An item reported that in the Dutch East Indies all efforts were done to
improve the defence against in case a European enemy attacked this Dutch colony. So investigated the
railway commission what was available to transports troops in wartime. A mixed
commission near the important harbour Tandjong Priok was still busy with
surveying. The main option was a protection by floating gun turrets which were
scuttled behind the jetties and raised again by pumping out the water. A coast
artillery corps was to be founded to handle these guns. The necessary personnel
could be obtained by just increasing the artillery force but the major problem
was the need for skilled personnel while coast artillery was far different from
usually land artillery. To get familiar with this kind of artillery you had to
serve for a long period of time.
