The St. Johns herald., 1899-01-14
ANOTHER GIBRALTAR.
England's New Stronghold On ths
 Straits of Fuca.
Great Secrecy Maintained During ths Construction of the Fortress - De-
 scription of the Works
 and Armament. <

NlIn1n year 1L lS cOnndentIy eX' pected the Straits of Fuca will echo the [ music of the shore guns at Esquimalt, | Great Britain's new and most modern line of defenses at the southern ex- tremity of Vancouver island. Never has military undertaking in time of profoundest peace been prosecuted with stricter secrecy than the construction of these Notifications, and all that the
 Victorians know all about the marvel ous system of protection at their doors might be told in few brief paragraphs that tho new forts are designed for stern work, not for display; that their armament will be the most modern and best in the world; that submarine mines and torpedoes are a prominent feature; that the forts" are located somewhere in the bowels of the earth between Point Macauley and Esqui- malt naval yard; that the magazines are stocked for siege If necessary, and that the work of construction is now nearly accomplished, that of equipment has begun.
 At present the subaqueous mines arc being placed in position at the entrance tO Esquimalt harbor and in the Royal roads, and the point is beginning to again assume more of the appearance of well-ordered military barracks and less that of a great mining camp.
 Readers of the Seattle PoSt-Intelli. gencer were, when the work com menced, given an idea of the plan of fortifeation-a system of great tunnels and ordnance rising therefrom on giant elevators hydraulically opera.sd; the guns yisI6Ie 5snsI s:ssssSszd s5ssz ;,( in the brief moment required to sight and fire them. This general plan has been faithfully carried out, and the topography of the point, as viewed from the water, has in consequence changed considerably. The hill Eas disappeared, and hundreds of tons of earth and rock from the excavations have filled in the miniature valley. How the forts look from the shore none can say save the uncommunicative ofa. cers in charge, for in the last two years the scene of operations has night and day been surrounded by line of senti. nels, to pass whom nothing less than an order from the imperial war office was required. The worlzmen, too, have been changed about, so that it would be impossible for any of them, even should he feel so inclined, to disclose the secrets of the stronghold. And not even the highest officers of the resident militia have as yet been admitted with in the sacred precincts bounded by that faithful sentry line.
 Now that the greater part of ths work of construction is over it is prob able that less secrecy will be exercised, but at no time can the general public hope to gain admittance to the forts as they do to the warships. They are not established for the qualification of aightsecrs. f>-4 It is not thought likely that any large additions will be made to the perlna- nent forces of Royal Marine artillery and Royal engineers under Col. Raw storne and Maj. Muirhead respectively. The force of two or three hundred at present in possession of the barracks will be quite sufficient to keep the place in order in peaceful days, and should war at any tlme cast it's shadow over the land the British Columbia Bat talion of Garrison artillery will be found quite competent to defend their homes and England's honor. In view of such an emergency the headquarter militia companies have during the last year or so been put through course of special training by instructions from the Royal Marine artillery, practical artillery work being given them, and their patriotic enthusiasm being strengthened by cash bonus of fifty dollars to each man attending the gum nery classes. Besides this handsome new drill hall has been provided for them; they have been supplied with every military luxury and necessity, and have generally been dealt with on a scale of liberality that would simply astound any volunteer corps in eastern Canada.
 All of which points to but one co0 clusion.
 Just now the special training of the battalion is suspended. The men whs have taken the prescribed course havs been examined and inspected and cer tificated. Each and all are. however. required to take further course with in the Notifications as soon as the heavy ordnance shall have arrived and been placed in position.
 And as .he artillery must be proved" xt least once in every three months, ac- cording to regulations, citizens of Puget Sound need not be alarmed if they hear heavy cannonading during the present summer. It will not bs the thunder of hostile fleet; simply the barking of the watchdogs or
 at her Britannic majesty'sP P -~---