The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1915-02-27
ARE BEST OF FORTS
United States Deienses, How
ever, Are Short Ct Men.
Works on corregldor Almost as I'm
preensble as Gibraltar or Helgoland
Great Fortifieations Which
Guard National Capital.
BY EDWARD 9. CLARK.


tstan Correspondent Western Newspaper
UnlonJ
Washington. Since the war broke
out IN Europe much has been heard
about Helgoland as an impregnable
fortress. In some statements it has
been said that next to Gibraltar Hell.
goland is the hardest fortress nut to
crack in the whole world
Now comes the United States to
maintain that it has fortress that
is not only not second to Helgoland
in strength but perhaps not even to
Gibraltar itself army and navy men
seem to think that the fortress Of
Corregidor which guards the entrance
TO Manila in the Philippines can hold
on any OF ,he worlds forces and alb
solutely prevent any possibility OF
successful attack on Manila by way OF
its immediate front.
Corregidor only recently has been
put into trim Now 1t is understood
that its big guns are all manned and
,hat soon It will have a trained force
OF men equal to the occasion Of
working the weapons OF ofense for
a period as protracted as any war is
likely to be in some respects II is
said Corregldor resembles Gibraltar.
Much has been written recently
about the Notifications on the sea
coasts Of the continental United
States urlng the discussions in the
committees OF congress on the sub.
ject OF the military preparedness OF
the United States 1t has been said
that our forts and our guns are al!
right. out that we have not men
enough to man them. From the re-
port of the chief OF coast artillery,
General Weaver. 1t is apparent that
what has been said Just about sumo
up the situation. Congress 1t is ex.
pected will provide men enough TO
man our guns. for otherwise we wi !
be in position OF having spent lot
Of money for 'ou's which we cannot
use
In the year 1914 the British at
tackled Washington. In order to reach
this city today a foreign foe unless
II can land All army, will be compelled
to run by the fortifcations at the
mouth Of Chesapeake bay and by 9th.
er fortifcations which protect the
reaches of the lower Potomac.
Fortress Monroe, which is one of the
guards TO the entrance of the Chesa.
peake, is an old post and the layman
~ho looks at ii and sees the old par
apets with their granite facings can
not conceive that it would withstand
the shots from modern guns. The
truth is that old Fortress Monroe is
occupied only for show purposes and
for the uses OF peaceful garrison life.
Connected with the old fort are the
new fortincatlons with their big dis
appearing guns Fortress Monroe
commands not only the entrance to
the Chesapeake but the entrance to
the James river.
In Hampton Roads, whose waters
are at the mouth OF the lanes and
mingle with those OF the ocean. there
powerful guns. II is an aid to For
tress Monroe, and between the two any
feet no matter how powerful, would
have hard time Of It trying "a
break an entrance either into the
James river or Chesapeake bay.
Recently the government purchased
land on Cape Henry and there another
fort is to be built. Ships trying tC
get into Chesapeake or to the Jane,
would ind themselves under hre from
the Cape Henry guns beto- they gel
within range of the Fortress Monroe
or the Hampton Roads guns 1t /;
believed by military experts that ne
fleet in the word ever can force IL
way INTO Chesapeake nay or the James
river thence to go with its lighter
draft vessels by the water route
either to baltimore, Washington ol
Richmond,