Forts And Guns

The great duel now going on between ofTonse and dcfonse h'as settled - for tbe present at least - souie poiuts, among wliieh are these : No fort, system of forts, as hereto fore constracted, can prevent the passage of steamers througli an unobetructei ehannel. Tbis has been abundantl' demonstrated at New Orleaus, Vicksburg and Port Hudson. No fort of nsasonry or brick work i tcnable against modern artillery. For Pulaski ornmbled like a house of card before our fire at a distance of two third of a mile. No ves.el yet constructed, or likeiy to bc oor.structed, can sustain for any enn siderabte time the fire of a firat ctass fort The qnestton be-tween ressels and forts is one simply of time. The corollariesfrom these proved facts, a far as Larbor defense is coiicerned, are these : Tbe oiFensïye and defensivo powers of our existing forts must be increasod. For defense iron must be substituled for briok and stone. For offense these forts sbould be a We to concéntrate tbetr whole fire upon any desired point. Obstruetions should be so contri veel os to detail) a hostilo vessel under fire. Iq the case of a great commercial barbor these obstructions must not prevent ordinary coramerce in t me of peace, while sealiug the harbor against hostile passage.