The Republican journal., 1895-09-19

| their common place DameS all around it,
with the recklessness peculiar to such
people, that this interesting relic Of an
tiquity is in danger Of being quite des-
troyed. Ii you happen to reach here at
| flood tide, the whole broad expanse will
be under water; anon the pillows, dashed
to fury, rage SO tremendously that the
whole island seems to tremble with the
shock; and again the water is SO marvel
Ously still and clear that from cliffs 10
feet above the sea you can count shells
and pebbles lying on the sandy bottom,
20 feet below. Then it is hard to believe
that these tranquil waves, smiling in the
enchanted air, can have lured so many Of
the sons of men to destruction. What
ever you miss in Bermuda, it must not be
visit to Ireland Island, which, next to
Malta is England's most important mill
tary position. The little island, not more
than mile long by quarter as wide, is
connected with Waterford Boaz and
Somerset Islands, their surface having
been partially leveled by convict labor
during the years when this small archi-
pelago was 50 heavily burdened with Eng
lands worst criminals. The Importance
OF Bermuda as naval station was recog-
nized early in the present century and
preliminary preparations Tor dock yard
on Ireland Island begun. Slave labor
~ 1.
sans We're sent from England to super
intend them In 1S42 it was decided to
substitute convict labor, and 500. telons
We're dispatched as a commencement.
This number was soon augmented bv
fresh arrivals, until 1000 criminals were
crowded upon the little island They
We're distributed in hulks, in the '.Cham-
bers'' Of the dockyard, and in prisons
erected on the adjacent islands of Boaz.
which are now used as barracks. Natural
ly, the condition of things was simply aw-
ful, and in 1861 it was decided to abolish
the system altogether; successive drafts
were sent to England and Australia, and the
WILMA PNlitsl SlOSCl III DcIIuutld. FROM
first to last something over 10, 900 felons
have lived in this Small colony. There is
an old burial ground on Boaz island
where many Of them found last resting
place. Upwards Of 1900 of them died
during the yellow fever epidemic in 1853.
From Hamilton beautiful sunlit bay Won
,riida in = Ia,
the Great Sound, that reminds you Of the
thousand island region of the st. Law
renee. Passing the shores Of Somerset
and Boaz, you get good view OF tile
naval and military hospitals, with their
broad verandas and shaded grounds. The
arsenal on Ireland Island is VIEW i'm
portant one, the "Chambers, > OF open
basins, improved by the erection Of
breakwatea, are commodious enough to
accommodate the whole English fleet
along its wharves. Several men of-war
are swinging at anchor in Grassy BAY.
with a multitude Of smaller craft. and II
Her Majesty's dockyard, bristling with
1890 'NAANe
marines and busy workmen, the Admir-
al's ship is lying by for repairs. a large
number OF war vessels including the flag
Ship OF the North American fleet. ALWAYS
rendezvous here daring the winter: and
there are LEGAL Officers with their star and
naval employees, including POO seanen
l3p mariners and not less than 500 dock
yard laborers. There is machine Shop
OF the first class and every facility for re-
pairing ships Of any size The fortified
tlons are considered absolutely mpreg-
nable under existing conditions OF at-
tack; and the important position is made
complete by the famous floating dock,
which was launched at Sheerness. Eng
land, in 1866, towed across the Atlantic
and brought into the present position
after an exciting voyage Of So days. This
enormous structure is said to be the
largest Of its kind in the world. 1t is 3sl
feet long, 124 feet broad and "a feet deep.
with Is water-tight compartments. 1t
weighs over 5000 tons, draws IL feet Of
water when light, so feet when sunk. II
took two years to build it and cost
quarter OF million pounds sterling. One
of the main objects of these heavy armed
forts and batteries, which bristle all over
the island, is the defense of this valuable
dock. In addition to the visible fortitica-
tons, which are arranged and equipped
according to the elaborate English plan,
there is submarine mining establish
ment by which torpedoes and other sub
sidary methods Of defense can be put
down at short notice; and movable road.
batteries are prepared to supplement the
stationary defenses and to command
points where landing might be attempted
on the south side of the island. There
fore Uncle Samuel and all other powers,
may as well keep their hands off; for
small and insignificant as these islands
are, they can easily hold their own as
long as England remains mistress of the
seas. One Of the most interesting spots
on the island is the naval cemetery, where
within sound Of the fierce guns Of the fort
and the eternal moaning of the sea, all is
as De3ceful and Sarapa II, soma ,.,,,,+,.,