Evening star., 1898-08-17
AN IDEAL NAVAL BASE
Guantanamo Bay Enthusiastically Advocated
by Simpsons Squadron Officers.
Forty Large Vessels Could Anchor in
the WeIl-Sheltered Portion
of the Place.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
On Board the United States Cruiser
Brooklyn, Guantanamo Bay, August IL
The dreary length of time that Uncle Sans
"Quaker-colored' war fleet has spsnt in
this bay, awaiting the outcome of the peace
negotiations, has given everybody, and
especially officers, who chafe under the in
action, time to refect upon more peaceful
things than shooting the enemy's vessels
into steel fragments.
The officers of the NorthAtlantic squadron
are becoming enthusiastic over the desira-
bllity of the United States holding this bay
as permanent naval base. 1t is generally
agreed that on our own southern coast and
in all the West Indies there is not an
anchorage that can compare with this one
Here is a bay with a soft bottom in
which an anchor finds a good hold, thus
preventing chains fouling.
The Entrance.
There is splendid entrance fully mile
broad, between TIE hills that protect it,
and with the dangerous West Indian reef
mlnimized as to its destructive tendencies
by being located only on one side, to the
west. The hills at the entrance are high
enough for all purposes such as the plac-
ing of light houses and the erection of
earthwork fortifications. With lights at
the entrance, there would be no danger in
entering the harbor at night, and indeed
without such guide, the big trans -Ameri-
can liners came in SAFELY the other night
The entrance could easily be mined for
protection, and at short notice
once inside the harbor, its splendid facili-
ties are Immediately visible. 1t is a broad
eXpanse of water of great depth and ex-
tending north into the island for six miles
OF course the extreme depth of forty-two
feet does not prevail over the entire length
of the harbor, but at this writing there
are at least twenty large vessels anchored
in the deep and well-sheltered portion of
the bay, and as many more could find good
anchorage.
The survey made by Captain Sumner Of
the cruiser Columbia which was stopped
in 1895 by the Spanish government, shows
that there are about two and a half square
miles of anchorage of a depth of forty-ive
feet or thereabouts and far enough in
side to be protected from any wind that
may blow. Then there are about two square
miles of anchorage for vessels drawing
twenty-four feet or less.
Good Land Points.
In other words the great battle ships
Iowa, Texas, Indiana, Oregon and Massa-
chusetts and the cruisers New York and
Brooklyn could be anchored in the first
place, while the entire remainder Of the
American navy could rest further up the
bay. Torpedo boats and small gunboats
and converted yachts could move in any
portion of the immense bay.
There are good land points on small bays,
where dry docks could be constructed and
where coaling facilities could be estab-
listed. Ere sh water is obtainable at two
places-the mouth of the Guantanamo riv-
er, a mile from the entrance, and the
mouth of the Caymanes river, six miles
up the bay.
The remarkably healthy character of the
place, considering the general superstitions
about the unhealthiness of the whole ISL
and, is demonstrated in the entire absence
of sickness among the marines stationed
there. With proper sanitary precautions
there need be no fear Of sickness, and it is
evident that sickness among the resident
population in the cities near here is due
to the lack of sanitary precautions and the
ftkiness Of the habits of the natives.