Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-17

The loopholes are many. and the garrison
could rake any invading force which sought
to take the battery by coming over the
hills in a crowd. If they came along the
beach they might not have much trouble
in climbing over the parapet of sand that
marks the big guns Two months ago the
Insurgents made night raid on the hamlet
of Casa Blanca, mile and a half away.
They carried off cattle, but did not modest
the battery and its garrison.
Havana has other defenses in plenty, but
most of them are rather ancient. Many
years back the craze for fortificationS was
strong. Spain built forts on every hill sop-
ing back from the sea and at every bend in
the shore. They are massive and their
walls are still mounted with cannon that
sweep every approach. Notwithstanding
their age, some of them are yet supposed
to be effective. La FuerZa," the fort
which has more than three centuries of
history, is accounted modern defense. Its
older prototype at the mouth of the Alma
deres river, half fort, half castle, is also
capable of utility. The stones, which were
put in place in the lifetime of Columbus,
have not crumbled. The Almaderes out
post has mountings for four cannons. The
cannons. however, have not been mounted.
The fishwife, whose husband is the keeper
of the castle, plies her needle TRANQUILITY
by the side of the largest of the guns. In
their entirety probably the forts of Ha-
vana would have more attraction for the
antiquarian and the historian than for the
student of naval warfare. They are as in
teresting as the ruins which mark the time
when Havana a walled town and the
country people came in at night to be safe
from the raids of the buccaneers.
Fort Matnbelc.
Description of the defenses of Havana
would not be complete without mention of
Fort Matabele" The name was given it
by military traveller who had been in
South Africa. 1t stands at the head of the
single street where dwell the fishermen of
the playa or beach, of Marianao. "Mata-
belle is in reality fortuna, or little fort.
Its foundation is of stones loosely piled to-
gether and now falling apart. The thatch-
ing for the peaked roof is of palm leaves.
But the roof is leaky and dilapidated. Big
holes appear in the covering. 1t has tilted
half over. tipsy person trying to wear a
battered straw hat jauntiy gives the best
idea Of its appearance. The roof is sur
mounted by a watch tower of pine boards,
also topping and disjointed. A sentry oc-
cupleS the tower. One night last spring
some of us heard the sergeant's midnight
call, 'Alerta," and from this sentry on Fort
Matabele the response, "Alerta estay-I
am alert" We wondered then how long
the structure would stand. The other even
ing We heard the call again, "Alerta-I
am alert" A sentry was yet in the tower,
so the fort must be standing. Walking
past it, l saw that the stone walls We're
crumbling farther apart, the palm thatch-
Ing had bigger holes in it, and the tower
toppled more out of line. Some day the
structure will fail to hold together from
sheer decay. When the fort falls many
visitors to the Marianao beach will be in
terested In knowing of it, for they have
been in the habit of illustrating Spains
military position in Cuba by pointing to
Fort Matabele. 1t is typical of decay.
CHARLES NJ. PEPPER.