The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-06-24

day after day through the years of
experiment, keeping pace with
progress in the knowledge OF war
fare.
This Virginia garrison has the
safety of several American cities
in its keeping. 1t is the outpost
defense of Washington and Balti-
more, and, with Fort Wool, it
stands as an aggressive sentinel
keeping watch over Norfolk and
Richmond.
Across the mingling water of the
bay and the ocean lies Cape Char
les, the rough coast of which is
visible on clear days to the gun
ners on Monroe's parapets, but no
projectiles which their great steel
wall monsters can hurl ever are
likely TO prove effective against
battleships stealing into the chan
mel close under the Charles prom
ontory TO make the run up the
waters leading to the capital.
There is plan to build another
government Ratification, either on
the cape itself, or, better still, on a
half-submerged island lying mid
way Of the entrance to the Chesa-
peake. AS things are today, a
foreign fleet, with a pilot deserv-
ing the name on board the leading
ship, could slip into the CEesa-
peake under cover Of a haze while
the shore artillerymen, no matter
how watchful, would know naught
OF the movement until there was
nothing to fire at but the broad
wake of the vessels.
Fortress Monroe is a bulwark Of
defense in itself, but if the enemy s
ships pass in the night and steam
for doughty defenders OF the ma
tons capital are ready for the
fight farther up the channel, and
they stand within deadly easy
range of the places Of passage.
As lar as Richmond and Norfolk
are concerned, they are cities that
can sit in confidence that no foe
can come by water to their troubl-
ing. The main ship channel at
the mouth Of the James is within
easy great-gun range of the para
pets Of Fortress Monroe, and the
gunner who could not hit 50 fair
and comforting a mark as battle
ship or a cruiser at double the dis
lance would be disCTedited after
one pushing of the electric firing
button and his place would be
taken in twinkling by man
able TO drive every projectile
homeland there are many such
men IN the artillery ranks. IF the
marksmen at Fortress Monroe fail
ed in their cunning there is little
chance that their brother artillery
men at Fort Wool would fail III
theirs's for the enemy that would
attempt to force the passage of the
James would almost brush the
muzzles OF the smaller fort s guns.
Few of the modern 12-inch rifles
that form the armament of Fort
ress Monroe are mounted on the
parapet OF the ancient part OF the
stronghold. The real Notifications
are On the beach hundreds of yards
away. The visitor was at the post
luckily, during the target practice
with the big guns-a practice of
none too frequent occurrence be.
cause of the great expense.
From the hotel window at the
breakfast hour the visitor saw a
government tug towing two red tri-
angular pyramids made of cloth
stretched on frameworks OF wood.
An hour later the big lihes Of the
beach battery were pegging away
at these pyramids, which were
drawn through the zone at a ten
knot gait by the tug, which had
line enough over the stern seem
ingly to assure its own safety,
though the work of the tugmen
looked dangerous to the laymen.
The target were not hit, and yet
they were hit at nearly every shot,
and the conscience isn't hurt in