Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-11
Admiral Evans Praises De-
lenses of Japanese Harbor.
ISLANDS USED
Entry of Hostile Fleet Would Be
Difficult Matter.
GOVERNMENT ACTS QUICKLY
"Fighting Bob," in Book, Contrasts
Those of United States.

NEW 1Oflh, MdrCn lI.-AumlFal ROD-
ley D. Evans. in his book. IAN Admiral's
Log issued by D. Appleton & Co. draws
an impressive picture of the Notifications
with which Japan has surrounded her sea-
ports, and which Admiral Evans had OPP
portunity to observe during the world
| cruise Of the battleship fleet. He writes:
During the afternoon of April q we
entered the beautiful bay of Yokohama,
but we saw little that was attractive be-
cause of the weather-it was raining in a
steady downpour. with more or less of
fog. 1t was clear enough, however. for
one to see the great changes that had
| taken place In the defenses of the chan
mel. Where formerly a few old smooth
bore guns were in position to dispute the
passage of an enemy's fleet modern high
powered twelve-inch rifles In great num-
bers now frowned down on us
Battery after battery of these guns
could be seen. and We knew that many
others. perhaps stronger, were concealed.
1t did not look like anything in the ma
ture of a picnic or holiday performance
to take fleet past them unless the Japa-
nese were willing to have one do So After
passing the outer batteries l was looking
about, trying to locate the position of the
wreck of the United States sloop-of- war
Oneida, which had been sunk in this vi
cinity about thtrty-five years before. She
was run down by the British merchant
steamer Bombay and carried to the bot
tom, with over two hundred officers and
men.
Forts on Two Islands.
While thus engaged / sighted what at
first appeared to be two islands, one OH
either side OF the channel and not far
from 1t. l knew. of course that there
were no islands there-at least none when
last I passed out of the bay. many years
before. A close inspection as we ran by
them showed that they really were arti-
fetal islands, and on each was fort of
great defensive power.
Il had read of these forts. and was in
terested to see what they amounted to.
They proved to be of stone and concrete
construction. and commanded the chan
mel SO perfectly that it would be prac-
tically impossible for a feet to pass until
they had been destroyed or sienced.
THE question of how these batteries
had been constructed was particularly
interesting to navy men, for the eason
that we had urged that the same kind of
defense should be adopted for the en-
trance to Chesapeake bay. between Capes
Charles and Henry. Our engineer Off
GERS had always decided against the
scheme, and gave many reasons for so
doing, the principal objection being the
depth Of the water in which the founda-
tions would have to be laid. In our case
this depth is something less than forty
two feet. In the case of the Japanese
forts ii is Ia feet.
Engineers Are Efficient.
Judging from what I afterward saw
of the Japanese engineers, l feel sure
they would have built the fort in 400 feet
of water If 1t had been desirable to do So
That the officers of our engineer corps
In the world every one who has had deal
ings with them will gladly admit. If they
have fallen behind the Japanese in the
matter of harbor defense works we may
be sure that there is some reason for it,
and it might be that the manner of sup
plying funds and actually doing the work
will furnish this reason.
when the Emperor of Japan is salts
fled by the advice of his officers that a
fort should be built to defend a certain
point, or that number of battleships
should be constructed. he gives the order
to have it done. Parliament finds the
money as it is required. and the work
progresses rapidly to completion.
Labor and material are much cheaper
in Japan than they are with US. and the
patriotism of the people is such that
they would even supply both without
compensation were it necessary.
Whoever heard of 'shoddy clothing
or defective ammunition i'm the Japanese
army or navy during the late war be-
tween that country and Russia? And
who has not heard of these same dis
graceful things in the wars of other ma
tions? Any one who will take the trou-
BILE to look into the matter will find that
the lack of proper coast defenses In the
United States cannot be charged either
to the President or the officers of the
corps OF engineers.
Waste of Time in Our Country.
after hundreds of reports had been
made pointing out the necessity for such
work, and many plans submitted show
ing how and why it should be done Con-
gress finally appointed a committee to
consider and look into the matter. After
years of looking and considering they
reported. practically adopting the plans
which had been before them all the time
Then after a few years more considera-
ton, enough money was appropriated to
begin work on a few forts, which as a
rule were located near the cities large
enough and strong enough politically to
force compliance with the demands of
their representatives. The small amount
of money thus appropriated was soon
expended and the work stopped, and the
machinery used in construction was left
unemployed until another. appropriation,
when 1t was found that 1T required a con-
siderable sum to put 1t again in working
order"