The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-07-24
A Series of Bases for Military
and Naval Supplies to Be
Erected Along Coasts of the
Country.
EVEN DIxlElAND TO
HAVE ITS STATIONS
Although No Military Supplies
Have Been Kept in the
South for Years Because Of
Poor Harbors.
~ SIDNEY EsPEY.

Washington, July ga series OF
naval bases and military magazines
for the storage Of supplies for the
army from Maine. around the gulf
states and up the Pacific coast to P,-
get Sound. II one Of the few plans
that will be worked out In the future
by the war and navy departments. Up
To the present time military stores OF
all kinds have been kept In arsenals
located throughout the states north OF
the Mason.Dixon line. while naval
bases following the coasts are gen.
orally situated In what has become
known rs the North.
Since tho Civil war, military stores
Of all kinds have never been located
In southern territory. nor Is there q
naval base from Newport News, Va,
TO Galveston. Tex, with the exception
OF coaling stations at Pensacola and
Key West. Fla. Through q general re-
organisation scheme, however. which
as yet has not even reached tenta-
tive plans. q system Of naval bases
and arsenals will eventually wind
themselves from the northern.most
port OF the United States In Maine.
on the Atlantic side to Galveston.
Texas. and from Puget Sound to Los
Angeles. Cay. on the Pacific.
Southern Porte Poor. :.
Naval officers In discussing the new
propaganda Of the departments to not
believe that sectional feeling has In
any way entered into . prohibition Of
locating bases. In the South. It Is
pointed out that very few Southern
cities offer facilities Of sufficient
depth to permit Of easy access to the
big battleships now being used by the
navy. or Of the procurement Of skilled
laborers. Charleston. Pensacola, Mo-
bile. New Orleans and Galveston. are
each cited ~ examples of cities whose
harbors are not Of the required depth
to permit Of ship evolution.
Since the interests. however, Of the
United States IN both Central and
South America have attained such i'm
portance. the advisability Of establish
Ing . omdern naval base in some Of
the southern states has been deemed
necessary. Pensacola, which has the
best harbor in the Gulf. It 10 said, will
be one Of the first cities to have . ma
val station. A coaling station 10 10
Gated there now. AZ American COM
mercial interests spread In the south.
ern countries. other naval bases will
bc established. The army too will fol.
low suit and a. naval bases are estab-
lished. II 10 the intention to locate
m apsnua0 ~ tha aouA r1sn> m no h1o
Of holding enough munitions Of war
to supply troops quickly who happen
to be called out Of the country.
New coaline stations.
At present the navy department has
obtained through purchase and by
lions and naval bases In some Of the
Central and South American seaboard
countries. In Cuba. the navy has a
base at Guantanamo equipped with
docking facilities and a repair shor
and In other points coaling stations
have been located. The difficulty
there. however. Is the same that has
been generally experienced In the
South-the lack Of skilled laborers
II follows, however. according t.
Secretary of the Navy Meyer. that Il
q naval base is located in the South
plenty OF skilled laborers as well al
unskilled laborers will be easily oh
tainable.
Tho building OF the Panama Canal
while II will be fortified by the army
needs the aid OF the navy. It is said
and q further argument 10 advanced