The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-17
kEr sEsr Is N,,u B,>r
Its Advantages over Guantanamo a, a
Resident see. Them

To rHs EDiToR oF THE SUN ~ "a
writer of an article in rHt SUN Of >of.rh,r
p l dealing with the question of a nav. al.
] IN plainly antaxOniStic to kry Ns.' o.. b,
favor OF Guantanamo, conclusion aH..r
may b- drawn after pruning fron the az. ID.
the whitening sircas.ns oCCa-,one,! O.. .t.
conditions which h. fnGnd Ia prrls 100
msdiat-iy after the recent severe s'oru. a,
sw-p, over cuba key West and larg~ re,
Of the South Atlantic -raboard
without any intent To reply To the s1r-sS-
sions that make the article InterpStuu -.
humorous contribution. | will admir- p. i .
the United States Government IN 'h- =. -.
ton of sites either for fortincations ,- .r-
naval stations has in view plac" who" 40
most desirable ground for tennis courts. 90,
links or secluded bowers for o'cloc. t.n.
tons can also bc found. then tn. position
of the writer Of The article in question
may he in some measure sound .l,
although a naval base further .n.ra
might he even better for IN. purpo~' ..,p
IN. one he advocates II. a. belle"
Navy Depart mrnt desires a naval ha,s ..t'
would guard the greatest eNpan-, ~ 80.
board. orer the fullest measure of proc
ton To maritime commerC. and AFFORD C...,.
ing. coalinR and repairing facilities 90 a "a,.'
required 10 command the Caribbean -.
Gulf of Mexico and the south Nlan'" ,ua,.
the Navy Department Will no, b" deferred
from selecting heb NP~' wv lnr res al' = ~
storm or two occurring IN more than 'a'
n century and that may occur anv~ d"Ts -
well a. az Key West. ! am ass Ifniny thai
the Government ~ able 80 protect agaIus'
the clements any site or area that Ia, a..
ready been mad. nv nature lmpregnlr..
agaln-' IN. assaults Of a national en"r'
| present a f"w - Elements OF ( ''t .r Hr.
~wrr 20 the few really damaging m.,r-r-e
ssn'ation- winch have heen al bic 10 de- 90
fro, - igr bnmnrnna -
in the arti,. referred to a quality e humor.
nv IN. way. which - inspired nv the Il am
done TO ;iimsy and III secured home NJ -.
poor. such homes a. may he found u ans
other ctty 81 ."vo people "a we'll - n Ne
Wcsf
NTH p,tpbar 81 1909 key West rad not
been VISITED nv u storm oi serious UnS".
.,ucncs- FOR -INty.three years The CsU'--
81 the recent storm passed about ia" md"-
west OF hey West. travelling north a'r",.
Florida, Georgia an the Carol na-. md ouk
10 sea at Cape Haiteras The truth is hat
destructive storms are so rare 2: Kew N"''
that the people have not taken even the mN,t
ordinary precautions TO protect Their PROM
erty against such storms Most Of ih-
houses are OF frame but few are anchored.
Most Of them merely rest by gravity upon
pillir4 There are no cellars or subsi-I"-
lures OF anN kind
The Government surveys and reports ~
record in IA. various departments prove
mat Key West has n secure harbor and al.
anchorage for vessels drawing thirty seel
The navy exists IN order 20 defend and pro
,-ct the country and its commerce IN.
bulk ~ American commerce passes by hsv
West and "A naval force 10 absolutely nec-s-
.ary to protect that commerce In time 81
war III. Florida East Coast RAILWAYS
extension to Key West provides the Depar'-
m.nt with every facility necessary for the
cially Il the other navy yards on the Gull
arc To be abolished. as the Secretary OF tire
Navy. II - reported. has decided 10 do In
contrast Ia Guantanamo. Key West has
climate thai ~ unsurpassed anywhere on
IN. face oT the earth. There are no tropical
diseases prevalent IL ia never extremely
hot nor IL there ever any frost, No fuel 10
required for heating purposes az any time.
and the cost Of living IL hereby very much
Ch.n per than any where els, because OF thus
mid climate, which obylates the expense OF
poses In Iiuantanamo they have rad
earthquakes every year that have done more
e ca thu S Sav. compietsiy destroyed
cities. ss an Jamaica and Martinique. The
ws,t Indian hurricanes originate In that
i lar Hf oS sarscr Of Guan,anamo !. vel
protected. but IL does not escape entirely
Key Ws.t : the nearest point in m. United
states e ~. Pansms Ssnai s End all IN. cor, or.
around The ives, OF Cuba from Panama mus,
pass by Key West. With. proper harbcr
he constructed az the city grows, re could
and should have harbor confirming over
MY square mile- no. less than ,hirtg o Tee.
would he safe in the worst Of hurricane.
which are never 40 d ma ging ast blzzsrd-
ttIanric coasts Rev West never has =
severe storm except IN the month Of octo.
her. while destructive storms prevail along
b. NeW England winter
During the war with spain there va. no
Thought Of storm - key West. and none Us:
M az a naval base Rt that time ~ would have
saved millions in the cost OF the war and
fid-ntlv believed by those whose e1periencs
and knowledge sntitls them to spe1k With
ssn%y nv nsh and eauipp.d he
pref sr.dn-ss for war thus shown would
have Obvisted that war spain would hsH.
going to war TO find IL out The position 81
Rev West at the Straits OF FLORIDA II one
OF The most commanding Of the Glooe. and
have been necessary at every place 70 adaVt
- to commercial and naval purposes, Z
II is admitted that relief would he AFFORDED
bv a breakwater. hut the fact that no bret--
lust such exaggerated statements n those
IN the article printed IN The Sun.
The Admini-tra,lon proposes nov
ahau don all gulf navy yards and develop
those IN New ENGLAND. and 20 establish m.
southern base at Guantanamo instead ~
in Florida Some naval strateeIsts have
visions Of IN. advantages OF Guantanamo,
hu' IL cannot he developed into great nav
has. With facilities for docking and repair
ing ships. for the simple reason that - i m
4 foreign country and Their" Is no Am"rean
labor there 80 ~ long as the nted states
keeps faith and does not annev cuba u VII
ne impossible. | believe. 20 get the consent
Of the american people TO establish na'h
base ~ Guantanamo.
Guantanamo h. an ideal place for tran
ing and drilling the battle feet. het 'u.s
there l. no commerce TO interfere WIN -
hut " il not adapted Tor am
thing more than a floating base and An
an"hOrag. for Colliers supply ships and .
pair ships II should not I've q navy yard.
aud no money should b" appropriate ~
buildings. storehous"s and <hops
~ which foreign labor would have To -
prn nlny"d
The writer Of the article in THB ST. N
referring 10 Commodore Bcehl"r. who has
Kew West for a naval ha".
observes that his successor has been a.
pointed = intending by lnnucndo. ! -rppo~;
IN convey ih" impression that his rem"'a.
was due TO his views on This subject an
inference which IL unfair and unjust p"
fact IL that commodor" B~ehler ~ :" -