Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-09-09
GUNS IN A CRATER
Diamond Head, Uncle Sans Lava
Fortress In Hawaii.
GIBRALTAR OF THE PACIFIC.

The Mighty Dsfensss Of Oahu Make
That Lovely Island Verisable Fire
Lined Wall of Steel, Behind Which
i3rouches "the Lion OF HAWAII"
Diamond Head. that monumental ele
walton of lava which stands out so
prominently on the Honolulu side OF
the lovely island Of Oahu, Hawaii. is
the one and only original crater in the
world which is being devoted to the
use of the army OF great power.
The island Of Oahu is the key to the
Pacific, and Uncle Sam carries that
key on chain in bis capaclous pocket.
At any time war breaks out Uncle
Sans hand. which has not lost its
cunning, will go to that pocket with
the swiftness Of western sheriff, and
the result will be roar Of guns which
will be heard around the world. The
roar will be contributed to by the guns
of Fort Ruger, which are at the base
Of Diamond Head on the landward
side
From Diamond Head, called by poets
"the Lion Of Hawaii" to Pearl Harbor,
named by newspaper writes "the Glib
raltar of the Pacific" there is a chain
Of forts which makes Oahu one of the
greatest fortresses in the world. When
in Honolulu the writer had the pleas
ure of working with Albert Pierce
Taylor. who has been spoken of as
the recognized literary authority on
things pertaining to Pearl Harbor and
the defenses of Hawaii" He said on
one occasion:
Uncle Sam has declared to the
world that he is on guard in the Pa
ciic. At Pearl Harbor is Fort Kane
hameha. with its battery Of twelve
inch guns; at the mouth of Honolulu
harbor will be battery Of small guns;
at Fort De Russy. Waikiki. battery
Of fourteen inch guns. while at Dla-
mond Head a battery of eight mortars
has been manned for some few years.
Within the extinct crater of Diamond
Head Gibrnltar-like galleries have
been constructed, and in one Of them
an observatory has been established.
The FIRE control for all the Oahu coast
batteries has been located In this gal
lery. From this station the FIRE Of the
guns Of all the forts can be directed by
the electric telegraph The guns OF
Pearl Harbor cross those Of Diamond
Head and with the batteries between
make verltable wall Of steel"
After inspecting the guns at Fort
Ruger two of us, with soldier guide,
walked to the entrance Of the gallery
which has been bored through the lava
and sandstone which compose the
steep sides of the crater Of Diamond
Head. A sentry barred the way. The
permit was produced and proved the
epen sesame,
The heavy iron door at the entrance
to the volcanic passage was swung
back, and, with a soldier In front and
another in the rear, the visitors started
down the gallery A single narrow
gauge track ran the entire length Of
the pussage, On this steel small trucks
had been pushed by the soldiers, who
loaded and unlonded the debris which
army comrades had dug from the walli
of the crater The ties were broken II
places. and the guide issued warning
to step carefully.
On first stepping into the gallery thu
darkness. after the tropical sunlight
was Of the kind that Milton described
as visible Only few steps had beeI
taken before the light at the far ent
Of the gallery was easily seen.
Instead Of the barren lava bowl
hard as 6lnt and as smooth as glass,
as the picture man 80 plcturesquel!
puts II, the inside Of the crater wa
, found to be grass covered. with tree
and bushes standing here and there
which drew their moisture from tn
liquid sunshine" as the Honolulu peo
: pie charmingly describe the rain.
$ The guide pointed out the observa
Q tory high up on the Eva side of tn
{ crater from which officers direct th
| shooting by the men who man the bi
, guns at the fort outside the crater
Those men never see the tnrget a
which they aim far out Mt sea. TIL
, proiectiles from the high powered gun
p pass over the crater, and by telephon
: from the observatory the men lear
8 whether they have mnde bit or mlsi
. They generally score hit
q In the event Of war involving tn
, United States on the Pacific the crate
Of Diamond Head may indeed prov
"the Lion Of Hawaii" as France
-, Bent Dillingham;. Honolulu poet. ha
4 described Il. and III once stirred h
paw could sweep navy to its dealt
n once aroused his roar would 500
= be heard across the sea and echoe
, from the sky"-Harold Sands In X
y | A uf,..i.,, f'i rnua