The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-06
FLORIDA AS A CENTRE,
IN WAR THE PENINSULA Will RE.
COME 4 UIaE or OPERhTInNa
Hiatorio Forte That Have Been Failing ,r,.
Decay VIII witness Exciting Time.-Hs,
West ana 1ts Importance from n Militia,
viewpoint-Tho port Sen Davis Conscience,

Af'NS''H
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-In tho .von, =,
trouble with Spain 1t is certain tina, the nc,,n.
sula of Florida end the adjacent islands win 10
como once moro the centre OF military ma
naval operations nfter more than thirty yeor,
! OF peace. Under Spanish dominion. before ~.
purchase OF Florida by the United States ,b,.s
coasts were ravaRcd more than once bv H..
enemies OF Spain. in open warfare, or hy nriy,.
tcers and pirates. Some Of the hnrbors wcr.
the resorts OF wrcckcrs who prcycd on tho rich
that threaded the channels. Soma
were tho haunts OF pirates, who intcrccptcd
and captured many a galloon laden with treas.
ures of the countries bordering on the Spanish
main. Since tho peninsula came into AmerI.
can ownership Toace has not always reirncd
The Seminole war was one of the worst Indian
uprisingsagainst which our armies ever havchcd
TO contend. Then came rest for the state tin thu
war OF the siXtios broke out. and again its soil
was the scene OF operations and its rivers and
harbors were the resort Of the blockade runners,
Tho harbors OF the west coast OF Florida and
tho keys arc bound to come in for more than
their share of whatever difficulties arise.
Key West is the only city in the States which
seeded that never came into the possession Of
tue Southern Confcderacy at anytime during thu
war, and was always held by Federal troops.
Its name was we'll known then, and is now re.
NiNihS III "uIilhc iHicTtSI. me Notifications
Of Key West and the Dry Tortugas may We, be
tested, and the waters Of Tampa Bay, Charlotte
harbor, Lake Worth. and Bay Blscaync, whose
shores are now adorned with splendid winter
resort hotels, may be able to add the sight Of
naval warfare to the attractions offered for tho
delectation of their guests.
From APE Florida, which Is at the head NJ
Bay Biscaync, on the east coast of the Florida
peninsula, extends the chain of islets known az
the Florida keys. They sweep southwcstward
then west in a curve. and where the chain ter.
inmates. at the Dry Tortugas. after n course OF
200 miles, the curve turns to the northwest.
Geologically these islands are a part of the east
coast of Florida. though the chain extends into
tho Gulf of Mexico almost as far west as ITALIA.
hassec. With few exceptions the islands arc
verv low, rising but a few feet above the level
OF the sea. A few of them are occupied by set.
tiers, but most are mere mangrovc swamps, in
Tested with mosquitoes and of no value to any
one. Parallel with the chain of KEYS. and n
few miles at sea. extends a coral reef, which
does not reach the surface of the water, but af-
fords enough protection from the open sea to DO
called an inside channel for boats that have not
a very great draught. Outside the reef, between
it and the north coast of Cuba, flows the Gulf
Stream. which. with its currents and the 40.
campaigning winds. makes the Florida strait
not even second to the English Channel for its
disconiforts to passengers.
II a line be drawn from the Dry Tortugas
northeast to the mainland of the Florida PENN.
sula, the triangle, of gulf thus inclosed by tho
line. tho mainland, and the keys will BIO found
included in what is known as the Bay Of FIori.
da. 1t contains the multitude of KEYS. the Ten
Thousand Islands, and scores of others of tho
southwest coast. and into it project the sand
outlying extensions, Of the Everglades. The
whole tract is visibly rising. and the shallow
shallower. Navigation along the northern side
OF the chain of keys is difficult for even the
smallest sl.oops; From Miami to Key West, q
deep-water, channels through the keys, one al
Bahia Honda and one at Key vaccas. The chain
of large vessels to the mainland Of Florida rriRd e.
cept by the way of Key West, whore there is an
e foSe far f f6 ibs n and haTTPbGis r' l orn by making King a dc.
West has grown up where it has. and Why It Is
such a valuable point for fortihcations and .
authorities recognized the importance Of
RRey West, and such men as Perry, Porter. and
taries OF Wal and Of the Navy were
Ing appropriations for Notifications.
mi hne 81 fn ihe w states soy owns nj, and and occupies fou.
Key West with Notifications and other prep
for war. But the story of the FORTH.
left unfinished because they were obsolete be-
on the north shore Of Tie island were
erected, and are still occupied. i ie the south
shore, looking across the Gulf Stream to Ha.
yana, that shows the waste.
Fort Taylor was built when Jefferson Davis
*as a power in the Senate. ana It is chiefly ored.
ions were made for 1t. 1t was begun In is45.
but all the work done was swept away In the
dragged until Mr. iG'IDG aVis became eari SonssrE9I
Of War; when he had AL possible efforts made to
; ;omRiettHf AND %as sq9R ePiSe IT; While dn b the 9 &c sssS
he Captain who commanded tho single bat.
cry OF artillery at the barracks on the other side
With bis thirty men and took possessien of tie
fortress. on which many millions Of
' ,S5laFs ea has to 4so GARRISON S T t Seh9 for fsdsrsl 5r0 SPPS
the war work on It continued. But
t IT,, was Snsbd never finished and stands to-day 4
Fort Taylor is a great pile of brick and oe.
;rassy lawn two or three acres in extent, and
lntil a year ago absolutely destitute except for
ne cuppT presence Of Tt an ord ordnance "a sergeant acting as
eet off shore from the island Of Key West it.
ell, and is connected with the latter bye
water flows. II Is protected by a sea wall and
moat, over which a narrow drawbridge leads
Of the triangle, The sides Of the triangle
re extended into the ocean. with the sea beat.
n nE, directly at their base. over ugly rocks that
reached the lines are cut off and q wall built
quarely between them makes the Reometrf
~, buiO UNI ilbIChu Vi pGTIoCU. lcCnup
ally the old fort comprises two tiers OF case
nates and a barbette. The officers and sol.
Tors quarters. the cisterns. tho magazines, and
he prison are all in the WALTON the land side,
yhile the seaward space is used entirely for
he mounting of guns. Scores Of mounted can.
( the old fortress. while other scores lie I'm.
The furnace where solid shot were
o be heated red is rusted almost to decay. Tho
are stored with ammunition thirty
forty years old, as obsolete as the guns and
he fortress. No flag floats from the staff aud
hostile shot ever was fired from tho walls.
A year ago activity began again al the old
ort. Engineers came and made plans. work.
nen began to build a pier and tho intention
vas announced to make the fort a modern ono.
or whatever use might be demanded Of i.
YORK has been pushed MS rapidly as possible
,uring the year. but the disappearing guns and
ne other modern appliances are not yet in con.
iti9n to be used In the event of war.
The first of the Government property. at tho
Testern extremity of the south shore, is tho
ew dock, at which vessels carrying coal for
'arships discharge their cargo. AT its, Shore
nd stands the naval storehousc, which was
nd then hurried to completion when the war
cyan in 1861; IL IL well stocked now with all
orts Of munitions OF war. Next TO the store.
onse is the tinc Custom, House and the Post