Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-27
AN IMPROBABLE GIBRALTAR
Congressman Smith Of Iowa on Forti-
fioatiOns at Manila Bay.
RAPmLY NEARNa OOMPLETION
Island % CerreEiaor 60 BfsstIs with
Guns and Harbor 20 ne Mined,
MakinE ~ suicide for
Fleet 60 Eater.

WASHINGTON. Feb 0s.--(speeial Tols-
gram THAT the United States, on the Is
land OF COrregidor at the mouth Of Manila
bay. win have what win become one Of the
great historic fortresses OF the world and
the most nearly impregnable citadel now in
existence on this earth ls the prediction
made by Congressman Walter l. Smith OF
Council Bluffs. Ia. .at.s..
Judge Smith Is chairman OF the subcom-
mittee OF the appropriations committee in
charge OF the Notifications hill His state
ment Is perhaps the most emphatic official
one yet made as to the character 81 the
Notifications which the United States Is
building on the island OF Corregidor., Il Is
confrmatory Of the reports which have for
some time been circulated that Corrsgldor
when fortified as planned would be another
Gibraltar In fact. a fortress more powerful
than the historic fortress held By England
at the mouth of the Mediterranean. The
Notifications on the island Of CorreEidor
and In the region Of the mouth Of a Manila
bay are rapidly approaching compilation
The small islands lying close to Corregidor
are being powerfully fortified. .,.,.. d.
AZ Dewey Foana IT. I,g2. ss.-
when Admiral Dewey entered the bay OF
Manila in 1895 the spanlards had made some
pretense OF fortifying and had ATTEMPTED to
mine the entrance OF the harbor. but their
mines were worthless and the guns of-the
fortiflcations were mostly obsolete. But
when the Qualifications now being completed
al the entrance OF Manila bay are finished
no battieship fleet in the world will venture
to run past them. II would be sdIcldUt 80
do So s,- ~ -tt.-.
One Of the important features OF the: fortl.
fication OF CoITegidor Is that the island
will be well provided with supplies OF ell
sorts. including ammunitious and rattpns
30 that II viii be capable of standing a long,
siege. Some day II the United States gets
into war with a great power, such as Japan,
Il may happen Corregidor will have TO
withstand siege. and that on the retention.
Of Corregldor will depena the maintenance
OF Uncle Sans hold on the Philippines, IN
that case II VIII be prepared for II.
No Fleet Would Make ,Attempt.,
SO strong are the Qualifications that it
is improbable any enemy would try to
enter the bay with fleet. What would be
much more likely to happen would be the
landing OF a force Of troops on the east
coast of Luzon island, that would rush
overland against Manila. II successful IN
taking that city. CorreRidor could be APP
ever. az the mainstay Of the United states
In the far east, and army officers consider
II will be when completed, one OF the
worlds fortresseS. sc ,-asI
The appropriations for the Hawaiian Ia
lands are practically closed. and in the
Philippines they have been nearly made
Alaska has not been fortified and no
provision Is made for Its fertilization.
A great deal in the way OF fertilization
remains to be done along the Pacific coast
Of the United states before that coast Is
as well protected as many Of the residents
there think II should be. Much has been
done, however, and the harbors of the
Pacific coast are well protected The fact
that the Philippines and Hawaii have been
fortified makes It easter to enter on the
tortification OF the Panama canal, provision
for which is carried in the sundry civil
bill t Rr''.''r
Pearl harbor, Honolulu, will be one OF the
greatest strongholds Of the United States
in the Pacific when the work IL com
Dlefad