The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-07-18
STRONG
ARGUMENTS ON
A NAVAL BASE
REPLYING TO LETTER OF CON-
MERclAL SECRETARY WHO oP-
POSES ESTABLISHING A NAVAL
BASE ON GULF COAST l. J.
HENDERSON PRESENTS NUM-
Der OF FACTS.
Some of the strongest arguments yet

pA SSSilSd III favor OF 6SLa pllsnlQB
naval base on the gulf coast. in other
words of re-opening the Pensacola
navy yard, are found in a letter writ
ten by Secretary Henderson Of the
PENSACOLA Commercial Association. III
reply to letter received yesterday
from ]. D. Biggers, secretary Of the
Toledo Commerce Club, who does not
favor the esta blishment Of q naval
base on the gulf coast
Both the letter of Mr. Biggers and
the reply of Leland J. Henderson fol-
low.
The following is a copy of the letter
! received relative to the protection OF
| the gulf coast:
Dear Sir: Your letter Of the eth
inst has just been received. I, Of
course, wrote you yesterday after hav
| ing received considerable information
from Washington regarding various
phases of your project.
The navy department assures US
| that the defense of the gulf coast de-
| Ponds upon the fleet and not upon the
navy yards. We are told that the
| navy yards at New Orleans and Pen
sacola are not fortified, and by no
means could constitute a means Of de-
Tense IN time OF war. In fact, they are
said to be a source Of menace TO the
| surrounding country because they
would quite likely be the object Of hos
| tile operations should war break out.
We are told that It Is the policy Of
| the department to dispense with Bucn
| naval stations as are not necessary 70
/ the efficiency of the feet, and the two
| above mentioned, together with the
| coaling plant at F'renchman's Bay in
Maine, the coaling plant at New Lon
| don, Conn, and the navy yard at San
Juan, Porto Rico have all therefore
| been closed. We are assured that the
/ IF Hfpp
fell naturally to these yards did not
warrant the large fixed expenditure
necessary to keep them in operation.
| Though we do not profess to know
| anything about the operation Of the
navy, yet these assertions sound bust
extent, have been the basis for our
| opinion.
Very truly yours.
J. D. BTGGERS,
Secretary, Toledo Commerce Club.
| Following is the reply Of Secretary
Henderson:
July II, 1912.
Mr.. ]. D. Biggers, Secy., Toledo Com
merce Club, Toledo, o.
Dear Sir: We have yours of the
18th inst, relative to navy yards on
the gulf coast, and thank you for
same.
First, accepting the argument of the
| navy department that the defense of
| the gulf coast depends on the fleet and
not on the navy yards, there are two
| entrances to the Gulf of Mexico, name
ly, the Florida Strait and the Yucatan
| Channel. In the event of war between
| the United States and one or more
large maritime nations, suppose the
| gulf coast was threatened and the
navy offering protection, with the OPP
| posing navtes guarding the two straits
In 81 I,rrxv 10 HI Sow
our navy that is the navy of the Unit
ed States, to make repairs on the At
| lantic coast or at Guantanamo? On
the other hand, suppose the offensive
nations be in possession of the straits
and threatening the gulf coast. with
our navy in the Atlantic or outside OF
the Gulf of Mexico. In order to attack
both fleets, it would be necessary to
divide ours, which, of course, would be
but playing into the hands Of pow
erful enemy.
Second. any financial argument as to
the navy yards is fallacious, unless it
would apply also to the navy, because
the navy yard is an auxiliary of the
navy. No one would think of saying
that the reason we build war ships is
with view to having them pay, from
a money earning standpoint They are
constructed as a means of defense in
case of war and for prevention of war
in times OF peace. So with the navy
yards. Further, the facilities, whether
adequate or inadequate, expensive or
economical, are furnished under the
advice and direction of the navy de-
partment.
Third, we thoroughly agree thai
there is no need for a half dozen OF
more navy yards on the Atlantic coast
We must insist that It is essential fol
the proper protection of our country
for the same reasons that navy yards
are located on the Atlantic and Pa
cif1c coasts, to have at least one navy
yard on the gulf coast. This navy
yard should be of the most modern
design and fully equipped to care fol
all classes of vessels in any and every
emergency.
! Why is the present naval committee
more competent to decide such mat
tiers than those who have decided such
matters in the past, and under whose
direction naval stations have been con
structed on the gulf coast.
Our only, our sole, and cur whole
desire is to have this matter fairly
and freely discussed and considered b5
the people of the country, We 90 not
believe that the present policy Of ths
navy department with regard TO tht
gulf coast, is correct The letters We
have sent out to all parts Of the United
States bear out our belief With noi