The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-04-07
STategiCal Expert Returns
From a Tour of In
VeStigatiOn.
TWO ESSENTIAL REASONS
Cuba's Protection as Well as Welfare of
United States, Demands American Ma
val Base There-Point of Shortest
Radical Distance From Southern Cities

and investigation Of the Cuban coas
Admiral Bradford. who was sent by the
Naval Board last month as the recog-
nized strategicaI expert OF the navy to
make a final investigation personally.
has found that Havana Harbor alone
possesses the requisite facilities for a
station OF such magnitude as is irdipen-
sable to the United States in the West
Indies.
This conclusion Is the main feature OF
the report just made. The admirals in
vestigatiOn further demonstrated the
comparative unimportance Of San Juan,
Porto Rico, for military purposes. and. it
is thought, viii emphasize the great i'm
portance or the acquisition OF the Dan
ish West Indies as an indispensable out
post for the protection OF the Atlantic
seaboard against powerful enemy Ad-
miral Bradford's observations will prob
ably be withheld from publicity by the
/ Navy Department as involving in the
main matters that should not come to the
/ knowledge OF European Powers, but the
| reluctance of those about TO take control
/ OF Cuba to grant to the United States
/ any foOthold in Havana Harbor may pro-
/ woke a controversy which viii require a
] full understanding Of the situation in
/ both branches OF Congress-.
Essential in Two Ways.
Havana, afording the only refuge and
base OF operations for United States bat
/ tleships and hrst-cIass armored vessels
/ within a radius Of a thousand miles. is
/ regarded by the navy as essential for the
/ location Of a base TO secure this couu-
try's own defence, as well as to provide
for the defence OF Cuba against outside
J encroachmeut and as an imperative ne
cessity for policing the approaches to the
isthmian canal. It is declared that this
| consideration Of Havana's strategic loca-
tion alone led to the Incorporation in the
: Plat amendment OF section : Of the Plat
amendment now Incorporated in the con-
stitution Of Cuba. which stipulates.
THAT to enable the United states to
maintain the independence Of Cuba and to
protect the people thereof, as well as for
its own defence, the government Of Cuba
/ viii sell or lease TO the United States
! lands necessary for cOaling or naval sta
/ tons at certain specific points to be
agreed upon with the President OF the
/ United States"
/ What the navy is seeking in the West
/ Indies at the present time, as in fact it
| has done on the Island OF Cuba ever since
the Monroe Doctrine was enuuciated. is
| such naval repair shop as our own
coast offers absolutely no opportunity 10
| create south OF the Chcsap eake. Charts
ton, Key West. Pensacola, New Orleans
and San Juan fulfill the requisites Of the
modern unarmOred Cruiserg. gunbOats.
and torpedo craft. as they cQualed the
I demands Of the old wooden ships. but as
the chief result Of all naval investiga-
t!on OF the last four ye[rs. confirmed by
Admiral Bradf0rd's critical examination.
Havana Harbor alone meets the greater
necessities CT today.
Cuban Antagonist DispeUed.
admiral Bradford was fully satisfied Of
this when he visited Havana and found
that the Spanish naval station there with
in the city limits was absolutely worth
less for American naval purposes. while
several hundred acres OF unimproved land
across the harbor from the city was ad-
mirably adapted for the location OF docks
and machine shops. removed from public
property which the United States had
undertaken to turn over 10 the Cuban
Republic Whatever antagonism had de-
yeloped in the last few months TO a Yam
kee navy yard at Havana appears TO have
| been recently aroused through obscure
lnnuences, 10 secure to the new Cuban
/ Government possession OF all the public
lands which had been held By Spain. and
1 this was speedily dissipated when IN was
apparent that the United States proposed
10 carry out every iOta Of its promise
made IN the Teller amendment Of April 6
1885.
The Admiral's Trip.
Admiral Bradford's itinerary covered
Havana, Cienfuegos. Guantanamo San
Juan. and Nipe Bays in rapid succession
| the Dolphin. which carried him. cruising
nearly 5000 miles between these five
points in two weeks, only two nights
being lost in port in that time. In sew
eral .harbors the naval vessels engaged
| in photographic surveys met the DOLPHIN
and their officers furnished the latest in
formation and results Of their searches
FOR valuable deep water COaling stations
and their facility Of defence. As an in
stance Of the Importance Of these reports
Il Was Coneluslvely shown that the Isle
or Pines, which. under article OF the
PlEt amendment. Is omitted from the
constitutional boundaries OF Cuba, "the
title thereto being left 10 future adjust
ment by treaty" was wholly unapproach-
able 10 vessels OF more than fourteen
leet draft, and was therefore ValueIess
Tor military purposes.
Similarly the latest surveys Of San Juan
HaTOOr demonstrated the impossibilitv
OF its ever accommodating heavy battle
sdips. the entrance channel being shall
low. with a hard coral bottom. which
cannot be deepened. The possibilities Of
San Juan as the site of a naval station
for hrst-class warships we're further mini
mizcd by the danger of its entrance In
any except the fairest weather and the
facility with which a hostile feet could
she'll the entire harbor from the northeast
and northwest
The concentration OF deIences at San
tiago. with its narrow entrance. extreme
~ difficult to enter. suggests the same in
tent with regard 10 the eastern uart Of
Cuba, where Guantanamo. though then
1 wholly neglected, has become to-day.
With modern lighting ships Of deep draught
and coal dependence. the ideal guardian
Of the Windward Passage. the strait fire.
quented by more than half the commerce
Of the American Mediterranean Nfp.
Bay, directly north Of Santiago, like
Guantanamo, is easily accessible 70 the