New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-05
WAR DEPARTMENT WANTS DRY TOR
TUGAS.
nrc,pnrD AS AN IMPORTANT BASE FOR MILE
rARY AND NAVAL OPERATIONS.


va.h,nrton. March A-The War Department y
se--.oos viii endeavor induce the treasury
n'S -, e,urn the Dry Tortugas Islands TO Its
jurisdiction but at the Treasury Depar,iien. -
said that no request has YET oeeh H'"ue 'N' :,
transfer Should the request be maze, IT 10 '"
that II would be compiled with at once. some !eo'
eco this island then under control OF the war be
.a,, u.. turned over TO the Treasury Depart
,ont FOR use as quarantine station. with the Sup
ulation that It should be retransierreo d. any .,e
on request Since then the Government mas e'.
ushed on the Tortugas one OF the most coi"p'e'o
quarantine stations in the country. Ihis iac'' nov"
aver would not be considered should the war pe
.,. r.ed I. FOR II. own purposes. Possession,
:. T., s.id would be given within forty Eight hours
In tie nresent defenceless condition. II Is poh'e'
ont II is positive source Of danger as IT couid De
occupied By an enemy as base OF nava' ana ni'-
tary operations.
rb. most essential feature OF the defences would
ne the mounting OF heavy guns. and with these 'ne
harbor would give one OF the best protected rosd-
.teads In Southern waters. The main defences ere
on Tortugas (meaning Turtle) Island, and occupy
practically the entire island. although snai hal
shelter The fort is known as Fort JEFFERSON, IL -
a,a Tre seina4 feet inches thick The garrison
quarters are in these classmates the old plan being
iofanfry below. The old defences consisted OF S2
and AZ FOUNDER guns and ono or two Parrotts OF zo
and 400 pounds These walls and oid-style guns
would be OF little servIce in modern warfare and
such az remain are probably out OF practical ser
vice 1t is thought however, that the Old brick fort
would serve for temporary use, and that the sur
roundings would afford a good location for heavy
runs to protect the roadstead. ~
The Fort.fcatons Board, headed by General Miles
some time ago reported that the Islands were neces-
gary as a part OF the system OF coast defence.
The naval scheme for defence OF the coast as laid
down in the plans OF the Naval War College last
s,nrner also contemplated the Islands as a base or
onerations while the Board appointed by Secretary
long ect sites for drydocks last fall also devoted
considerable space in its report TO showing the I'M
nortancc OF the Islands from strategic point OF
view This anchorage Is probably better than that
OF Key West This fact is made evident by the
preference for the Tortugas barber shown by Ad-
miral Slcard during the rendezvous OF tho North
Atlantic Squadron now IN progress
In regard TO tho report that the Dry Tortugas arc
70 be turned over TO the War Department and forti
fed as a base OF military operations. Colonel Bar
ber OF General Merrits stan. said yesterday that
he had heard nothing. The former fort there had
fallen into disuse and the reservation had been
der the control OF tho Treasury Department for ten
ton. and one time II garrisoned by Billy
ost In the Army.
Colonel Barber did not think that the Dry Torti-
gas would be under the control Of the Department
OF the East for FIVE years ct least IL would tag
that time to fortify them and put in guns General
Merritts trip to Key West would not have anything
to do with the establishment OF n station at TINT
point.