The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-31
Will Test the Fort.

The war department is preparing once for all to ascertain If the Qualifications of the Rip Raps. the old Fort Wool, of the civil war. in Hampton roads, is prac- ticable, and worth the while. If 1t can be strongly enough fortified it will be the very key to the Chesapeake bay, and will be even greater protection to Washing ton, Baltimore, Norfolk, and Newport News than Fortress Monroe is popularly SUI posed to be. If, hawever. the foun- dations do not stand the test of heavy firing to which they will be put during the coming summer. the fort will be prac- tieally abandoned and the million or more dollars spent on trying to make a modern fertilization of it will have been sunk in the bottom of the sea, literally as well as figuratively.
 Fortress Monroe is popularly supposed to be the strongest fortified place in America and the average American rests secure believing that no battleship would ever reach Washington while Ffrtress Monroe interposes it's rock ribbed walls But naval and military experts who know something of the real strength of Fort ress Monroe express the belief that the capital will have to look to other pro- lection than that of Fortress Monroe, in case the United States becomes in- volved in an international war
 They realize that the strategic position of Hampton Roads Is the Rip Raps, and If the tests that are to be made this sum mer prove 1t to be suitable to withstand the reeoil of the big guns that are mount cd on 1t, 1t will likely be made the real fortifcation of the Chesapeake. Where the doubt comes in is whether the island itself will withstand the firing of heavy guns. It is said to be sinking slowly but surely notwithstanding that new material Is being constantly carried there.
 Island Is Artificial.
 The island Is all made land In the century that has passed it was the spot where all vessels threw the superfious ballast they had on board, and the deposits of the millions of little poyps make the coral reef, finally these depos- it's reared their heads above the water and assumed the dignity of an island.
 Prior to the civil war 1t stood as simply a ballast made island, but with the fir ing of the first gun of that period 1t was realized that that section would be one of the great theaters of war, and every available inch of ground was fortified by one side or the other. The artificial is- land was deemed an important stagetic point and was fortified. Its fortunes varied with the vicisitudes of war but 1t ended up as a Federal fertilization. Ever since that time a sort of half hearted effort has been made to make a. strong fortiication of it, but not until now has it been decided to see if after all the game is worth the candle.
 It is right off this island at Sewell 8 Point that Jamestown Exposition, com memorating the first planting of Anglo Saxon civilization in America, will be held. The Rip Raps. Fortress Monroe, and the waters on which the Monitor met the Merrfmac and made the fight, the booming of whose guns was the farewell volley to the wooden ship as an im- plement of war, are within sight and will, in themselves offer attractions when the exposition is held.
 Confident of Appropriation.
 Speaking of the exposition, 1t may be said that the exposition people are conf dent that congress will give them an ap- propriatiQn large enough to make if an exposition commensurate with the import- ance of events 1t is to commend ora te. They say that the settlement of James town Is the greatest historical date in American history, just as a mans birth dav Is the most important in his life and that for congress to provide for the celebration of lesser events on an elabo- rate scale and ignore the opportunity to celebrate the more important event fit- tingly would be inconsistent.
 When if Is pointed out to them that they are asking more of congress in propor- tion than any preceding exposition, they state in reply that the people of Tide water Va. have subscribed more per capita toward celebrating the natal day of the nation than the people of any other city that has held an exposition. Likewise, they say that they are contrib uting more in proportion to assessed val ues than has ever been contributed be- fore