The Washington times., 1921-07-04
MOVING FORTRESS
PLANNED TO GUARD
ATLANTIC COAST
Armored Trains Will Garry a.
Centimeter Guns on Railway
Patrol Duty.
by T. y. siNDIFER,

Moving fortresses. camoufla e"
streaked, and belchinE ls-inch pro-
! jectiles. may some day keep an enemy
! fleet az hay of vital spot on Amer
| ica's shores.
These "fortresses" Will be formida 70
Bile groups of m" "42-centimetre
! type Of gun. mounted on railway car
riaEes. which will be used for the
| hrst time as coast defenses
Realizing from European war OK
! periences that the powerful long
! range guns now carried by battle
| ships make permanent fortihcations
OF questionable value in defending
our coasts from an attack at sea. the
War Department IL rapidly building
up the onG-Contemplated system Of
railway artillery with which II IL
eventually hoped TO girdle our coasts.
Our coast defenses are as strong as
II Is possible for such works to he,
but the fact that they are in fixed
position, and the fact that II is pos
sible to locate them. make other de-
fenses desirable, II not actually es-
sential. The capture by japanese
and British stormins parties OF the
powerful sunken turrets comprising
the defenses OF Using Tau. German
China. early in the war. following
bombardment from the sea. has dem
onstrated that this character Of fort
Is not as secure as had been formerly
considered
HEAVY ARTILLERY on HAND.
Accordingly. the War Department
conceived some time ago the plan
OF experimenting our fixed coast de-
lenses with movable batteries
mounted on carriages which could
go by rail from point TO point. This
would mean that, in addition to the
stationary batteries making up the
regular fortiflcations of seaport,
other groups OF batteries equally
powerful and capable of moving to
any advantageous point or to any
threatened point, could keep up
smashing fire on the enemy fleets,
ward while said enemy got the
range and returned the compliment.
This is the general plan.
1t did not progress so rapidly un-
I'll the close of the war found the
War Department holding in its
hands more big guns. with movable
railway mounts OF the latest type.
than they ever thought they would
set So they set TO work, and
full report OF their progress and a
new list of the technical require
ments of the new service have been
made to Congress and may be made
public later.
CAMP EUSTIs. VA. CHOSEN.
II is proposed to establish the first
regular railway system adapted to the
use of railway guns at a point within
strategic distance OF the area which
military experts have calculated an
enemy undoubtedly would pick II he
sought to reach the vital spots of our
Atlantic coast. For the purpose Of the
defense chain War Department ex-
perts have selected a former war
camp. Camp Eustis, Va, and asked
that II be held by the Government
from the general sale Of camps and
turned over 10 the military authori-
ties. This camp, II Is said, ia the only
one now ready which ia adaptable TO
the peculiar purposes for witch II is
wanted. First. II Is strategically To-
Gated, so that II is desirable as a per-
manent area Second. II already has
twenty-five miles OF trackago and Is
accessible 10 n main trunk line 50
that IL can be linked up with another
area II necessary Third, its build
ings, landings and other foundations
were made especially solid 20 that
the camp Is already in condition to
receive the extra heavy loads
e this camp IL turned over as de-
eired. II IL planned by the coast srtil-
iery 10 send units 10 the railway ar
tilleky there for training, after which