Show IT TEE POWEBSMEROY A Strong Plea For Better Coast Defenses f TOUR DEFENSELESS POSITION Tie Kentucky State Prison Davitt The IorUlnrd Strikers Den vet lilazo Other Notes Strong Ilea for Protection PENSACOLA Fla January 1GThe executive committee of the Coast Defense De-fense Association of the coast cities of the south have issued the following circular We the undersigned citizens of the souta and gulf seaboards regard with alarm unprotected condition nl our cities which in their present cei < u less state render them and our 1 < > liable to destruction or exaction i tribute equally ruinous in tbe event of war This feeling of alarm is inei Sified by the humiliating fact taat a single gunboat of any thirdrate power may TAKE POSSESSION AND DESTEOY any one of our seaport cities while we are unable to defend or ofFer succeisf resistances While the nation has experienced ex-perienced a long blessing of peace we cannot always expect this boon and itis imperative that our ports pc placed in a state of defense which would alone have a tendency to avert a war We therefore recommend thataconvention be held at De Funiak Springs Florida a central and convenient point to convene con-vene February 8 1887 to counsel as to the best method of securing THE PROTECTION OF OUSt COAST based on modern requirements We recommend that his excellencyrPresi dent Cleveland the Honorable Secretaries Secre-taries of War and the Navy both the cmmitteej Congress on military and naval affairs General Gilmore and Captain Grean United States army General Newton Hon S S Cox New York and others be invited to attend also the Governors of North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida Ala bama Mississippi Louisiana and Texas with lour delegates at large and one from each Congressional district appointed ap-pointed by the governors of the above States and delegates from cities of the coast States We would gladiy INCLUDE ALi OOAST STATES but in a country of such vast distance each section should move by convention conven-tion or otherwise Thecircular is signed by prominent citizens of all the southern coast cities Among the rifeoies are Governor Drew Jacksonville Messrs Adger of Charleston Fairbanks Ferdinando Dunn of Brunswick Disnenkes of St Augustine Bethell of Key West Or man of Apalachi Cola McDevane of Cedar Keys Chiploy of Pensacola Cunningham of Mobile and Richardson Richard-son of New Orleans |