4

3.

How important then is it, the lecturer said, to strengthen Key
West with artificial strength in time of peace. Key West, while
first in position, its needs can not be supplied with certainty
during war."

It will be noticed that the tracks of all trade and shipping
are through the passages in the chain of islands runing nearly
east and west from Cuba, and that these straits and passes in the
Caribbean correspond to mountain passes or defiles in land warfare
and which may be watched and controlled by forces in their rear.

Thus Mona Passage is at the apex of an isosoles triangle
St. Lucia-Jamaica-Mona. In the same way Cienfuegos is a first
class military port, and the natural base for commerce destroying
on the line of trade passing through the Yucatan Channel.

The lecturer proposed the question "Is Cuba the most important
position from a military point of view - is it the key to the theater
of maritime interest in the Caribbean, as it certainly is to the
Gulf"? For a proper consideration of this subject the lecturer ^he^
divided it into three heads; (1) the entrance to the sea, (2) transit
across, and (3) objectives within it.. Then assuming equal force
which he stated was necessary for clearness, he discussed exhaustively
the entire subject under the separate subdivision above
stated: The following is an inadequate summary of this discussion.

Cuba commands the Windward Passage and extends her influence
as far as the Mona Passage; and it should be noted that all the