The National tribune., 1909-11-18

exercised this Winter. when the Gov
ernment is spending money at the rate
of $4,000, 600 more a month than it col
lects, there will be a disposition to cur
tail on Pearl Harbor.
The Navy both wins and loses in this
decision for the abandonment of the
Philippines as base for warlike opera
Etions. A joint Army and Navy Board
worked out the plan in favor of Pearl
Harbor. and their recommendation then
went on TO the Secretary. of the Navy
and TO the President before it became
effective. The Navy has long been con-
tending for the establishment of great
naval base at Oiongapo, and the Army
has contended that no Notifications
| should be placed at Subig Bay, but
| rather on Manila Bay. The Army has
been having its way in that matter, al
tho the fight has been hot and heavy
between the two military branches and
the subject has been much discussed in
Congress But the coast defenses of
Manila are now well on toward COM
pletion, and large sums of money have
been spent for placing the most modern
defense guns on Corregidor and other
islands near Manila. This work will go
on without interruption. and Manila
will have as complete and powerful
! fortifications as the Government can
construct.
Fortifying the Philippines.
The theory of that is that the Philip
pine Islands cannot be defended from
invasion by hostile army. There are
several points along the Pacific Ocean
side of the island of Luzon where trans.
ports could land an army. The idea or
prominent Army officers, however, is
| that it would be necessary to defend
! Manila, the Capital and chief city OF
the troops the War Department VIII
likely keep there. is entirely practicable.
So while an enemy might make a land
ing upon LuZon, he could not easily take
| Manila, the Capital and chief city of
| the archipelago. And while he might
| be trying to capture the city or to be-
siege it the Navy could come over the
| Pacific from Pearl Harbor, annIhilate
| the enemy's navy on the sea and cut OIL
his army on the island.
| The plan undoubtedly looks to an ul-
| innate increase in the number of troops
| to be stationed at Honolulu 1t is known
that Gen. Bell, the Chief of Staff, would
have 10000 soldiers stationed at Homo
| lulu and vicinity within three months II
| he could have his way. The climate
there is healthful. the locations for bar
racks ideal. and the point Is strategic
one in the command of the Pacific. But
| the Army is not yet large enough to
warrant the detail of so large portion
of 1t to one city. The War Department,
however, is constantly working out
plans for an increase of the fighting
force there. It now includes about
1900 cavalry, about 500 infantry and
500 marines That is a larger force
than it would have been thought possi-
bic to put there few years ago, except
in case of threatened war. The Cen
eral Staff is alive to the possibilities of
a great cavalry post at Leilehua Bar
racks, where there are now only tenn
porary buildings. Congress will be
urged to appropriate money for perma-
nent barracks at that point, and the
argument will be made that there is no
more ideal spot i'll all the world for
great cavalry post. Before many years
there viii be considerable force of
coast artillery at Honolulu and Pearl
HarbOr to operate the enormous coast
defenses, which are rapidly proceeding
to completion. Congress has already
appropriated a good portion of the
money needed for installing the neces-
sary guns at Honolulu and at Pearl
Harbor. There are big batteries at
Honolulu. which could now be fired, in
Guiding eight mortars back of Diamond
Head.
oahu to BE a Gibraltar.
Both the Army and the Navy will be
urging Congress for money this Winter
spective forces upon the island of Oahu, !
and in the natural order of things will
obtain considerable sums for that pur
pose. The program now clearly is to
make that a great Gibraltar of defense,
not only for the protection of the Phil |
ippines, but also for the protection of
the mainland. For as long as Hawaii
remains intact it viii be practically inn
possible that any enemy's ships should
operate against the mainland from the
farther side of the Pacific. When the
Panama Canal is opened in four or five
years from now the Importance of hav-
ing Hawaii impregnable will be aug
mented.
It is naturally suggested that the
new step means the maintenance of a
big fleet of warships in the Pacific. but
that probably is not to be expected for
the present. The Navy Department Is
keeping a formidable fleet of armored
cruisers in the Pacific, and as the new
+ ships are completed some of the older
battieships may be transferred there
! or placed in reserve at Honolulu. 1t is
to be borne in mind, however, that once
the Panama Canal is finished the Allan
tic battle feet. when 1t is at Guanta-
namo or at target practice in the West
lndles every Winter, can rendezvous al
most as easily at Pearl Harbor as at
New York or Provincetown or Hamp-
ton Roads. The difference in distance
from the West Indies, as between Prov
terial as mileage for steamships is
incetown and Honolulu, will be imma-
concerned. 1t would mean only a day
or two more of steaming.
So, all things considered. the deci-
sion to make Pearl Harbor the only
naval base in the Pacific is exceedingly
important in the future plans for both
the Army and the Navy, and assures
that place becoming, perhaps, the most
important in military operations ON
either ocean, il not in the world.
The 18th n. Y. Cav.
| Editor National Tribune: Please give
a brief biSforv of tba 11,h AZ W go