New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-07
CUBAN NAVAL STATION.
HA VANA CHOSEN BY ADMIRAL
BRADFORD.
HARBOR DECLARED TO BE INDISPEN-
SABLE TO THE UNITED STATES
GUANTANAMO ALSO VALUABLE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUSE.I

ations affecting an isthmian canal, as we'll as
the southern half of the United States is the
most notable conclusion of Admiral Bradford
tour of observation along the coasts OF Cupa
and Porto Rico upon which. the recognized
strategcal expert of the navy he was sent at
the suggestion of the Naval General Board last
| month His Investigations further demonstrated
the comparative unimportance of san juan
Porto Rico for military purposes, and, it is
thought will emphasize the great Importance OF
the ACQUISITION of the Danish West Indies as an
indispensable outpost for the protection OF the
Atlantic seaboard against a powerful enemy.
His official report will, in all likelihood be With
held 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 the United States any foothoid
| in Havana Harbor may provoke a controversy
which will require full understanding Of the
situation in both branches of Congress
SWIFT TRIP OF THE DOLPHIN.
Admiral Bradford's itinerary covered Havana
Cienfuegos Guantanamo San Juan and Nlpe
Ravs in rapid succession. the Dolphin, which
carried him, cruising nearly three thousand
miles between these five points in two weeks
only two nights being lost in port in that time.
In several harbors the naval vessels engaged IN
hvdrographic surveys met the Dolphin, and their
officers furnished the latest information ana re-
suits of their searches for available deep water
coalng stations and their facility of defence AS
an instance of the importance of these reports IL
was concIusively shown that the Isle OF Pines,
which under Article VI of the Platt amend
ment is omitted from the constitutional ooun-
daries of Cuba the title thereto being left 10
future adjustment by treaty" was wholly un-
,nnroachs BILE TO vessels of more than fourteen
feet draught and was therefore valueless for
military purposes
Similarly the latest surveys of San Juan Har-
Dor demonstrated the infeasibility OF ever ac-
comrnodatng heavy battieships the entrance
channel being shallow. with a hard coral bottom
which cannot be deepened The possibilities of
San Juan as the site of naval station Tor nrSl
class warships further minimized by the
danger of its entrance in any except the fairest
weather and the facility with which hostile
feet could shell the entire harbor from the
northeast and northwest.
THE VALUE OF GUANTANAMO.
Tho concentration of desences at Santiago.
with its narrow entrance extremely difficult 20
enter suggests the intent with regard TO
the eastern part OF Cuba. where Guantanamo,
though then wholly neglected. has become to-
day with modern fighting ships of deep draught
and coal dependence. the ideal guardian or the
Windward Passage. the strait frequented by
than hair the commerce ol lHe <Aihelio'''i
Mediterranean. Nipe Bay directly north OF
Santiago like Guantanamo, is easily accessible
10 the heaviest warships. provides absolute Sc
curity for coaling. repairs and other purposes
requisite in ii naval rendezvous for the greatest
of fleets but in neither Of these magnificent mar
bors would labor be available in time OF peace,
and for many years their utility is likely to be
confined TO coaling stations. form Of naval
defence which in their locality. is of paramount
importance to the United States under any
conceivable international conditions OF the
future.
What the navy is seeking In the West Indies
at the present time as in fact it has done
the island of Cuba ever since the Monroe Doc
trine was enunciated, is such a naval repair
shop own coast offers absolutely no op-
portunity to create south of the Chesapeake
Charleston. Key West Pensacola New-Orleans
and San Juan fulfil the requisites of the modern
unarmored cruisers, gunboats and torpedo craft
as they equaIled the demands of the old wooden
ships but as the chief result of all naval in
vestgation of the last four years. confirmed by
Admiral Bradfords critical examination, Ha-
vana Harbor alone meets the greater necessities
of to- day.
CUBANS NOT ANTAGONISTIC.
Admiral Bradford was fully satisfied of this
when he visited Havana and found that the
Spanish naval station there Wltnin Tue city
limits was absolutely worthless for American
naval purposes while several hundred acres of
unimproved land the harbor from the
city was admirably adapted for the location of
docks and machine shops. removed from public
property which the United States had under
taken to turn to the Cuban Republic.
Whatever antagonism had developed in the last
few months to Yankee navy yard at Havana
appears to have been recently aroused, through
obscure influences to secure to the new Cuban
Government possession of all the public lands
which had been held by Spain. and this was
speedily dissipated when 1t was apparent that
the United States proposed to carry out every
iota of its promise made in the Teller amend
ment of priI g. 1898
Havana affording the only refuge and base
of operations for United States battleships and
first class armored vessels within radius of
a thousand miles. is regarded by the navy as
essential for the location of a base to secure
this countrys own defence. as well as to pro-
vide for the defence of Cuba against outside
encroachment and as an imperative necessity
for policing the approaches to the isthmian
canal II is declared that this consideration Of
Havana's strategic location alone led to the
incorporation ir the Platt amendment of Sec
tion VII of the Platt amendment now incor-
norated in the constitution of Cuba. which
stipulates:
That to enable the United States to maintain
tho irdenendence of Cuba and to protect the
neople thereof, we'll as for its own defence,
the government of Cuba Will sell or lease TO
the United States lands necessary for coalinS
or naval stations at certain specific points to
he agreed upon with the President of the United
States.
After three years of laborious surveying and
investigation of the Cuban coast under Ad
r,,ral Fradfords direction. and his own careful
nersonal observation of the field, he has found
tba, Havana Harbor alone possesses the requi-