The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-18
(Bv Nathan A. Bowers 10, in The Rose Technic.)

Since the days when the Spanads claimed all of the Pacific
the forecond parallel San Francisco has been
military That early recognized the strategic
Point by the Spanish and later Mexican
established there The Importance OF San Fran
cisco is due to the fact that there IS no on geor @
ideal the surrounding hills afford shell
and ranges up to four miles in width thus aordng ample
anchorage for the largest vessels But than this it
stronghold because the only outlet to the bay through the
The Golden Gate is so often misunderstood by those who
privileged that explanation not be
Golden Gate the naowest part of the
rorth side of the strait the waves against
cliff several hundred feet high the SOUTH the land slopes less
abruptly of four FIVE hundred feet On the south
the strait its point and at the outer edge
stands massive brick fort which the days OF mzze loading
cannon considered all sufficient This Fort Winfield Scott and
though the muzzes of ancient still threaten from its ports
opposite shore little than mile and through this channel
pass all incoming and outgoing shipping AS to why this
ley hills some FIVE
the pose directly above the break
broad Pacific far reach AS the
appears shining yellow pathway lead
the toward the slowly sinking orb The old fort
rudy glow the opposite cliff beside whose bulk
insignificant frnged with redgod fire. The
neghborng hills already dakeng only through the narrow
afterglow brghens break hills and
then it to the observer charm had been suddenly
this golden portal into the dark of the Pacific.
Because San Francisco the natural terminus of rancont
gateway profitable
the federal have taken guard the important
rush of heavy ordnance San Francisco string of batteries
ranged along the bluff at the north Of the Golden Gate the fam
Hook freight and planted where could command the
placed group high angle Since 1893
there has been constant of Some
the hill from Fort Winfield Scott grove of tall trees
which hide strong line of wvench rifles perhaps
ortant complement Of the defense Below these and
disappearing These guns the pattern
arms, securely during the
operations OF oadng and training When all ready the
perecv red belches forth its nroieeIe and then sinks
quietly back suddenly Of these guns
smokeess powder and the side OF their
gunner accurately even
though frequently that hail of shot descended
about him. 1t these disappearing rifles that phenom
email record at target practice three The target
based pyramid twelve feet in height which owed
opened fire the launch the making
half that would have struck
ordinary sized war vessel whose center represented by
hill back of the old fort is government prop
duty the public inspect the Notifications closely
lined slopes the summit to the
edge Some extremely long with elaborate machinery
attached to the carriages have recently upper edge
OF the The authorities very
guards prevent from getting than glimpse
them The embody feature that the govern
en wishes to keep secret perhaps it feared that possible
keeping close watch of guns installed It
umoed that of these mysterious guns placed
this is true the public will probably be forbidden post
1t was these slopes back the old fort block
OF range finding introduced This system may not
the principle Only the depart
ents know But originally planned the system
the water surface within imaginary squares These
squares only few hundred exact range
each found this data then being chart
arranged so that pointer which conneeted With
small telescope placed supports the chart
following the movements of the telescope indicating
OF the point which the scope similar
telescope above the gunpt and with machinery
as gun ara u enabled the gunner train his piece without
MS observation and the
Gould quickly set the indicators gun to firing
ostlon his plan has proved satisfactory York
1arDor probably
Ia the authorities have
hse hidden batteries the hill by
ne forhcaons There batteries eight inch
10th at Point Bonita and Fort Baker little a