacturing industries of the
United States would remain to sup
ply the navy the army and the civil
ian population.
X Every existing navy yard and
every important arsenal, with a single
exception, would have been taken over
hy the enemy.
I. 1t would seem to follow that, IL
this military principle be sound. and
these States be occupied. that part
Of the country declared probably"
safe from invasion could not sustain
and supply an army and would not
need q navy. To that extent this
military principle. IL sound. Is a con-
fession that the United States are de-
fenseless against a possible combina-
ton OF foreign foes. II the military
urincipie be not sound. then 1t should
not be applied to eliminate Richmond
from consideration as the site for the
armor- plate plant.
Must Protect the ScabOard.
tiOhulond dooS NOT 70 an a.