Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-29
A CONNECTING LINK
PROPOSED ESTABLISHMENT OF A
CoALING DEPOT AT KIsKA ISLAND
Importance Of Building an Elaborate
Naval Station at 0longapo in
the Philippines.

OF far reaching international significance
is the energy with which Secretary Moody
is urging upon the Congress the necessity
of the immediate esta ablishment of large
naval station in The Philippine Islands at
AlonGapO, which shall be the home base
for the American ravy in the far east The
Secretary has requested an immediate ap-
propriation of $500 600, though the complete
work will cost between eight and ten mil
lien dollars and probably more. The Sec
rotary in his hearing before the naval COM
mittee declared that this station was abso-
lutely necessary to the efficiency OF the
Asiatic fleet, especially in time of war. In
view of the vast interests in Korea and in
Manchuria of the United States, naval
strategists point to the fact that the Ash
attic fleet has fallen heir to one OF the most
difficult and important missions which the
navy has been called on to perform, name
ly, the protection of these interests against
the Russian advance in Manchuria and the
rapid Japanization of Korea.
Coal Depot on Kiska Island.
AS the connecting link in this chain of
Notifications which the general board OF
the navy shall extend from the Paclnc
coast to the far east, enormous coal
depot at Kiska, one of the Aleutian Islands,
has been planned. The general board IN It's
recommendation to the Secretary urges the
immediate construction of this depot, which
is within $50 miles of the great circle route.
1t is desired that the depot shall have an
initial capacity of 10000 tons of COAL to be
increased as soon as possible to 1O0,OVO
tons. the total cost of the station to De
81 500. 600. large part of this amount VIII
be expended in Notifications of kiska. The
general board recommends that the army
be called on to garrison the depot. the
strategical Importance of which 1t Is de-
cIared by military strategists of the army
and navy can scarcely be overestimated.
Admiral Bradford's Suggestion.
1t should be stated that the original sug
gestion for the establishment of a coaling
station in the Aleutian Islands came from
Admiral Royal B. Bradford who recently
resigned as chief of the bureau of equip
ment to assume command of the battle
ship Illinois Admiral Bradford prepared
a great deal of the data on the subject,
and 1t is largely the valuable information
about the Aleutians and their strategicai
value to the navy prepared by him upon
which the general board has based its
recommendations.
1t is planned to send naval collier to the
Aleutians in the spring carrying number
of naval officers who will make further
survey of Kiska IslPnd and the vicinity.
There is an admirable harbor at kiska-in
fact its only Objectionable feature is the
frequent presence of heavy fogs. This.
however, is characteristic of that part of
the Pacific.
Rear Admiral Glass. commanding the Pa
cific station took his squadron to the
Aleutians last year and made an inspection
both of Dutch harbor and kiska Islands.
The harbor at the former point is the better
of the two but Kiska has been selected as
the site of the proposed depot because 1t Is
considerably nearer the great circle route,
and also because there is already a private
coal depot at Dutch harbor