Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-03-23

certainly will result In the scrap
ping Of some Of the island defenses
of the United States in the Far East.
| So II would seem that so far as the
great defense works are concerned
they are to go the way Of things war
like, but war-like only in SD much as
they represent defense preparations
Of the United States.
Corregidor island ON which the
United States has constructed for
tifications ut the gateway of Manila
is said TO be second only to Gibraltar
in its defensive possibilities. IT Is one
Of the places which has been called
impregnable. The United States, after
the work Of years concerning which
little news had been given to the
world, placed COrregldOr In con-
dition to defend the City Of Manila
against the fleet of any one enemy
and perhaps against the fleets of tha
! world.
The intention Of the War depart.
ment goes to show that the ad
minlstration has faith in the strength
Of the four-pOwcr treaty to maintain
peace in the Orient without regard to
armies and navies. OF course II war
shall come Unexpectedly. the United
States will be in a bad way so far
as its eastern possessions are con-
cerned. but probably no secret Is dis
closed when 1t Is said that the belief
always has been that II war with n
certain country should come 1t would
he impossible for the American gov
ernment to hold the Philippines
against an attack which should come
from coast points removed from
Manila bay.
The United States could hold the
Philippines against and attack II 1t
had sufficiently strong fleet in the
Orient to overcome an enemy's fleet,
but under ordinary circumstances
with the ships scattered as they have
been, the fleet OF one possible enemy
could cover the landing Of enough
troops to overrun the islands. This has
been recognized by the military
authorities for some years.
Subig Bay Plan Discarded.
There wus much Of controversy
twelve or fourteen years ago in Amer
lean military and naval circles over
the matter Of strengthening the de-
fenses of the Philippine islands. Subig
bay, which Is seventy miles from
Manila, has many natural features
which would make 1t an ideal naval
base. The proposition was to make
It such and to command the entrance
by great batteries emplaced upon the
surrounding hills. 1t was held, how
ever, by some Of the experts that the
bay could not be fortified properly
without the expenditure Of millions
upon millions Of dollars. and that
even then the Notifications would be
defenseless from the land side.
The result Of the controversy was
that Subig bay was not made great
naval base and Corregidor island took
first place in the affections OF the
majority authorities. Army officers
and navy officers too, said that Cor.
regidor which Is a huge rock with
precipitous sides rising to great
height from the water. could be made
second Gibraltar, and so in way
1t has been made.
1t was many years ago that the
! work began to prepare COrredigor for
the emplacements Of the great guns
The plans called for strong garrison
with sufficient supplies to stand a
siege of years. The original plan
for Corregidor ~ the main was car.
. ried out. One Of the fruits Of the
! recent conference will be virtual
. abandonment OF the great fortified.
ton.
Few Troops 20 Be Left There.
It Is expects1 that the American
troops in the philippines largely will
I be decreased Ia numbers in short
time. One student Of present con
ditions has sali that "the possibility
of aggression against the islands by
any nonsignatory power Is regarded
as so remote as not to deserve con.
siderutiOn." This means also that the
faith In the powers which did sign
the treaties Is so grea. that the main.
tenance Of defense salnst any pos.
sible breach OF faith no longer Is
considered necessary.
There will be some troops left In
the Philippines, juSi enough, however
to aid the local f0t2es In preserving
order and to form small eXpedltionary
forces In case trolIble should break
out anywhere in rte islands.
The United StaLes, Great Britain
Japan and Francy as parties to the
! four-power Pacific treaty. have agreed
in general way 10 respect the rights
of the different nationals In the Orient
and to engage II no acts Of aggres
sion. If these promises are kept Cor,
regldor Island might just as we'll be
mined and its rocks shattered and
tumbled in fragments into the sea but
II these promises are not kept 1t Is
probable the United States will be
sorry that faith In pledges spiked the
guns which once commanded the ap.
proaches to the Bay Of Manila.