Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-04-16
JAPS IN LOWER
CALIFORNIA
Warships in Turtle Bay and
Mines Said to Have
Been Planted
JAPAN MAKES DENIAL
Embassy in Washington Ridiculcs
Report of Naval Base on Western
Coast of Mexico

Washington. April 16.--News dis
patches that Japan has established
q naval base at Turtle Bay Lover
California, where the cruiser Asa
ina lies strard 'd. has brought f.on,
the japanese Embassy, an official
statement that Japan has no mEon-
.tion "of locating a naval base or
occupying territory on the west coast
oi Hiexico
Tho dispatch stated that Japan mad
landed guns, ammunition and w'rc-
less equipment and had mined the
.larbor. Five werships six GOLFERS
ard 1000 marines and sailors ne
sa!d to occupy the bay.
The following statement on INC
subject was authorized at the .Iapa-
nrse Embassy:
when the Asama went ashore
t...e United States Navy Department
Instructed Admiral Howard to send
q vessel to rs assistance. The in
formation also was sent to Japan and
several japanese warships were sent
ia assist the Asama. We DO rot
th,nk these vessels were sent over
from Japan but understand they had
been cruising in the Pacific protecting
our trade routes with this country
ana Chile. When they arrived we ad-
risrd the United State Navy De-
partment thaG wr would not acci
aaTnn'al Howa.t*s assistance. and wr
1:1. vcycL our thanks 10 the dopart-
men; for its p'ompt efforts. S'rce
that time the ia:,ttcr has been ha.ds.
c,i 6rcct by the Navy Department
ii Japan and rut through this en-
hassy SO we have not been kept in
fnrmcd us TO the progress Of the
work oil saving the Asama.
I'VE do not relieve the story that
t,ic harbor has been mined, becausa
VIC would have no reason for TAX
ins such actipn; If guns nave "eel'
nl;.ced on shore it is probable they
were taken off the. Asama to tighten
her and make ne. work of floating
her easier.
I'VE do not know i Japan asked
permission of Mexico TO land men ii
Turtle Bay If such Il request "aS
made it was sent. direct from japan.
III can be stated with certainty
tlr,, as soon as the. Asama is taken
81 the vessels will'leqve Turtle Bay
despite the emphatic denial OF :he
Japanese Embassy naval officers here
,lv of the opinion that much is still
10 lie explained about the long-con-
t!nued presence Of Japanses warSh'ps
in the locality
Viewed in connection with the per-
sistent reports ever since the wa
started that the Japanese and Dri'
isl. warships in the Pacific were be-
rig coaled and supplied from some
unknown haven on the western 2nasi
Of North or South America, tha
latest: story from Los Angeles is re-
e;rded by the Younger men o! he
Nay as too ci,cumstantial not tt
command attention.
In the first pace it is pointed 'u'
,nst Turtle Bay is ideally located fol
the purpose of y secret base, benz
stunned by the dangerous shoals thai
Guard it's entrance from coastwlsc
traffic, and completely isolated. as
far as railroad or telephone facilities
90. from the outside world. 1t is vel
known among naval experts ina
without such 4 base on the North o.
South American coast the JapaheS'
would be considerably Handicapped
in The event of possible wa: ol
this hemisphere.
That the Asama should have oee'
where she was when she wen
aground has never been explained
has been assumed, on the one hand
that her only purpose in being II
Turtle Bay was TO meet collier o
supply ship; and it has eyer been sug
rested,, on the other. that her ground
ing might not have been altosetne