The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-02-27


directly by doors and Key West is sufficiently the
Yucaan Channel effectively approaches
that direction with fast cruiser destroyer and patrol
Key West commanding controlling does
Gulf of Mexico if adequate offensive defensive
here the cities of the Gulf seaboard
immunity from attack by hostile fleet No defenSes
would have to be maintained the ports bordering its
shores contiguous thereto neither would there
sy for Naval bases these for able keep
attacking fleet of the Gulf Mexico dcfenes
its ports would not be required
in of becoming
involved with any European country base of opera
tons would largely be in the Caribbean for is generally
copied that Naval forces would have bear
fighting Panama Canal
and its safeguarding and protecting both
Pacific seabosrds Naval development this port
should become military necessity for Key West miles
the Canal than other the Gulf of Mexico
which could operation operating
here would insure the quickest possible the Canal
J., AS of Naval operations Key be
cable value the hostes recog
by all military authorities past
distinguished strategs Key
the Key the Caribbean During the Civil War its
possessions Federal successfully
fecve blockade the entire Gulf seaboad and that
portion of the Confederacy into submission Later during the
Spanish War; the base Of operations for the entire Fleet
engaged in that offensive and during this short period the
activity than other Naval country
during again demonstrated
which time branch of the Government represented
here Its air and destroyer patrol precuded possibility of
submarines attacking the commerce and particularly the oil
supply, emanatng Gulf ports Allies
provide themselves with the supplies vital and for
the successful prosecution of the War Key West
few ports the country where the interests the Army
Navy are SO closely allied where one so necessary to the other
where the latter in it's operations from here will
que the protection of the former hence the necessity of ad
quate forficaon here for this purpose
the
preparedness Congress-
reference New Orleans Jacksonville Miami
the claim for preferential consideration of suitable
Naval bases in the defense program In all spirit of fairness
tn he he
cal to establish emergency hospital for the of
citys injured who require immediate treatment fifty miles in
the interior instead of having central location that
city, where the injured could be and immediate
attention? This only fair illustration of what would
other point of the Gulf seaboard preference
Key West the national defense
the consideration of Congress.
Again Key West is the logical location for an apane base
for its being operate proximity
where the likely to approach that air forces
inegently inform Fleet the enemys
In the widest flight of imagination where
this could be done from other the Gulf seaboard
in the State of Florida the former 500 miles from
the Florida Straits and 600 miles from the Yucatan channel and
no ports on the East Coast of Florida possess adequate berhg
moong facilities Fleet these would
require the expenditure of millions of dollars and inter-
minabe delay where the other hand the
exist here 1t only through the Straits of
Florida and the Yucaan Channel that enemy fleet enter
the Gulf4ef Mexico. sgs evT
is not the intention desire request consideration of
Key West at the of reflect dspaagingy
other city Florida, rather
that this should considered from broad national
standpoint where the interest of the large would be
best served and considered these lines Key West would
have whatsoever findings would be-
Unfortunately though is weknown that there times in
the consideration of national affairs and policies where those
merit receive the most consd
Grafton of the communities advocating them not
sessng sufficient political prestige However this should not be
the and is noted that the time fast approaching
when these matters and problems will be given serious
consideration and the people large will be demanding of
their representatives regardless of what section they FROM
careful the and protection of countr
4s9t7- ~s r
There lost through inadequate defense Of
the Caribbean. The of the
ports of the Gulf reaching proportions all of
pass sight Key West Surprising may
there is only port in America, New York, whose
shipping volume that which in sight of Key
this Gulf its mineral oil
agricultural that urging the necessity of
tanning defens this point Key West the logical
military Naval base for these operations An adequate Of
fensve and defensive base here viii preclude than