The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-26
BRISTLE WITH GUNS.
Fortiflcations i'm the West In
dies That Menace America.
FINE DOCKS AND hARBoRs.
Naval stations That Would Trouble
Us Greatly In Case Of War Over
Venezuela.

Frederick A. Ober in New York Recorder.
John Bull. thar modern Briareus, has
stretched out his au-embrac.ng arms until
he can now shake hands with himself
around the giooe. The morning drum
beat" smile IS no Pigment OF fancy or
heated imagination. but palpable truth.
Ever since he obtained foothold at Glib
raitar, thus commanding the mouth OF the
Mediterranean, John Bull has slowly but
surely acquired Island after island. until
he now has veritable row OF stepping
stones across the intervening seas to his
vast East Indian possession Gibraltar. fer
Instance. Is l.30 miles distant from his
tight little island: another thousand
miles TO the eastward, and Just half way
from the impregnable rock OF Port Sad,
Les the strongly fortified position OF Malta
$50 miles, BY sea. from the British islands
Thus We might pursue him around the ha5-
liable globe and wherever a place Of van
tage could be found for making war upon
the rest OF mankind. there We might be
| very sure TO find John Bull intrenched We
may look with compiacency upon his ac-
QUESTIONS in the Eastern hemisphere, but
when we come to survey the western half
OF the world. Il Is found to be just the same;
for. beginning with Halifax and Quebec
We may trace the British trail all over the
map as far south as the equatorial line.
one would naturally expect him to forti-
~ such harbor as Halifax. for Nova
Scotia IS only held loyal 10 the crown by a
very frafl tenure; but what earthly use
has he for a bunch OF rocks like the Ber-
mudas, far out IN the Atlantic ocean?
The Bermudas have been bin OF expense
TO England ever since they were first col
onized. in le)s. by Sir George Somers. who
was shipwrecked there when on his way TO
virginia They then had as tenants a
ara$
progeny or some swine left there by the
Spanish discoyerer, Bermudez, in the pre-
Nfous century. But they did not produce
anything else worth mentioning except
lime rock and cedars. for the Bermuda 70
tato and onion were later acquisitions. not
native to the SOL.
But Mr.. Bull found the lime rock handy
for the building Of forts, and the cedar for
the construction of ships; so there he stuck
and kept on terrifying until finally the Ber-
rnudas came TO be known as one of the
strong places OF the world How many mil
lions have been expended in converting this
chain OF isles and islets into a sea strong
hold. nobody knows; but the evidence is
there IN the shape OF forts and castles,
shipyards and docks.
The group known as the Bermudas lies
beyond the Gulf stream In the latitude OF
Charleston. about 100 miles TO the south
east or New York, and $50 miles east OF
Wen known as TO require no description
here: as fortified coaling and refitting
station for her ma5eSty's cruisers they are
almost as famous. Encircled as are the
Bermudas by chains of coral reefs, through
which the channels are narrow and intri-
cate, the larger Islands have been made al
most impregnable by nature herself. Add
TO this the forts and towers on every hill
and exposed point, and IL viii be seen that
the taking OF these islands by an enemy
would be formidable task
The approaches TO navigable channels
are all guarded hy heavily armed forts
and batteries, which are supplemented by
submarine mining establishment, ana
subsidiary defenses in the shape OF torpa-
does In case OF war all the channel buoys
would be removed and the torpedoes of
which immense stores are kept on hand.
planted in the spots already designated up
on the charted plots OF the waters.
Situated within less than two days steam
ing OF New York and other large cities on
the Atlantic coast, the Importance OF the
Bermudas as base of naval operations
against US cannot be over-estlmated Their
fertilization has engaged the attention Of
their owners almost ever since their dis
covery. y map is extant OF the then ex-
listing defenses, prepared by the redoubt-
able John Smith, OF Virginia. In the year
1924. and showing forts and castles scat
tered about promiscuously almost every
where.
At first, the forts and stockades were
erected by the early settlers as means OF
defense against the pirates and buccaneers.
but Immediately after the American revo-
luton the British government awoke 10
the Importance OF these islands as a nue.
leus for naval resemblance and began The
present elaborate system OF fortlfcations.
As TO the defenses: Il has been said on
good authority that there Is nothing
ha CITE
physical features into account, outside OF
Halifax and Gibraltar. Right IN sight OF
the channel through which entrance is Cb-
tained into the hsrhor OF Hamilton, the
chief town lies ireland island whore may
be found the most complete and gigantic
floating dock in American waters. IL was
a hundred years ago. or IN 1894. that the
preliminary steps were taken for the con-
struction OF dockyard, and for more than
sixty years. and chiefly through convict
labor from England. the work was carried
forward.
In all nearly 1000 couvicts were employed
and more than 2.eo0 died and were buried
here. The result Of their labor may be seen
on this island. where the main object Of
defense IL the great floating dock and re-
pairing station. where. by the erection OF a
Sreakwater. = gambler or open basin,
has been formed. capable OF accommodate
ing ships OF the largest class.
The dry dock here is $50 feet long, ia
feet broad and u feet deep. with g water
tight compartments. Il was two years in
building. cost above s. 900 60 and was towet
across the Atlantic to It's present position
IN lses, having had an exciting voyage O;
ffty-six days. Its weight is over $500 tons,
and at the tine Il was built Il could &C
comnodate the largest ironclads OF the
English navy. II isn't the English fashion
90 build big ships without providing for the
contingencies OF repair and reAtting.
More than 400 persons are employed On
ireland island I'm time OF peace In the arse
nal there. or the docks and IN making re-
pairs when the ships come In. The expense
OF keeping ID the naval station IN the Ber-
rrludas taccOr1inE to the navy estimates q
ises-sso IS over $4,000 per annum for the
high officials alone. The estimates for Glib
raitar and Jamaica are about S20,ea while
those for Malta are over sl9o,sn. Besides
the force OF iaborers and the station off,
Gals and commanders. a strong garrison
OF soldiers "a constantly kept there.
u was 10 years ago. in f7sS. that CON-
panies % the Royal artillery arrived in
these islands. and ever since the BerEnudas
haya been garrssoned with re3coats. Two
regiments are usually stationed here the
officers % which while away their tina In
the winter in entertaining visitors from
America
The troops are CHARTERED n comno9i Gus
barracks-at s. Georges. above the FRO
.actsd harbo- os that name. at Prospect
htlI. near the important town 81 Hamilton:
o. the Isle OF Boaz. and az Ireland ISLAND
Owing To the outlying rssfs preventing APP
rroach nearer than from Eve - tan niles
ia open water & would b. next 70 iupos-
80 for A. arra0kfux srlza rsro1 % rssi.f~a