The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-28
PENINSULA OF FLORIDA
PROBABLE BASE OF MILITARY oP-
CREATIONS IN CASE OF WAR.
Key West, Dry TortuEas, Garden Key
and other IsIands-Historic Forts
Falling Into Decay.

certain Inat the peninsula OF flOilud anu
the adjacent islands win become once more
the center of military and naval operations,
after more than thirty years of peace.
Under Spanish dominion, before the
purchase Of Florida by the United
States, these coasts were ravaged
more than once by the enemies of
Spain, in open warfare, or by priva-
teers and pirates Some of the harbors
were the resorts of wreckers who preyed
on the rich commerce that threaded the
channels. Some were the haunts OF pirates,
who intercepted and captured many gall
leon laden with treasures of the countries
bordering on the Spanish main. Since the
peninsula came into American ownership
peace has not always reigned. The Semi
mole war was one of the worst Indian up
risings against which our armies ever have
had to contend Then came rest for the
State till the war of the sixties broke out,
and again its soil was the scene of opera
tons and its rivers and harbors were the
resort of the blockade runner The harbors
of the west coast Of Florida and the keys
are 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 the Southern Confederacy at
any time during the war, and was always
held by Federal troops. It's name was we'll
known then, and is now reviving in war
like interest The Notifications of Key
West and the Dry Tortugas may yet be
tested, and the waters of Tampa bay
Charlotte harbor, Lake Worth and Bay
Biscayne, 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 the delectation
of their guests.
F'rome Cape Florida, which is at the head
OF Bay Biscayne, on the east coast of the
Florida peninsula, extends the chain of
islets known, as the Florida keys. They
sweep southwestward, then west in curve,
and where the chain terminates, at the Dry
TortugaS, after course of two hundred
miles, the curve turns to the northwest
Geologically these islands are a part of the
east coast of Florida, though the chain
extends into the Gulf of Mexico almost as
far west as Tallahassee. With few excep-
lions the islands are very low, rising but
few feet above the level of the sea A
Few or them are occupied by settlers, but
most are mere mangrove SWamps, infested
with mosquitoes and of no value to anyone.
Parallel with the chain of keys, and a few
miles at sea, extends a coral reef which
does not reach the surface of the water
but affords enough protection from the open
sea TO be called an inside channel for boats
QIduRnJ.
side the reef, between it and the north
coast of Cuba, flows the gulf stream, which,
with its currents and the accompanying
winds, makes the Florida strait not even
second to the English channel for its dis
comforts to passengers.
A MULTITUDE OF KEYS.
If a line be drawn from the Dry Tortugas
northeast to the mainland of the Florida
peninsula the triangle of gulf thus inclosed
by the line. the mainland and the keys will
be found included in what is known as the
Bay Of Florida 1t contains the multitude
of keys. the Ten Thousand islands and
scores of others of the southwest coast and
into it project the sandspits and mangrove
swamps of Cape Sable, the outlying extern
sions of the everglades. This whole tract
is visibly rising and the shallow water lanes
between the keys are becoming shalloWer.
Navigation along the north side of the
chain of keys is difficult for even the small
est sloops From Miami to Key West;
two deep-water channels through the keys,
one at Bahia Honda and one at Key Vac
cas-. The chain thus forms an absolute
barrier TO the approach of large vessels to
the mainland of Florida except by the way
of Key West, where there is an excellent
channel and harbor, or by making a detour
far to the west This explains why Key
West has grown up where it is and why
it is such a valuable point for Notifications
and a naval station. Our earliest naval
portance of Key West, and such men as
Perry, Porter and Rodgers served there
while successive secretaries of the war and
of the navy were recommending that Con-
gress make appropriations for fortifica-
tons.
The United States owns and occupies four
miles OF the water front of the little island
OF Key West, with Notifications and other
preparations for war. But the story of the
Notifications IS one continuous record of
wasted money and the abandoning OF ex-
pensive works, left unfinished Because they
were obsolete before completed. In 1874 the
very comfortable barracks on the north
shore of the island were erected and are
still occupied. 1t is the south shore, looking
across the gulf stream to Havana, that
shows the waste.
Fort Taylor was built when jefferson Da-
Wis was a power in the Senate, and it IS
chiefly credited to his efforts that the enor-
nous appropriations were made for it. 1t
was begun in 1916, but all the work done
was swept away in the hurricane of the fol-
lowing year. Construction dragged until
Mr.. Davis became secretary of war, when
he had all possible efforts made to complete
and supply it.. While the secession conven-
ton was celebrating, on Dec; u, 1850, the
captain who commanded the single battery
of artillery at the barracks on the other
side of the island made early-morning
march with his thirty men and took possess
SON of the unfinished fortress. on which
many millions of dollars had been spent.
Other federal troops soon came to garrison
work on it continued. But it was never fin
ished and stands to-day a melancholy in
stance of the fact that the art of war is
FORT TAYLOR.
Fort Taylor is a great Pile of brick and
cement, inclosing a triangular parade
ground of grassy lawn two or three acres
in extent, and until year ago absolutely
desolate except for the presence of an ord
nance sergeant acting as a custodian. The
fort is built on an 'slet one thousand feet
off shore from the island Of Key West it.
self, and is connected with the latter by
wooden causeway under which shallow
tidewater flows. 1t is protected by a sea-
wall and moat, over which d narrow
drawbridge leads to the sallyport The
land side of the fort is the base of the
tended into the ocean, with the sea beat
Ing directly at their base, over ugly rocks
that forbid approach. Before the interSec-
ton point is reached the lines are cut off
makes the geometrical figure blunted in
stead OF perfect. Technically the old fort
comprises two tiers of easements and
barbette. The officers and soldiers quar-
ters, the cisterns, the magazines and the
prison are all in the wall on the land side
while the seaward space is used entirely
for the mounting of guns. Scores of
mounted cannon frown over the brow and
through the ports OF the old fortress
while other scores lie unmounted. The fur
red is rusted almost to decay. The case
mates are stored with ammunition thirty or
forty years old, as obs olete as the guns and
the fortress itself. No f .Fs floats from the
STAFF and no hostile $40, ever was fired
from the walls.
A year ago activity be again at the
old fort. Engineers me j l?ade pians
workmen began TO Jaild I; 50. and the in