The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-12-13
Fortified Island at Virginia Uapes.


1t is estimated at the war department
that the fortified artificial island for
the defense of the entrance of Chesa-
peake Bay, recently advocated by Pres
ident Taft in one of his speeches be-
fore the waterways convention at Nor
folk, can be constructed for about 3d.
O00,000 This is far below the original
estimates of from $10,000,000 to $l2,-
O00, 900. The necessity for such a struc-
ture was pointed out by the Taft de-
tense board in 1906, but the PROPOSE
ton was dropped because of the great
expense. The plan contemplated the
building of an island on what is known
as the ''middle ground in the en-
trance midway between Capes Charles
and Henry with heavy batteries so ar
ranged as to command the fve-mile
channel of navigable water constitut-
ing the only entrance from the ocean.
That point is about eighteen miles be-
low Fort Monroe and beyond the effec-
tive range of the heaviest guns at that
fort
The original plans have been mate
rally changed and the cost consider
ably reduced. Tt is now proposed to
construct a fertilization similar to that
on Ell Fralle in the Philippines. That
consists of small inelosure surrounded
by wall of concrete forty feet thick
and containing two steel turrets each
mounting two fourten-inch guns, to-
gether with a secondary battery of four
.six-inch guns.
The use of turrets instead of disap-
pearing guns is a saving in space and
expense On the Chesapeake Island it
is proposed to erect the largest and
most effective guns obtainable. 1t is
said there are no engineering difficulties
in the construction of the island, as
there is a good sand foundation about
seventeen feet below the surface. The
plan is to confine the allotted space
with rows of piling, fill it with finely
broken stone and cap the mass with
solid concrete. having outer walls for
ty feet thick. Ammunition, mines,
classmates. etc. viii be placed beneath
the floor forming the base of the gun
turrets.
It is contended by military and naval
experts that the proposed Notifications
would make the entrance to Chesapeake
Bay invulnerable and effeetually safe
guard the National Capital, Baltimore,
Annapolis. Norfolk, Newport News,
Richmond and the other cities and
towns on the bay or its tributaries.
Deficiency in Army Food.
An unusual state of affairs prevails
in the war department on account of a
deficiency of nearly 100000 in the ap
preparation for commissary stores for
The fiscal year ended June 80 last Con-
gree failed to appropriate by that
amount the money needed to purchase
material for provisioning troops. The
demands exceeded the amount appro-
priated mainly because of an unexpect-
ed increase in the force from about
CT 900 to more than 1900 men. These
troops had to be provided with the reg
Mar rat:ons The expense was greater
than usual on account of the general
rise in the price of food products en-
tering into the composition of rations.
Contracts had to be made in the reg
ular way, however, for periods IN some
cases covering one wear and in other
cases six months. and remittances were
made under such contracts periodically
as deliveries were made al military
posts With shortage of nearly $500
900, many of these contractors have
found that the war department was I'M