The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-29


which there is only one channel by which
large yesse.s can approach. Ii Is az
thoroughly guarded by nature as any
island In the world. The ship channel
opens at the east end OF the island ano
runs close by the shore Tor ten OF tWe'ss
miles. and any enemy would be exposed
TO a destructive fire throughout that uiS-
lance.
bermuda is much like Halifax IN ,ne
fact that few fortiiicatlOns are Visipi.
TO the visitor. Two forts can be seen AT
ST. Georges, at the east end, pun 49, ~
are old-fashioned stone constructiohs 80
do not look formidable. You can u .s,are
all over the Islands and not see ,hers
than these forts. And you can stay Ind
for six months, small as the place -, ton
see no more signs of military occup snrti
than you see in New York. But tnv he
fcations are there, as can lands In
learned by sailing around tne .na ..tbbs
a small boat or going up into 'i'
Hill Lighthouse. .,,a1 nv
zine north side is so well protectsp 80 ~
coral reefs that no forts are nee might be
beyond the two or three tnat NE, Of,
necessary TO destroy Vessei ,ha south
tempted the channel. 1t Is on o"T neened.
side of Bermuda that forts y. en- wide
because the reels there are n Vt ,nree
An enemy might come up 49,, w'' al along
miles Of shore. You can dTNe o. three
the south shore, WITHIN TWO VI GO
hundred feet OF the beach. ana ho' "a
a sign OF a fort; but take d Iii sas
sail along the beach ana S ,s t"rtinca-
that IL Is almost a continuous iot - 20,
ton. One fort follows another ~ %
that there is hardly room ioa $50 ali
grow between them. ana they O. can
connected by sunken passaseT 1, a.; 81
be seen from the top OF the hshliou r.,
IF the British had made Ber uit 49,
could not have designed an isianu p G..cl
suited to their purposes, Tue 80 ,,n,,Id
that make it invaluable 10 theui 49, ~.
make 1T almost useless 10 tnis e,n,ion
~ L., Of
and repair shop within 100 hleS u ~.
own coast. and that is precls-ly Nhds
Bermuda is TO the British. In lihe ol
war Bermuda would be me st.ia an,i C'''''o
station on this side of the a, do
at IS as machine shop that berihuut
IS Of the greatest Importance. Ihey "a.
handle there the largest shlps dilodt aiIN
make any repairs that can ne A.'Ir
anywhere. / do not wonaer M, M on
were alarmed when he hre pIoke ou.,
for there is enough powder stored on
Ireland Island TO supply the naVles VI
the world. As to proJecties,;; h o"eJ 49, ~
piled there in mountains. 1ne 81
houses are full of naval proNlslCpn' ~
a disabled man-of-war can ma tnere
DUPLICATES Of almost any part that h,AS
be damaged, from shaft OF =" W.
to new bOwsprlt. Ana voai, ~
there is enough coal stored In the per,
muda dOckyards 10 carry vi d
zone thing noticed in the naval yarus,
both in Halifax and bermuda, tnat Su a.
prised me TIL I came 10 uhoe'.tsd ,,,e,, ~
miles of ocean cable colled up reauy IVs
use and in Bermuda there ls H1~ti ~
twice as much. The West ihuIi - -.
is commercial enterprise, anu 80
not belong TO the Government, SO theIe
IS only one explanation OF TINS hedNy IT,
serve. In case OF trouble an enemy Il6nt
cut the cable; and If this should hapl m
you would see a man-of-war 80 OUT al
10
They cant afford 10 lose their telesfaphic
communication with the West lndles'
1T il not more than five or SIX years
since the troops and war SHIPS In Der
muda were supplied WIN ram Wdt11I,
stored in tanks. There are immense tanks
in s.. Georges for this purpose, ana
great rocky hillside was smoothed 10
catch the rain as IL fell. IL was excel
lent water and there was always pehty
Of it, But the time might come Wnen so
many troops would be massed Oh the
islands that there would not he water
enough to supply them, so one OF tne
larsest set Of condensers ever maze was
put up at the dockyard for distilling sea
water. With these cOndenserS AT work
the supply of fresh water can never fall.
''rhe Notifications Of Jamaica DO not
compare with those Of bermuda, but 1t
IL still a formidable place. the entrance
10 the harb0r is so narrow that one or
two ships could easily hold II against an
enemy. The island Is principally useful
10 the BTitiSh as a cOaling station ana
secOnd-rlte repair shop I'm time Of peace.
II is in telegrap hic communication with
Bermuda and ST. Lucia, and IL is so near
the latter that help could reach II speed
lily. But If the British should wish for
any reason 10 blockade the Gulf of Mexi-
co, Jamaica would be an important point.
You understand there are only two en-
frances to the Gulf, one between Cuba
and Florida. about ninety miles wide.
and the other between Cuba and Iucatan,
Of nearly the same width. \ few iron
claGs in each of these passages would
cut the Gulf completely off.
st. Lucia is less known than Bermuda,
but fl Is looming up into one OF the
greatest British stronghOds on this side
Of the Atlantic. 1t is only twelve miles
from the French island OF Martinique,
and il is of little account except as a
military and naval station. II has one of
the best harbOrs in the West Indies,
surrounded by high mountains. which are
heavily fortified. About 400 men are con-
stantiy at work there making new forti-
fcatiOns and improving the harbor. With
In the next FIVE years 1t will be almost
as strong as Bermuda. II is already
the military headquarters for the West
Indies.
when a British Admiral can sit in
his house In Halifax and direct the man.
aeement Of a big fire in Bermuda. and
when war ships can so from any one OF
these stations To the leNt one in forty
four hours. the islands cOnnOt be con-
sidered very far apart. IL Is not stretch
ing a point | think, TO speak Of the
British Kingdom extending along our
coast. New York Sun.
y