72 
up the Gulf to the enemy? Shall we cover the South- 
ern cities, or give them up also? We must unquestionably 
do one of two things; either relinquish a great extent 
of coast, confining our cruisers to a small portion only, 
or include so much that the chances of intercepting an 
enemy would seem to be out of the question.” 
The report then goes on to discuss the uses for defen- 
sive purposes of gunboats, floating batteries and steam 
batteries, as distinguished from the navy proper: Ad: 
mitting their usefulness, and, even in some cases, their 
necessity, it argues with great force, that they are not # 
substitute for, and cannot supersede fortifications, and 1 
sums up its argument concerning naval defence with the 
following broad propositions, to which it challenges opp 
sition : — 
“Ist. If the sea-coast is to be defended by naval means 
exclusively, the defensive force at each point deemed worthy 
of protection must be at least equal in power to the at- 
attacking force. 
“2d. As from the nature of the case there can be 7° 
reason for expecting an attack on one of these points rather 
than on another, and no time for transferring our state of 
preparation from one to another after an attack has — 
declared, each of them must have assigned to it the requisite 
means; and, 
“3d. Consequently this system demands a power i0 the 
defence as many times greater than that in the attack # 
there are points to be covered. 
: “There has been but one practice among nations as 10 
the defence of ports and harbors, and that has been a res0™ 
to fortifications. All the experience that history exhibits § 
on one side only; it is the opposition of forts oF other 
works, comprehended by the term fortification, to attack bY 
i 
