Evening star., 1905-10-14

and great efforts have been made to wipe
out the mosquitoes. The work is now doing
with Cuban Iaborers under the direction of
our naval officers, but good men are hard
to hire, and so far the work of construc-
ton is slow. The Amphitrite and the Mo-
nongohela are stationed in the bay, and the
naval officers and marines have their quar-
ters upon them The little Vixen is used
as a supply ship, coming here to Santiago
every other day.
In Guantanamo Bay.
Guantanamo bay will undoubtedly be one
Of our most important naval stations. 1t
has the only large harbor on the south or
east coast of Cuba. 1t lies right here on
the Windward passage. which is the great
avenue from the Atlantic into the Carib-
bean and the main door for all vessels GO
ing to the Panama canal. 1t is just around
the corner from Cape Maisi, at the north
eastern end of Cuba, and about seven hours
by steam from Haiti.
In going to Panama the first bit of Cuban
land one sees is Cape Maisi. little later
he gets into the Windward passage and
can see Cuba on one side and Haiti on the
other. Guantanamo is not visible as after
a time the boats get pretty. well out in tba
passage. 1t is so situated however that
1t commands the passage and thus con-
trols not only the vessels going to Panama
but those to Venezuela and all parts Of
the west Indies by this route. 1t Is only
TWO days by fast vessels from Guantanamo
70 Coion, and about the same distance to
La Guayra, In Venezuela. 1t is Just about
one DAY steaming to the middle of the
Carippean, or as 1t is now called. .+the
american Mediterranean"
Inc advantage of this station In protect
ing the Caribbean will be enormous Sbo,,Id
any european power attempt to make the
sea battle-ground its gunboats will have
10 SAIL about two weeks before thay oan
reach 1t. The men will not know ubap ~
expect an attack. and they will he In about
tne same position as the Russian marines
py Admiral Toga. Our ships can start o,,t
from guantanamo with their mon frash
anu d M can be fighting within about a dav
after leaving port uas
A Great Coaling Station.
Guantanamo will be our chief coaling sta
tlon in this part of the world When the
present arrangements are completed AT least
hfty thousand tons of coal will be stored
mere and In time of war; the supply will
be double that amount Coal can be bronebt
cheaply from Norfolk or Newport News and
our vessels will come here for fuel One
or the most important things in naval 1yor
rare Is to be within easy reach of coaI and
an modern conveniences of loading and nm
loading will be supplied. Some of the coal
Gepo's r VIII be on the island In the harbor.
Inc water Is deep close to the shores of
these islands and some of them arc O.
smaI that several ships can be loaded from
the same island at the same time
pie supply OF ammunition and other
necessities will be kept there There will
be large machine works, and every arrange
ment Tor the rapid repair of disabled yes
sels. II a gunboat is injured in an engage
ment in the Caribbean. it can be towed To
dock. '
A Look at the Harbor.
Guantanamo bay has many advantages
over Santiago. When Cervera was bottled
up here his ships had to go out to sea in
single file and Hobson almost clogged the
entrance when he sunk the Merrimac. The
entrance to Guantanamo is more than a
mile wide. 1t is so wide that a half a
dozen great battleships can steam out of
II at one time and send their broadsides at
the vessels OF the enemy. There are high
lands on each side of the entrance and
fortifcattons will probably be made there
to aid in its protection.
Passing into the harbor our vessels will
nave broad and deep waterway extend
ing far back into the country. The eastern
portion. including all the territory which
we have. is about ten miles long and five
miles wide. This includes the lands about
the harbor. 1t Is not regular in shape and
the water and land area altogether is about
forty square miles, or enough to cover about
one hundred and sixty quarter section
farms The waters are big enough to con-
the Atlantic. with ample room to spare AS
to the depth. this Is just right. It ranges
from sixty to eighty or one hundred feet.
deep enough to enable the biggest gunboata
to sail IN and allow their anchors to catch
the ground 1t is quite as bad to have wa
ter too deep in a harbor as not deep enough
II the water should be several hundred feet
deep near the shore, anchoring would be
impossible. Moreover, as it Is now IL a
lighter sinks in this harbor 1t goes down
deep enough to not obstruct navigation, and
at tie same time not SO deep but that the
divers can raise 1t.
A Big Rifle Range.
There are ample means at Guantanamo for
practice work on the part OF the men. On
one Side Of the harbor there is a great dry
swamp which nature has fitted Tor rifle
range. one hundred men oan practice long
range shooting there at the same time with
out danger Of injury 10 any one. The swamp
u Duxxoun6e& bY hills. ! understand ShGA