El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-05-27

ORDOTA, Alaska, May % - The
preparedness program Of the pres
~ ent congress should include large
appropriations for the defense OF
Alaska As a naval base this territory
Is a key 10 the northern Pacific. As
far as fuel for our battleships is con-
eerned, it is the key 70 our whole Pa
cific coast, as wei as to Hawaii and
the Philippines Indeed. its coal and oil
resources may some day decide whether
We are 70 have victory or defeat in a
war with Japan
Practically the only good steaming
coal in our Pacific coast territories lies
here in Alaska. The Asiatic fleet Of
the future viii need I'm the neighbor-
mood of a half million tons per anum,
and the coaling stations OF the Ha-
Wsilan islands and Of the Philippines
VIII be supplied from here.
II is Of enormous importance that
me harbors near which the coal lies
be amply protected and defences should
De at once instituted for all the ap-
proaches to Resurrection bay. the ter
minus OF Uncle Sans railroad That
road leads to the NatanusHa coal fields
and the branch line opening them viii
be completed this year. The coal viii
come from those fields TO Seward, and
II VIII also go down TO Anchorage
=
nearer the coal beds. The latter port
VIII have TO be protected from Cook
MET that wide and deep bay up which
Snlps can now sail TO within IS miles
or our best naval coal supplies
COrdOva An Important HarbOr.
~ another important harbor is that OF
CordoVa- It is within a short distance
OF the Bering river coal fields, which
nave great beds OF bituminous and an
Inracite, and also within easy reach
OF the katalla oil fields. the petroleum
OF which is said to be good as that
OF Fenns} lTania and eminently fit for
me making of gasoline. Indeed, they
are making gasoline there now and
shipping Il 10 CordOva. for sale Cor
dova is also within zoe miles by an
excellent railroad Of the best copper
me FAMOUS kennicott properties. which
are now producing millions OF dollars
worth Of copper a year at a cost of
less than > cents pound
copper is one OF the great necessi-
ties Of modern warfare and any ma
ton that has hold Of the Coreova har-
Dor can control all the copper II would
need in any war Of the future More
over, by building a railroad only IS
miles long Cordova could have access
70 some Of the best coal on the heni-
sphere and also to the Katslla oil
felds. which would supply j. with
warfare
This port by the fast warships of
today. IS within less than three davs
Of our Puget sound cities The short
est distance is only about 1900 miles:
and Japan for instance. has three
dreadnaUghts OF over $1,000 tons each
which could make that journey in less
than two days. These ships are the
kirishims, the Harvena and the Hi
Nei, each of which has SIS 600 horse
power and can make - knots per hour !
Japan is 10 or y days from Seattle.
II is r1uch less from Cordova- and the I
advantage Of any OF the Asiatic ma
tions having a naval base in Alaska Z
can be easily seen.
japanese Spies in Alaska.
] have referred to japan because she I
is the only oriental nation that needs /
10 be taken into account at this pres 1
ent writing That she should be con-
sidered ] find plenty Of evidence.