The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-20
BY WILL T. STEPHAN.

ful augury for the Deep water City. Perhaps that is why the United States Is the largest property owner in and around Pensacola.
 When expansion became a fixed poli- cy of the American government, a brighter future opened for the ancient city. Much of the expansion of Amer ica, whether of trade or of commerce, will necessarily pass through the fine harbor of Pensacola on its way to the outer world. It is one of the very fin- est open gates leading to and from the United States of America.
 The strenuous President of the Unit ed States has announced renewed alle- glance to the Monroe Doctrine. At the same time he made clear ihs develop ment of that great and historic policy. America now stands irrevocably com mitted to the policy that no South American or Central American govern ment shall have any important dealing with any European power unless the Washington government knows of it and endorses 1t with its sanction. Of a necessity this signifies that America will have more or less trouble with the mercurial and effervescent republics south of the Rio Grande. Over and above this, too, there hovers the pos sibility of serious trouble with Euro pean powers because of the irresponsi- bility of some of these same Southern republics.
 The Panama canal is building. They are turning dirt for it now. It's com pletion is bare ten years away. It is, the building of this canal, develop ment. an improvement of world wide significance. The government of Amer lea now the builder will be in the fu- ture the guardian and protector of this that will the five thousand mile trip around Cape Horn. in the guardianship of this canal the policy of the big stick, if it is ev- CT needed, will be needed in the gulfs and seas south of the United States
 It means for one thing that at all times the Washington government must keep a squadron of steel clad fighting masses in Southern waters All or which must rebound to the good and to the credit of Pensacola, for is 1t not the great convenient and useful harbor of the Gulf of Mexico?
 Pensacola has luxuriated in the bene- fits that came as the aftermath of the Spanish American war The results of that short and unsanguinary war were of an importance entirely out or to the cost of the war, in blood or treasure. As one of the re- suits of that short lived conflict, the governments interest in Pensacola more than doubled. For years previous the interest of Washington In Southern ports had been gradually wandering. In fact Washington had not kept up as 1t should have done the property about Pensacola Tn which millions Of dollars of the governments money had been invested. The armament of the two splendid natural forts at the mouth of the harbor had been permitted to become obsolete These forts were ma !. tained practically without garri- sons and the fine old navy yard was kept more as an ornament than as a governmental utility. The heavy in- vestment made by the government at Pensacola are now worth all the money that has been put in them, and more, too.
 Now of Vital Importance.
 Pensacola as an open port, as a naval base has by virtue of recent interna- tional developments become of vital importance to the government. The patriotic Pensacolians declare that the port is the key to the Southern waters for the American government In much the same light must the government re- gard it. if one is to judge by the late and widespread Improvements that have been made in governmental prop erty since the Spanish-American war.
 In the first place directly after the close of this war the Washington au- thorities mad brought from Havana the enormous steel dock that was found at the harbor of that place when Cuoa fell into the hands of the United states With the exception of the pig COCK at New Orleans this dock is the largest and most efficient in the South The dock was lowed all the way from Ha- vana to the Pensacola navy yards. It has never ceased to be wonder that the government paid Spain for the docK an enormous price, when 1t should have been properly considered part or the spoils of war. A second dock neither as large nor as important as the span ish dock is also at the navy yard.
 In addition to the establishment or tbo bir dock. the government has in every way improved the furnlshlngs' the houses and the equipment at the Persacola navy yard
 \ more important governmental move has, however, been made III the armament of Fort McRae ana torI Pickens which command every toot or the narrow channel that leads lhto Pensacola harbor. These two lorts have been splendidly armed in the past six years. The architecture ol 'no forts have been so altered and so changed as to make them of the most modern and improved character, thing that was done in order that the phvsical aspect of the forts could De brought into harmony with their spleh- did equipment. They are now armed with the finest disappearing guns. They have the best makes Of the elgnt inch and ten inch and the twelve men big guns. c .A.
 The details of the armament of the fort arc rovernmental secrets. No man may enter the fort without special permit. A sentinel stands at the gate leading into the fort. If man should attempt to go in with camera, no matter how small and harmless It might look, the sentinel would take It away from him and keep 1t on the out side until the visitor had completed his sightseeing within the fort. Nor could a man go inside and make notes, for the writing of a description of eith- CT Fort Pickens or Fort McRae. If he should attempt 1t a sentinel would tap him on the shoulder and take his paper away. The purpose of such a system of watchfulness is apparent. It IS de- signed to prevent the power and the secrets of the fort from becoming known to other powers who might be- come involved in a war with the Unit ed States. It is no doubt good sys- tenn for the government, but 1t gives the newspaper man who would like to write of the fort a full description a mighty poor chance to do good job.
 The most striking thing tn and around these two forts is the series of watch towers which belongs to each of them. These watch towers are four in number for each of the forts They stand a mile away from the forts and command a nearer and better view
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