| Show COAST is uncle sant sam ready for the japanese if they come to our western gateway hunting trouble san pedro harbon the vulnerable spot of the pacific coast coad wit will I 1 be prepared to meet most formidable hostile invasion washington tho the fact was developed on tuesday that the united states government did not intend to bo be caught napping in tho the even event t ot of an attack by a foreign power w which hi ch the general army staff declared might bo be expected first arst at san pedro some weeks ago it was announced that general arthur murray chief of artillery had started two mine laying vessels around the horn for th pa cifre upon tho the way to california borts torts the emergency plan of defense at san pedro Is to lay jay the mines at tho the first intimation of tho hostile movement rilent against the pacific coast simultaneously with this a largo large number of field guns which have been selected and are ready for shipment were to bs be sent to san pedro tho the experts say that with wita the system of mines already perfected tor for san pedro harbor it would be impossible lor a fleet to enter the bar harbor bP no mutter matter how bow formidable the aggregation of war vessels the largo large number of field guns would prevent the entrance of any smaller craft for the purpose of destroying tho the mines in the mean meantime tinte orders were placed for rushian a number of powerful searchlights of the sixty inch type and it has been closely estimated that these would have been installed within a month if there was any suspicious movement of an en crays vessels I 1 the vessels which are coming up tip the pacific coast have not only stores of mines and torpedoes afi on board boan but also expert mine layers one of at the most interesting and illuminating features of these plans Is that tho the war ar department officers say that the government would not have had bad to rely on the supplies that are arc coming up the coast to california mines and torpedoes of all kinds are now in large stock upon the pacific coast and a a good defense could have bave been put up tip without tho the aid of the mine laying snips the scheme to be perfect however could not be possible without the ships one of ct the staff officers wasef asked how biting longja a fleet fleat could be kept wot q alsan edro alts haw 1 at least until the battleships on art this coast reached the pacific ac und and these were to be fol fat lowed in due time tima by the atlantia artia battleship fleets fleet |
