The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-06-03
GIBRALTAR OF HIS OWN
Uncle Sam Intends to Construct 1. at
the Mouth of Chesapeake Fay to
Defend Washington.

Washington. June 1.-The war de
partrnent is preparing nee for all 10
ascertain if the f~ortificatiou of the Rip
raps. tn. old Fort Wool of the Civil
war, in Hampton Roads, is practical
and worth the While. II it can be
strongly enough fortified it Will be the
very key to Chesapeake bay n Will
ington, Baltimore, Norfolk and New
port News tina Fortress Monroe is
popularity supposed TO be.
If, however. the foundations do not
stand the test of heavy firing TO which
they will be put during the coming
summer the fort will be practically
abandoned, and the million or more
dollars spent on trying to make a mod
ern fortress of it Will have been sunk
in the bottom of the sea, literally as
we'll as flguratively.
Fortress Monroe is popularity sup
posed to be the strongest fortified place
in America. and the average Ameri-
can rests secure believing that no
battleship would ever reach Washing
ton While Fortress Monroe interpoSes
its rockrihbed walls.
Naval II military experts who Know
something OF the real strength OF Fort
ress Monroe express the belief that the
capital will lave to ook TO other pro-
lection than the fortress in case the
United States becomes involved in an
international war.
TIE old, a%nt!quated stone walls of
that part of the port the public sees
would hardly stand an hour before the
t~hIrteen-inch guns OF q modern man OF
war, and 1t is to the disappearing guns
upon the beach above the fort 9Alt the
war officers are p~inning their Faith.
Strategic Position.
They realize tnat the strategic posi-
ton of Hampton Roads is the Ripraps,
and il the texts that are to be mad this
summer prove il to be suitable TO with
stand the recoil of the big guns that.
are mounted on it, ii will likely be
made the real fortification OF the Ches-
apeaae. Where the doubt comes in is
whether the island itself will withstand
the firing OF heavy guns. 1t is said to
be sinking slowly but surely, notwith-
standing that new material is being
constantly carried there.
The island is all made land. In the
century that has passed it was the spot
where all vessels threw the superfiuous
ballast they had on board. Finally
these deposits reared their heads above
the water and assumed the dignity of
an island.
1t is right off of this island at Sew
all's Point that the Jamestown EXPOSE
ton, commemorative the first planting
of Anglo-SaXon civilization in America,
will be held. The Ripraps. Fortress
Monroe and the waters on which the
Monitor met the Merrimac, and made
the fight the booming of whose guns
was the farewell yolley to the Wooden
ship as an implement of war, are with
in sight, and will, in themselves, offer
attractions when the exposition is held.
Speaking of the exposition it may be
said that the exposition people are con-
ddent that congress will give them an
appropriation large enough to make it
an exposition commensurate with the
Importance of the event 1t is to COM
nlamorate. They claim that the settle
ment of jamestown is the greatest his
torical date in American history, and
that for congress TO provide for the
celebration of lesser events on elaborate
scale n ignore the opportunity to
celebrate the most important event fit
tingly would be inconsistent.