U.S. CUBAN BASE

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30369, 19 February 1964, Page 22

U.S. CUBAN BASE

Admiral Has Pipes Cut (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) GUANTANAMO (Cuba), February 17. The United States naval base of Guantanamo used a chain saw today to sever its last connexion to Cuban, water. Tire commander of the base, Rear-Admiral John Bulkeley, ordered the water pipes cut because, he said, “Castro is calling me a liar.” Valves on the pipe have been closed since the night of February 6-7. Admiral Bulkeley described as “hogwash” Dr. Fidel Castro's claims that the base has been using Cuban water on the sly. “We haven’t done it,. we couldn’t have done it, and we won’t accept Cuban water in the future,” the Admiral said as the pipe-cutting began. Admiral Bulkeley said he had no orders from Washington to cut the pipes, but “I told them I was going to do it, unless otherwise directed.” As a result of Dr. Castro’s allegations, Admiral Bulkeley said, he had received an inquiry from the Secretary of the Navy as to whether Cuban water actually was being used. The fact was that the pressure in the Cuban pipes was so ‘ low and the reservoir tanks on .the base were so full that if the valves had been opened since February 6-7, water would have flowed back up to the Yaiteras pumping station, the admiral said.