The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-08-16
DIAMOND HEAD.
Uncle Sans Great Volcano Fortress
In The Pacific Ocean

In the Pacific Ocean.
since England instituted her vast
and mysterious system Of defenses in
the great rock OF Gibraltar the world
has witnessed no project Of military
fertilization so important as that
which has been undertaken BY the
United States Ia the island Of Oahu
OF the Hawaiian group.
In the belief that the Pacific ocean
III to be the theater OF the next great
international struggle for commercial
and territorial control, the American
government has entered upon project
which is destined to give It an invinci-
bic base and outpost IN midocean az
Hawaii TO that end It has begun to
fortlfy what is known as Diamond
head, which Is a vast extinct volcano
in Oahu, on which Honolulu is built
and when the works are completed
the place win be justly entitled to be
called athe Gibraltar OF the Pacific"
Situated as It Is at the hover ex-
tremity OF the island, with its northern
slope forming part Of the city Of Homo
lulu, says Edward r. Irwin In the
World Today, Diamond head COM
mands the seward approach from all
directions to the city, and the FIRE Of
its guns, combined with the cross FIRE
OF the Pearl harbor fortihcations seven
miles away on the other side Of Homo
lulu, IS sufficient to render the town
safe from attack.
The crater itself IS comparatively
shallow, being only a couple Of hun
bred feet deep But the walls are
steep and rugged. and 1t wonld be
practically impossible for a ship at
sea to drop a shell into the cavity
This ia being taken advantage Of to
form a safe shelter for the gunners
who are to man the battery.
The guns themselves, eight 12-inch
mortars Of the newest and most pow
erful type. are not located 10 the cra-
ter itself, but are mounted on the
Leahi slope, toward Kaimuh. behind
the mountain. Should there be occa-
sion TO use them IN time Of war the
gunners would not see the vessel at
which they were firing but would d.
rect their aim according 70 the teie-
phoned instructions OF the range 6nd-
ers stationed at various points on the
circumference Of the crater's rim.
Such Is modern gunnery. a matter Of
mathematics rather than Of accuracy
Of vision But 70 such a degree Of per
lection has the modern science Of gun
merry attained that the crews OF the
Diamond head battery would be able
to drop on 10 the deck Of a battleship
miles distant and completely out OF
their range Of vision a proiectiie which
would sink the vessel before ever II
had chance to get close enough to
the island to use It's own less powerful
guns.
Through the thick rock walls Of the
volcanoes crater grimy workmen. I'M
der the direction Of United States mil
itary engineers. are driving a tunnel.
This is to form q passageway to and
from the batteries for the officers and
range finders and, should occasion
ever arise, for the crews Of the NOR
tar battery.
The sides or the volcano are very
steep and cannot be scaled except in
few places where narrow paths lead
up the PERCEPTIONS heights A few
riAemen and machine guns could east
ly defend these passes against a force
many times their number
About the only way the volcanic
fortress could be captured would be
by starving the defenders out Water
would be the most difficult thing for a
defending force 60 obtain. but It viii
be no insuperable task TO provide
plentiful supply.
When this ia finished Hawall will
have the most novel and at the same
time one Of the strongest forresses in
the world--a fortified volcano.