3

2.

Some of these may be taken as representing groups of efficiency,
and are the centers of groups; thus, St. Lucia is the center of
St. Vincent, Granada, the Grenadines, Barbadoes and Trinidad; Havana
that of Matanzas, Port Mariel Cabanas and Bahia Honda; Pensacola of
Pensacola and New Orleans, and Key West the center of ^the Florida^ Keys and the ^Dry^
Tortugas.

The lecturer called attention to the fact that the strong centers
of influence were at the extremities of the triangle, and that
Jamaica and Key West were advanced points from these strong centers;
to the resemblance, in effect, between the Florida Peninsula and the
Island of Cuba, and that all trade may be said to pass close to
them, either through the Florida Channel, the Yucatan Channel or thg
through one of the passes in the chain of islands, ^which^ extending ^Eastward^ from
the west end of Cuba eastward for 1000 miles.

^He said. - "^ Cuba blocks the entrance to the Gulf, leaving only two small
entrances to our southern coast from the sea; the Florida Strait
and the Yucatan Channel. The Florida Strait is a strait lined
on one side by the territory of a hostile country, while on the shore
side there are absolutely no ports; in fact none for less than 170
miles after rounding the extremity of the Peninsula of Florida,
as far as Tampa or possibly Charlotte Harbor.

So, in time of war the Florida Strait would swarm with commerce destroyers
right near their base - the best possible position."