The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-15
HIGHsPEED INSPECTION

A subcommittee of the House Naval
Affairs Committee has before it brief
containing the facts on which Key West
bases it's hope of getting the naval air base
and landing field which is coming to Flor
ida under the navy expansion program de-
signed to protect this section of the United
States from foreign attack. a,z 1900 sQs
The sub-commhlittteRggafcam to Florida
with instructions ito make "a physical in
spection of the sites Offered for the naval
facilities at Jacksonvilleye Mianaiz and Key
West. This group of beS6nng ressmen spent
considerable time in Jacksonville and Mi
ami, but gave Key West only about an
hour and half in which to present her
claims. One of the members of the COM
mittee was heard to remark that it would
not have come to Key West at all if the
group had not been assured it would be
returned to Miami in time to participate
in typical Miamian function festooned
with girls and music and bangup food
Fortunately for Key West the sub
committee arrived by seaplane off the
navy ramp on Trumbo island-one of the
sites suggested'by the general civic COM
mittee, headed by Charles Taylor, for the
air base and handing field. They saw the
ramp in active use by flight unit Of the
u. S. navy. A couple of the big seaplanes
was drawn up on the apron above the ramp
being overhauled by mechanics.
EENC11y tbiC ic Gam o+b;,o,. I;l>o o,,o
Influential member of the congressional
delegation remarked with a nod toward
Admiral A. B. Cook, chief of naval aero
nautics, who accompanied the sub-com-
mittee. Here we have ready-made base
A number of seaplanes are anchored right
eff shore in well-protected water, deep
enough for landing purposes and handy to
this ramp and apron. 1t would not take
great deal of money to build improve
ments here to provide base in an area
where there is never any fog, where con-
diticns for training the naval air personnel
is ideal. My vote goes for Key West" :,
However, he appeared to represent
the opinion of not more than two mem
bers of the subcommittee. The others
were in great hurry They hurried into
cars and were driven, at their own request
to the naval station, there made hasty
inspection" and then hurried right back
to Trumbo island, without making a APP
pearance before a group of influential citi-
zens which awaited them in the United
States District courtroom
eve got to get back to Miami for
some kind of Junction." one of the delega-
ton explained. And back the delegation
went
National defense is an important and
serious business. Selection of site for
navy base is ar important factor in the
scheme of national defense. Key West
can meet all requirements, except that it
has no railroad factor stressed by one
of the congressman. But it does have a
port is by highway these days, and the
ntracoastal waterway will solve all the
heavy shipment problems. Anyway, what
is more subject to aerial attack than a
railroad? A bomb dropped in the water
way would 66mnhf5gl deepen it. as w. W!De-
merritt pointed tout $. /.
The boys up at Jacksonville and Mi
ami had more money for entertainment
and therefore either city may get the air
base Key West with every facility, meet
ing every requirement had no money for
entertainment of the congressional dele
CATION, so again she apparently is on the
way to losing out in the competition for a
national defense base here where it be-
longs.