The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-10

extent. n man VINO only Knows lneln
on the map can hardly appreciate the
vast area of sea they cover. The long
chain of Windward and Leeward Is
lands, nearly all of which belong to
England, are a full thousand miles
from Jamaica. In time of war they
would be in a peri1ous position, IL they
relied on Port Royal as the only for
titled coaling station for the fleet de-
Tending them.
Ships coaling at Port Royal would
have to work their way $50 miles to
windward before they could get to a
point near these islands at which
naval battle would be likely to take
place, or before they could reach Mar
Unique and Guadeloupe, supposing
| they had to blockade those places in
the event of a war with France. BY
the time they got there a large portion
of their coal would be expended. and
| their efficiency consequently impaired.
For this reason it was deemed nee
essary by the recent Royal Commits
| sion on Coaling Stations to fortify the
port of Castries. in st. Lucia. This
place is also being very much strength
| ened now, but not so much money is
being spent upon it as upon Port
| ROYAL.
Castries is a natural fortress which
can be defended with little trouble.
| Castries Bay runs for several thousand
yards inland, and the entrance is very
narrow. One fort could easily hold it.
There are surrounding positions on the
| land side, held by small bodies of
troops, which would render it exceed
ingly difficult for an enemy to get pos
| session of the harbor, except by gigan-
| tic operations which, naval experts
say, could hardly be made by any Eu-
| ropean nation so far away from its
| base.
The weak point with each of these
| growing fortresses is that neither Cas-
tries nor Port Royal is able to repair
even a torpedo boat, let alone a cruiser
or a battleshp. A warship coming
| there damaged from a naval battle
| could get coal, but she could not get
| repaired nearer than Bermuda. The
French possess a splendid craving dock
| at Martinique, where the largest ship
| of-war can be refitted in case OF ac-
cident or damage in battle. Millions
| of francs have recently been spent on
this dock and the Notifications which
| surround it. The British authorities
contemplate providing Port Royal with
| either a craving or floating dock, like
that at Bermuda, at a probable cost OF
not less than $4,000, 900. 1t should be
noted, also, that many millions of dol
lars have been spent within the two
| past years in strengthening the forth
| fcations of the dockyards and coaling
stations at Bermuda and Halifax.
The British government has solemnly
| declared that these heroic measures
are designed merely for defense, and
are in no way intended as a menace
to the United States. The idea Is TO
maintain the balance of power in the
| Caribbean in view of Americas acquf-
| sition of Porto Rico; her fertilization
Of Culebra, which, in time, according
| to even British experts. will be the
greatest stronghold in the West Indies
her lease of coaling stations in Cuba,
and the cutting of the Panama canal.
France Spending Millions.
England is also starting some minor
| Notifications at Port-of-Spain, Trini-
dad, and that colony is to be garri-
soned by British as well as local
troops. The garrison at Barbados is
| also to be strengthened. In British
naval circles ID is said that the British
North American and West Indian
squadron is soon to be increased by
one-half of its present strength, when
| the ships now under construction in
British dockyards are launched. Just
at present there Is not a single bat
tleship in this squadron.
France is determined not to be left
behind in the race for power and pres
tige in the West Indies. She has spent
| huge sums on the defenses of Marti-
nique and Guadeloupe, but the results
| have not been altogether satisfactory
the government alleging that full re-
turn for the money expended was not
made. But more millions are to be
| spent, and this time, no doubt they
will be more carefully looked after.
| Meanwhile, the French squadron in the
Caribbean is being constantly strength
| ened.
Even Denmark. like Holland at Gu
racao and Surinam. is improving her
forts at Christianstad, on st. Croix.
| Germany's Caribbean Policy.
| Germany has no foothold in the Car
| ibbean, but the opinion entertained by
not few persons in the United States
that she means to make a bold bid for
| one sooner or later, is shared by all
the naval officers and the better in
| formed residents of the West Indies.
| Last January, the writer was talking
| on the subject with the captain of one
of the British warships then blockad-
| ing the Venezuelan coast.
There's no doubt" said the officer,
| that the Germans want a coaling sta
ton here very badly. They have made
bluff of wanting one in Hayti and
on the isle of Margarita, but the place
| they really want is Guanta. You know
| 1t? Well, isn't it an ideal spot for a
coaling station? 1t could be as easily
| perfectly safe, a good depth of water
and room enough for any fleet. The
climate is excellent, supplies and pro-
| visions are readily obtainable and the
| nights around the harbor could be cas-
| lily fortified so as to make the place
| impregnable even with a small garrl-
son. The strategic position is all that
could be desired in relation to the
Caribbean and the Panama Canal.
Mark my words, that is the place the
Germans have set their heart on trying
| to get sooner or later"
They will have to fight for 1t at
| first" said the captains audience.
well, from what l have heard the
| German officers say, they seem to reck-
on on doing that" was the reply.
A profound conviction prevails in
the West Indies that Germany intends
within a few years, to make a very
| tempting bid for the Danish Antilles
By that time her navy will be greatly
| strengthened, and If she can effect the
| purchase, she might-so the West In
dams think-insist that the Monroe
Doctrine cannot legitimately prevent
one European power from transferring
its American possessions to another.
The Cockpit of Europe.
However this max be, the West In
dies for centuries were the cockpit Of
| Europe. The navies of England
France, Spain and Holland battled for
national supremacy in the Caribbean