DEFENCE OF A COAST FORTRESS. 
25 
attacking* opponents more or less at the level of the sea, while Coast 
Batteries on low sites lose many advantages which high batteries 
possess. 
It may, however, I think, be accepted that under existing conditions 
Coast Fortresses which are known to be reasonably ready will not be 
exposed to an artillery engagement other than at quite long range, 
partaking of the nature of a reconnaissance to ascertain their pre¬ 
paredness. If found in a really bad state of preparation, such as 
might be expected quite at the beginning of a war, ships which have 
no hostile fleet behind them may attempt the bombardment of Coast 
Fortresses to cover an attack on the dockyard, &c., which they guard. 
During such a bombardment they may attempt to ascertain the posi¬ 
tion of or to destroy mines and prepare the way for passing forts, or 
they may rush torpedo boats through to destroy shipping in the harbour, 
blow in dock-gates, &c. 
Or, ships may ignore the Coast Fortress altogether and attempt to 
run through at great speed, merely firing to cover themselves with 
smoke, inflicting what damage they can, but only treating this as 
quite a secondary consideration. It is most improbable that if the 
close water is known to be mined, valuable war-ships will take this 
course. 
Quite at the outbreak of war, knowing the prejudice against laying 
submarine mines, and the time taken in laying them, possibly very 
plucky fast cruisers may attempt rushes of this nature. 
Fast torpedo boats will constantly attempt to rush the outer defences 
at night or in foggy weather, and the experience of our naval manoeu¬ 
vres shows that their is nothing so difficult to guard against. In all 
probability any of these attempts will be supplemented by landing or 
feints of landing, in order to confuse the fortress people and conceal 
the real object. Therefore good organisation is essential. 
If the forts are faultily placed, a fleet may attempt the distant bom¬ 
bardment of the dockyard, &c., which the forts are intended to cover. 
It would take an immense amount of ammunition to do much real 
harm where the objective is not quite visible, but still it is possible 
ships might attempt mischief of this nature. They would have little 
chance of effecting anything, beyond frightening the population, unless 
they anchored. 
The remedy is, of course, the placing of guns in proper positions, 
but if this has been neglected the movable armament, and especially 
howitzers, must attempt to annoy and draw the fire of the ships. 
The means available to render nugatory the attacks I have named 
are 
(1.) Guns. 
(2.) Moving torpedoes. 
(3.) Electric lights. 
(4.) Submarine mines. 
(5.) Q.F. and machine guns and case guns. 
(6.) Rifles. 
(7.) More or less permanent defences. 
(8.) Movable armament. 
Means of 
Coast For» 
tress defence 
4 
