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State of New York.
The Engineer proposals-have recommended sixteen positions for works for the defence of this section.
The expenditure from Federal funds on harbours has been immense, but to give the actual figures would mislead, so large a proportion has been expended on the lake coast in the interior, and we have not time or space to analyze the items.
In the census of 1870 there were 22,000 sailors, 2,500 fishermen, 1,700 raftsmen, and 4,700 ship- wrights. But, again, many of these are on the lakes; coast very densely populated; very rich. 1870 Census, 4,300,000; 1880, 5,083,000; organized militia, 19,000; unorganized, 457,000.
Actual forts:-
It would be quite impossible to treat the New York forts in the limits of these papers; the detailed Reports are once more referred to, but a few words from the latest Engineer Reports will illustrate the general situation.
The batteries are in a condition to render a great increase of strength possible with compara- tively small expenditures; but it would be a mistake to suppose that the work can be done promptly at the beginning of a war, or that the channel can be effectively closed by torpedoes in the present state of the forts.
Fort Schuyler, defence through East River; funds required for completion for heavy guns. Fort at Willet's Point, unites with above to defend east entrance; funds required to complete
the new middle earthen battery for twenty heavy guns.
Defences of Governor's Island, Fort Columbus, Castle Williams, South Battery, new barbette Battery, with Fort Wood opposite, defend entrances to East and Hudson River; new earthen batteries unfinished; funds asked for.
Fort Wood, Belloes Island; new heavy earthen battery unfinished.
Fort Hamilton and additional batteries at the narrows; new earthen batteries only partially
constructed.
Mortar Battery at Fort Hamilton nearly finished.
Fort Lafayette, on a shoal at the narrows, occupies best position for defence of New York. Harbour; fort obsolete, unworthy of repair; new fort for 80- to 100-ton guns wanted; will take several years.
Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island; second line of defence of southern approach through narrows; granite, in four tiers; one barbette. During past year 10-inch smooth-bores replaced by 8-inch rifles on lowest tier. Fort on site of Fort Tompkins. A large work at back of Fort Wadsworth; has glacis gun battery on left, mortar glacis battery on right; is assisted by North Cliff, South Cliff, Battery Hudson, and South Mortar Batteries; is intended as keep of all the works; properly armed, will be able to throw heavy fire from commanding position on narrows; mounts seaward guns in barbette; is nearly ready.
Glacis gun battery; barbette north of above; ready for guns.
Glacis mortar battery; to throw vertical fire on narrows; finished, even to magazines, but
apparently not completely armed.
Battery Hudson, between Fort Tompkins and water's-edge; unfinished, on new plans for
heavy guns.
South Mortar Battery, in rear of above; to throw vertical fire on narrows; incomplete.
North Cliff Battery; earthwork; direct fire on narrows; between Fort Tompkins and water;
incomplete for modern guns.
South Cliff Battery, between Fort Tompkins and water; earthwork; nearly finished, except
magazines and traverses.
Fort at Sandy Hook; outermost work to prevent occupation of Hook; modification and com- pletion of this important work for reception of the heaviest rifled guns; protected by impenetrable armour; urgently recommended.
It will be seen on comparing plans with execution, however defective, that New York, except for want of armament, is becoming formidable, and will require respectful consideration as soon as guns begin to be placed. Value of stone and barbette works questionable, against modern and machine guns, while new earthen batteries are nearly all incomplete.
Value of stores at Brooklyn and navy yard was 24,000,000 dollars.
Appendix No. 9.
UNITED STATES.
56
Engineer Reports."
Naval hospital, 775,000 dollars.
State of New Jersey.
The last fort was really in New Jersey, but is included in New York.
The coast from the mouth of the Hudson to the Chesapeake, as well as south of Long Island, is low and sandy, and is penetrated by several inlets, but not one besides the Delaware is navigable for sea-going vessels.
The Engineer Reports, therefore, make no applications for forts on this coast.
The expenditure on harbours has been 700,000 dollars, chiefly on Raritan and Passaic. These inlets, if we include Sandy Hook Fort, are really within the New York series of defences.
The coast of New Jersey is thinly populated and poor, but the Raritan vale inland, very densely populated and very rich.
In 1870: sailors, 5,500; fishermen, 1,100; raftsmen, 122; shipwrights, 750.
1870 Census, 906,000; 1880, 1,130,000.
Organized militia, 3,500; unorganized, 223,000.
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