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Appendix No. 9. As already stated, Sandy Hook is really on the soil of New Jersey, as well as forts we intend to show with Philadelphia in defences of that city, and a portion of the sea-faring population come from the Delaware inlet, and belong to the defences of that place and Philadelphia.
UNITED STATES.
State Papers.
State Papers, p. 237.
State Papers, pp. 1, 240, &c.
State of Delaware.
The principal defences proposed for that shore have been in connection with the great harbour of refuge.
In the long stretch of coast between New York Bay and Chesapeake, a distance of about 300 miles, there is no other entrance from the ocean, except for small vessels, than that of Delaware Bay. This has led, with the nature of the channel, infested with shoals and ice, to the creation of a great harbour of refuge, important in peace and war.
The Delaware and Chesapeake are connected by a canal, 10 feet deep. As already mentioned, surveys have been made for a ship-canal.
The expenditure on harbours has been very large; from public funds alone 3,000,000 dollars, chiefly on the breakwater at Cape Henlopen, but also on Lewes, Newcastle, and Wilmington.
In the 1870 Census, Delaware is classed as thinly populated and poor. Had sailors, 759; fishermen, 85; raftsmen, 11; shipwrights, 283.
Organized militia, 382; unorganized, 29,300. Old census, 125,000; new, 146,000.
Actual forts :----
Shown in connection with Philadelphia.
Defences: the works to defend harbour of refuge, estimated at 600,000 dollars, have never been commenced. Although now yielding a safe anchorage, this harbour will certainly become the habitual resort of enemy's vessels.
State of Pennsylvania.
The plans for the defences are included in the actual defences of Philadelphia: about 200,000%. have been expended, from Federal funds, on the Schuykill River, close to Philadelphia.
The actual coast of Pennsylvania is nil; but both the Delaware and Chesapeake inlets are the exits for its wealth.
The State is, in 1870, classed as densely populated and rich where it affects those water-ways. Sailors, 7,640; fishermen, 438; raftsmen, 3,400; shipwrights, 1,570; but many of these must be considered to belong to its Erie Lake shores.
Old census, 3,521,000; new census, 4,282,000.
Organized militia, 8,000; unorganized, 450,000; but much of this, although available, through the railway system, can hardly be considered coast defenders in a State with so much inland territory compared with its coast or river line. This is a case, as well as that of New York, and, in a less degree, all the north-east States, where the Canadian question comes in, and the amount of diversion of force which might be caused by Canadian enterprise.
Actual forts :-
Defences of Philadelphia and League Island navy yard. Value of stores, 3,390,014 dollars;
naval hospital, 976,300 dollars; naval academy, Annapolis, 1,286,000 dollars.
Fort Mifflin. Only work of projected interior defence yet built or commenced; below con- fluence of Schuykill and Delaware; incapable of effective defence against modern guns and ships; requires extensive alterations, and earthen batteries for heavy guns above and below it. Funds waited for. Mortar battery, west of main work, north of unfinished gun battery, unfinished itself, and suffering from exposure.
Site for defences at Redbank, New Jersey, opposite Fort Mifflin, 100 acres. The site is important, on a bluff commanding the channel at short range. No funds. Its occupa- tion by a suitable armament is indispensable to any attempt to defend the port of Philadelphia.
Fort Delaware, on Pea Patch Island, 42 miles below Philadelphia, at 1,000 yards. covers outer 24 foot curve of main or eastward channel; cannot cope with modern guns and ships; being washed away; needs extensive repairs and alterations.
Battery at Finns Point, on New Jersey shore, forms left flank of outer line of defences of river; new earthen barbette battery designed, unfinished. Suffering from sea wash and weather.
Mortar battery, part of above, unfinished; as above.
Fort opposite Fort Delaware, on Delaware shore, right flank of lower line of defence; new
earthen battery, incomplete.
Mortar battery, same shore, unfinished.
Torpedo cable galleries, &c., proposed for these works; condition unknown, probably un-
finished.
Captain Washington says the real defences of Philadelphia are the shoals and banks. It will be seen from above extracts that there is at present little else ready.
The Chesapeake. The lower portion of this inlet is in Virginia, as is the left bank of the Potomac, while the upper and right bank of the Potomac is in Maryland; it is therefore not possible entirely to adhere to a State division of the defences. We shall take the general considerations with Virginia.
State of Virginia.
Over this portion of the coast a hot discussion is to be found in the State Papers, similar to that regarding the more northern islands and bays, one side wishing to fortify almost every point, the other indicating its futility.
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