Columbia telescope. (Columbia, S.C.) 1819-1821, June 06, 1826, Image 1
COLUMBIA TELESCOPE,
py a must) it wmbW.
TKRM'fe-.TrtM* Doilaju per aaamn.
ruJ &f llui yl*r P*X?W/ia lhe
A it v krt tit v sHTf? wn IrtMrtcJ at t)?a nit* of
Toveftty-flv# eoat* fbr aranr twenty llnea, or ?
lo? uumbcr. for flto fir.t iniortion, tad for!/
lentt for eaeh eontlnaaneo.?TIkmo frbfci non
?abMHbora aiott bo accompanied by th? cash.
"p ? ra>pparibl? reforeuce, or they will rocelvo
ytf tHEil&Atfc CfrTHKOjflTED STATES.
Fortifications of the U. Statu.?.The
bill "makinjc appropriation fhr certain for
tifications of the United States,'* being un
der consideration;' and Mr. Smith, of Mar. |
having moVed to strike out the appropria
tion of seventeen thousand dollar* for tho
piirchano of Imd and the right of way on
Throat's in Long Island sound,?in
support of the mdtien,
.'Nr. Dickerson, of New Jer?ey, observ
ed: This tittle appropriation, for purchas
ing about flfty?two acres of land at Throgg'i
neck, at the etpertso of 17,000 dollars,
wbie*i appears so harmless, involves con
sequences of the utmost importance to the
country. It ia fo lead to tho expenditure
of at I- ast a million aftd a half of dollars, to
defend the harbor oftfew York against the
approach of such ships of tvar as woold
rrnture through the whirl pools of Heflgate.
It also involve* the question, whether it
wdl not be possible to cheek the rage for
fortifications, which has already eost us
many millions of dollars, and it i? to be at*
tcmled with eonseqtiencee much more to
be dreaded than the loss of tftooey.
If we aru to construct the proposed for
tifications at
Throng's neck son Wilkin's
point, it will be utterly in vain to ouoose
tfie construction of other*, however use
!o*s or expensive they mny bo.
Deforo we take this fault e atep, it will
be well to inquire what we hnve already
?lone, ami what la proposed to do, upon the
Njhject of fortifications. No one will deny,
but thrft certain important points on our
maritime frontier shoold be well fortified;
but the system, if carried to excesa, be
conioa rmnooa to the country.
Ten millions of dollars will construct as
meu* fortiflcmioo* H* we ought to garrison,
in wtr or pence; ~dwe ahoutd construct
no fortification - - ?? -~r~
ed, unless we mean them for our enemies,
if we pertevero in the plant adopted, our
expenditure* for fortifications will amoynt
to four or fire timet that sum. Masv
member* of Congress havo viewed, with
borror, tho extravagant scheme of fortify
ing our frontier*, pursued wince the lote
war, with at much ardor as if tho enemy
rvn? nppronrhingus. They have consider
ed morn than half the expenditure* of these
ratifications, as atyuey worse than thrown
away. They have made opposition ti the
measure, but thoy have not been austained
by their conatituenta; but, on the Contrary,
have been held up at the enomUs of use
ful institution* Tliey havo been borne
.lown by the oopularify of oar lute chief
magistrate, with whom this scheme was
known tp be * f.?vorito meesurt.
That the lnte president very honestly
believed that the prosperity of the country
would be promoted by the o'toptlon of hit
stupendous schome of fortifications, cannot
be doubted. 1 lie efforts have been well
meant; but be has ogregfiouily mistaken
tho interest of tfse country.
As onr amule revenues have enabled us
to construct these fortitications, without re
sort to diroct tases, the people at large
Mtcm (o have given themselves but little
trouble upon the (object, but icentcif dis
|mm?I to yield to the wishes of i popular
president, who. at his tint election, came
into office by the geheral nnsent of the pre*
dominant party, and, i?t hia second, by the
tuieot of all parties. Indeed, hia last elec
tion was nearly unanimona. It ia not to be
presumed, that the favorite "measures 6f a
preoidont, thus elect?!, are to he opposed
bv his cabinet, even if they had the dispo
m^ioh to do no, nor by thn member* ofl
<!ongrc*n, unlCM (liny nre willing to render
Uwimelves unpopular.
An argument ot th? greatest force in f.?.
?or of lh?l? fortification*. i?, (tint the* have
b*en rce??tnmen?le<l nn?l wpprovwl of by our
*cientiflc enjpneer* Bat, it ahoukl he re*
<olh*cte<l tl>?%t |he*e ongineera nr? not con
sulted m to th? policy of eroding them.?
The plan of completely fortifying our mnr
itlme frontier, wmi adopted before the or
ri*?l of the diitlngaia hen foreigner now11 "
lowing to onr engineer corp?, end in who*<
rcienco wo ju?llf pl?co tho mo?t implicit
ronfhlenrt. Oor oniiooor* mm orital up
on to ilnrbotho pl*M nOcowory for carry
>n* into execution the tchomo mlopt?<t.
*?d tlwt upon tint m>M mftjmifcont mm*/*
TW? tbcv Wo Um??, in part; without re*
k m.I to Im rotourco*, policy, or }*t?Yv/?tof
th4 countnr. Tho*o weri not ?nbj?/4i tor
their cwwHornlion-^tMit ot*tM t? M ferl
?V ? or,?W**r*tton of congt'O'. I
Ijn, tbato tun
Eh the AlhgliM!
mountain*?that the waters of tho You^hi
mode to Imo through Ibis tunnel, supply
canal* oo tbii ?mo the mountains, aod aii
charge themselves into the thenapeake.?
They inform you whet om ??e done, with
out Mjrin| what ought to bo done. Tho
decision opon that ro?U entirely with ano
ther body, who, atone, are resposiblc, *o
far as tho United States arc concerned.
The commencement of a new ndminis*
tration affords a favorable occasion for a
new effort to check the race for fortifica
tions.' It is not believed that the preseot
I chief magistrate i* in favor of completing
these fortifications, upon the magnificent
scale of bis predocaaabr or, if tob is. that
His popularity is ao otrerrt helmin* ut?
carry the ttiiMara throdgh; in?mmtich as
be 6m not b?en elected to hit office unani ?
mously, or by a majority approaching to
unanimity.
When the plan of .1881 of our proponed
fortiticntion?, wm developed, by which we
were to have, in addition to what we had
latt war, fortifications that woold cost 18
millions ofdollar*, and reonire for garrison*
ill time of War, thirty-eight thousand men,
I rejoiced, because (believed it would cre
ate an alarm throughout the country, which
would bare checked the immense expen
diture# contemplated?but 1 was mistaken:
for this development took place precisely
when it was ascertained that Mr. Monroe
had been re-elected by nn almost unnnimou*
vote. So far from giving a check to the
prosecution of the plan, it?cem< to hnro
created a new impetus in .?? favor, by hold
ing up to the people of most of the state*,
a prospect ol coming in for a due propor
tion of the expenditures for these estab
lishments. The southern states are to have
|frupQruoo oi iriese expenditures?
Virginia and Maryland to be (ratified with
tho immense sums to ba laid out at Old
Point Comfort and the Hip Raps. How,
York, by the proposed erection efforts, to
the amount of five or six millions of dot*
Ian; (he eaitem states to be pros id?d for,
but not so liberally; North Carolina, which
never comes in for her proptr share of
fmblic patronage, must be satisfied with two
Htle forts, to cost two hundred thousand
dollars. Petmsylfsnif I* to have ? very
small divkhrotMtder fort uenrMnc *? **
lite least importance to that state. It roust
be obMrveu that the plan of fortifications of
1821, embrace* hut ? part of the system?
even Fort Fayette and Fort Washington,
are notincladed in it?nor doe* it include
many other forte which have been built
in the United States, and which mutt be re
built or repaired at a very ^rewt expense,
to oi'ike thin system of forlificntion uni
form and complete.
By the plan of 1D21, the proposed fbrti*
ficntin*, in Addition to tbo*e previously
erected for the defence of our m.trtttime
frontier, are divided into three clones, to
be erected at three different period*, m
the country may be able to bear the et
peme. 'I hone of the fir?t cl*#? to cost
eight million*, ten thousand end fifty-four
dollars?to require for garrison*, in time
of war 20,306 men, and id time of peace
2,640, The second class to cost 4,711,031
dollars, to require 8,015 men, in time of
war, and 1.090 in pence. The third cIkm
to coat 6.073,070 and to require 7,042
men in war, and 1,1 fo in peace, to co*U in
all, 17,705,053 dollara?any 16,000,000
dollar*. To require in war 37,902?*?y
38,000 men, and in peace 4,690-eay 5,0<K>.
By a report accompanyinf the pre?ideot*e|
mettage, of the 6th December tat, we
find eatimato* of additional work? for de
fence of Boston harbor and NarnigatneU
bay?.for raft* to obctroct the channel he
tween fort* Monroe and Calhoun?fort at
Craney I ? lam I?fort at New Port New*?
I fort at Naaseway fhoal?for tnt Thomas'
I point, and fort at Poipt Patience, not incln
d*d In the estimate* of 1821, to the amount
of itftftrty tiro million* of dollar*. do that
thin acheme of fort* of 18*21, ns enlarged
by the wlditioo* of IBtlA, i* to eo?t nearly
twenty million* of dollar*, by the e^tiihato
mihmitied, which are *evend million* of
tlolhrc unrlc- Wh*t will be the real co*t of
these works; mihI thi* does not include the
fort* Fayette end Wa*hlngton, completed
nince the lnte.wir, nor n Rreut variety of
foit? erectod previously t?#, and during thu
late war?** fort George, fort Preblu, fort
Conttitution, fort Bewail, fart Indeptm
tiencfl, fort Wntrren, fort Wnlcott, fort
fcrt Trutntmll ' ftColrnnbo*. fort
Utb>, fort Wood, lo*'; Mifflin, fort Mcllen*
?v, fort Hetsrr.. p>rt rik?, fort NlMfpr*,
fo ' HKr:?h?, fort frtrl GrMiot, fort
Vbm* I, (ort Dcirrhoro, fort IhrriMn, fort
Motcon* r>trt 2^orfol1t? fort jjtttMtfni S. C?
fort Solirw.t, M. C. fott Moultrie, fort Scott,
fort Montioiuorv, fort Crawford, (Ala.)
fori CbuH^'tUi, fort lhmpM? (btt OMft,
fortCNrkr, fori fit* - -
mud fort Cr?wT?W,
Th*?? fjtto ofto in
thai in (1m jw 1817 they wtw all military
?tatiotM, commanded by tho different offi
cer* of our array, at appears by n report
time 4,460 man wtr* fcationed at these
fori*. Many of them will no doubt be fi.
nally abandoned, baimimy oftheftitmi?tbe
repaired nod to^ve them aaV
thing like uniformity to ttoeyetein, ami will
coat os several milliona of dollar*.
Accnrocy, m to the lifiwe or worka of
encb magnitude, could nut ba expected.?I
A m?n wlio builds knowa tbnt the estimate*
full nrach below the actoal coat It MM
matter of surprise that our ?l|ioeen hatel
been able to make their iillmtH with m|
near an approach t<?accuracy ae they have;
and yet I no not dooht those estimates will
14 found, in the ave*ege, twenty-five
per cent, below whit tbeae
will co?t.
In the caiimale of 1821, Old Point
Co<h fort, not fort km Monroe,
wits to cost ... gOIC.OM
By ?n estimate, accompanying tlic
President's message, of 4th of
[arch, 1824, this fortress is to
cost $1,261/,792
A difference of A442.978 in this ono
work, which bo doubt will tin much in*
created before the work is completed.
Tho fort At the lligoleta, by esti
mate of 1841, to cost ? 064.517
By thnt of 1024 . - -314.6971
A <litfcrenr.e of fifty thousand dollars.
The tort at Chef Meotour, by c$
timnte, of 1821 ? 2C0.M7
Uy estimate of 1021 . ? 3".0,906
A difference of forty thousand dollars.
The fort nt Pea Patch, by the es
timate of 10*21, to cwt ? 250,000
By entitnate in the president'*
menage ofGth December laat, 409,707
K difference of $211,707; about 01 per
ccnt.
The history of tho fort nt this place,
called fort Delm uro, m?y IomI u? to f<?nn
?owe idea of what ?ro may expect from
other fort*, by the time they nre completed.
Fort Delaware ivai catculnted, in the fir?t
place, to be built upon a very large aculo.
to mount 212 rum; thia plan wm merwards
much reduced: and by th? estimate of 1021,
the whole expen?e of constructing the fort
tvm fixed nt 208,000 dollar*. Tho work
win the a #0 fUr whranced. that no.more ihm?
?mi tAmgitw*, iff ??? -- - . r. -
appfoprinted thin sum for fort Delaware,
anil ?ory wliely inserted in the Uw that it
vim to complete the fort. On tho 7th May,
18*28, however, to make it a little morn
complete, congrcw voted n further appro
priation of 20,000 for fort Delaware. On
the 3d March. 1883, they voted the fur
ther turn of68,000 for this fort.
By u message of the president of the 4th
March, 1884, it it stated that fort Delaware
wna began in 1817;tl?:it upto3Uth Septem
ber, 1023, it hud co*t 369,470; noil that
there ?? wnntinsj to complete the tame,
10.936 dolls, in all 379,709 doll*.
In 1024, it waadiacovefed Umt fort Del
aware wae <o badly built, that itf walla
would fall, without the help of no enemy.
To intisly the pablic, Mujor ltabcoek, un
der whote superintendence the work waa
conrtrncted, hiH been tried by ? coort mar
tini, but not foUad guilty of any criminal
negle'ct or ignorance.
Oo the 2nd of March, 1826, n farther
appropriation it marie for this fortification,
of7J,079 dollars 60 cts.
By the ( resident'* mcwajce of 6th Dec.
lMt,it appears that fort Delaware bad coat,
opto the90th ot September 1823,431,672
dolls. 64 cts; nod that there would be want* |
ed to finith the same, 37,896 dolls. 90 eta.
In all, 469,767 dolts. 74 cts. which, Is 81
per cent, abov* the estimate of 1691; how
muc.h more will be wantod we are not yet
informed.
All these circumvtancct and miacalcola.
tions can be explained satisfactorily, nor
lire they stated to tnrow any censure upon
the enginee" department, but to she* that
this system of fortifications is to cott much
more than would appear, by the estimates
submitted to u?. At tho Pea Patch, It it
proposed to build fortification* on the op
poiite shore*, to co?t 317,257, m by esti
mate of 1821; but it is nl*o contemplated to
have two steim batteries there, end field
works on the Jertey and Delaware thorn,
?lot included in that estimate. Two mite*
below fort Delaware, there is n gond land
in* on the Joriey *ido at Klsetiburg??and
on the Delaware aide at Port Pene. And
if the?e are defended, there are other
point* not far below, where an enomy nay
I I I i_ k.(L
Ttu nxp?n<litur?*> for Fortification*, from
I7W, to 1814, twooty yenra, nrnoaot
?(1 to $M 16,407V
ftlnce that time, the f dlnwlng npprnpri
allonn have been made fur F./rtlJUat t???j
1814, March 1Mb. . #600,000
JI8I&, March 8d, 400,000
1815, Dectmbcr tWI, ? 100,000
1816, April SOtk, 839,000
1U17, March 3<), - - 838,00<]
1810. Kebruary 1Mb, ' . . 500,0^0
;5T:? : : SffiK
aasi. ?. .as
1824. April 40th, ? - 046,000
1815, March 2d, - - . 802,072
The estimate* of
1821 amounted
to ? - 17,705,055
Money expended
up to 50th Sep
tember, 1046,
upon1 the fort*
of thn estimate.
of 1821, ? 3,005,000
To bo expended
under future Ap
propriation* 14,190,05$
To which ndd for
Horka contain
ed in the state
ment of 6th De
cember, 1825,
not included
in estimate of
IbCl, 1 953,037 16,145,12-3
$27,185,500
If vtc mid to this proper allowance for
under estimates on tho fortifications still to
bo furnished?-for losses on contracts?for
I ho gun* ?nd armaments for all these fort*;
and if we m;ike allowance for the forts not
mentioned in the estimate* of 1821, but
which must bo rebuilt or repaired, our
whole system of fortification will stand u?
in n sum not less than forty millions of
dollar*.
The men required for the forts mention
ed in the plan ot 1891, were in time of
war 37.062, in penco 4.690. For the
fort* of Washington nn,| Fayette, not men
tioned in the plan of 821, 1,600 men in
time of war, and 200 in peace. For the
forts mentioned in the estimate of 6ih De
cember. 1825, and not contained in the
plan of 1821, 2,O<:0 men in war and 250
in peace. To these add the requisite in
10IT, many of which must again be occu
pied, if we make our system of fortifica
tions crmplete upon our f?r??ent mngnifi
cent plan, and we shall find that 50*000
men at leant, will bo wauled for our forti
fications in tiruu of war, and 8,000 in
troop* arc* stationed wrtierc inoVinir?v
wanted. Most of those required fur the
garrisons in time of peace, must be added
to our present standing army, ns soon as
| our new forts shall be ready for their ro
ception.
1'be first expense ??f all these forts,!
with their armaments, suppose them to
co<4t 40 million* of Hollars, the United
States can boar. They can garrison these
forts in time of pear e?it will only require
then to double our standing army. Hut
what arc wo to do in case of war. Our
extensive ami munificent system of forti
fications? will then be oar annoyance in*
tte nl of defence. They must be well
garrisoned, or they will fall into the hands
of the enemy; if we have 50,000 men in
garrisons, where nro we to obtain men to
fight in the field, at points not protected
by the forts? If out men leave the forts,
they will be taken by the enemy?if thoy
do not, the country will be ravaged.
A large portion of our maratime fortifi
cations must float; must move from place 1
to place to meet the enemy. On lundj
our men must not be cooped up m forts,'
but must fight in the field.
The works thai are .commenced, must
be finished, unless it be discovered that
iney can oo 01 no use, ns inai on uaupnin
Island, the gun* of which could not reach
the channel it w.n meant to protect, or
unless they afe discovered to be beyond
the bounds of the United Stutcs, as that at
House's Point.
This fort was to mount 309 guns. How
much it cost the United States, I do not
know?hut 200,000 dollar* were asked for
advancing the work?when it was discov
ered to he on the British Territory. This
created great consternation at the time,
but I consider it a fortunate circumstance
as otherwise we should have squandered
nearly a million of dollars there. The I
British now own this fortification, hut they
have not had tho folly to finish it, and pio
(Mbly never will have.
It is tho direct and necessary tendency
of this system of fortifications, to increase
our standing army. The author of the
system must have calculated upon a large
peace establishment, as a part of his ays
t
Wc firwl, in hi? letter. when necrclnry
war, to Mr. Giles, of Um !4d Februa
, 1016, (published in the National In
telligencer of 13th Jununry, 1821,) after
comparing the situation ot oar country
With that of other nations, he eayn, " torn
the view I hero taken of the irtllflt, I
Mn of opinion that not let* than <0,000
troop ought, for tfe4 pret#ot, to N H?
toned interview." No nwre troop# wet?
wanted th?n than ere ?n
although Mr, Mooitw bw
We iro'now mKi id upoo for another ip*
propriatloo, to th? amount of nearly <t
million of dollar*, for. fortification*} OM
item of mt bioh ia aeventeen Aound dal*
law, for Um purchase of fifty-two acrea of
ground, nt Throgg*# Neck, on
This it it rory email item, bat *?ry impor
tant in it* cooaequeoces. The object,?
to bqild ? fort on thi* point, nod ono op*
posite to it, at Wilkin'# point, which, tow
gethrr, are to co?t 928.000 dolU. *od t^
require, for garrison*, In tin* of wqf0
2,870 man. Thia point' ia five or els mile#
coat of Hellgate, which, itaelf, ia ? com*
plate protection to the b?rbur of Hfjj?
York, on that aide, against all the nary of
the world. If we purchase theee fifty
two acrcs, at tb#> rate of 527 dollar# per
acre, except for a fortification, we wnstft
the public money. It if said two or thre$
acrea of it are neceaaary for a light houMb
Let that be purchaaed under thelq^t hooa*
bill?not under thia. If w? purctu##
Throgg'i point, we thall nest oe called
upon to purchaae Wilkin#' poipl, (which
ia opposite) probably nt a much nor* ei*
travagwDl rate. We aiw told that nakbi
thia pnretinue ia no pledge that the worn
ore 10 do exncted. A very different len*
(?ua,e will be h?4rdwlu>n we ihnlliMciil*
ed upon for appropriations for these forte
?the estimates fur building, which amount
to nearly n million of dollars, hut which,
with their nrmaments, will coat nearly ^
million und a half of dollars. The sene*
tor from Maryland (Gen. Smith) has mor
ed to itrike out this item of the appropri
ation, and has shown, moit conclusively,
that, to build the contemplated fort* r?t
Throgg'* point and Wilkin#' point, will be?
to throw iiw.iv our money; that if enemies*
vet&els should have the r:??ht?en to Ap
proach New York, through ttie wmript?ol*
of llellgatc, a ?iX'gtu) battery, which
cou'.d be erected in four d?js, near Mt
Gracie's house, oppoii'e theso whirlpools
would effectually check them?and thib
experience of that gentleman during the
revolution, as well as late war, enable*
him to judge correctly upon this suhicct.
Indeed, it is preposterous to lear, that ?
fleet sufficient to endanger the city of New.
V?dr. wnakl wittf firwj* it* wav through,
gone through- the very in?icniu?ar'-en?w -
show that they were nets ol desperation.
When Sir Jamo* Wallace wished to paw
this place, he fcas informed by his pilot
thst it would be an act of randness; that
i bit ship would be lost; he clapt epiitol to
the pilot's head, end told hya to put hie
f?hip through, or he would blow his brains
out?the pilot obeyed?the experiment
succeeded. utiier pilot*, under similar
circumstances, might make similar experi
ments. A man will attempt any thing,
sooner than hare hit brain* blown out.?
After all thiit bM boon d?M, aftd all that
possibly can be (lone, by permanent forti
fications at the Narrows, to secure the
harbor of New York, ships of war will
more easily paw there than through Hell
gate, ns it now is.
These forts can We of no importance to
New-York as a defence for their harbor/
but they will be important to the country
around them, as they will cause an expen
diture of a million nod a half of dollars
there. But, New York ought to be satis
fied with the expenditures which kavi ta
ken plncft, for the safety of their harbor,
independent of Throgg s Neck and Wil
kins' point.
The fort* built, nrnl to be bcnlt, lor (ho
protection of New York, ere, betides
thoao at Throcg*fl Neck ami Wilkin*' point. .
Fort at New Utrect point tocott $424,995
Fort Tompkln* 485,9fyj
Fort on Mi<klle G root id 1,681,411
Fort on Eaat Bnnk 1,681,411
Fort Fayette 318,576
|4,69ftlB0
Betide* Tort Colombo*, Port Lewi*,
Fort Wood, he. tnc. Tbe debtor itnle*
were permitted, a ruler en net' of congret*
of 16th February, 17R9, to appropriate
the money* which nhonM hirre been paid
into the United $tnte*' Treasury, to forti*
fvinc their harbor*, under which New
York etpended doll*. The im
portance of New York cannot be too high
ly estimated; but surely its interest* hare
not been neglected.
Whtn the p(ent1?mM? from th*t ntato
ttrgo u* to otnbwrfc in ? mmmn, tbut will
prohdhlv end in hwildiaf thert nteletf
fort* at I hrogft't Neck and Wilkito' Point,
they ?ik too mock; nod 1 bono tho motion
of tho Moator from Mtfjldi will prevail.
W? obMrro that Mr)
l&fBK