Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-30
Our Coast Defenses,


ST. Louis Globe Democrat
The military and naval authorities at
Washington are growing loud In their
demands for increased deIences along
our coasts. The Chief OF Engineers has
called upon the Ordnance Department
for $50 i2-inch guns for the harbors OF
the Pacific coast, and this Is but the be-
ginning. The guns will not be furnish
ed. for two excellent reasons. The flrst
is. that the Government has no such
guns to spare and no money with which
to buy them; the second is, that the
Government would be guilty OF unpar-
donable folly il it attempted 10 squander
the peoples money for any purpose so
foolish. The safety OF this country
from foreign invasion does not depend
upon the numbers of rified guns that
bristle along our coasts. We have too
many miles of sea front and too many
accessible harbOrs to hope to render an
invasion impossible. If any great Pow
er of the earth ever becomes sufficiently
provoked with us to send armed ships
TO devastate our coast cities, or to land
an army on our shores, We Will have 10
devise some other scheme for meeting
the foe than that Matched out by the
fertile but impracticable brains OF the
Engineer Corps.
Professional soldier and sailors are apt
TO attach much Importance to guns ana
armor plates. They take their views
largely from European sources, and fail
! 10 see that we live under entirely differ
emf conditions from those which
obtain in Germany, France and Russia.
Every large country OF continental Eu-
rope is military camp, ready Tor war
| nj moments notice. The industries
of the laboring and commercial classes
| are taxed to death TO support the vast
armies of able-bodied men in idleness,
on the theory that peace can only be
maintained by perpetual preparation Tor
war. The frontier lines are studded
with double rows of forts and arsenals,
and the seaports are guarded by great
| fortresses, armed with guns OF the best
make and enormous cost. England S
army is not so large, but her coast de-
/ lenses are exceedingly expensive, and
| her navy is the most powerful and cost
| " i'm the world. The tax imposed 10y
these preparations for a war that may
never come is heavy beyond endurance,
and the signs which show that the peo-
pie are growing FESTIVE under its weight
multiply every day.
We have nothing to fear from foreign
| foes. We are at peace with the world
| and there is no reason to suppose that
we will ever be cursed with foreign
war. Our growing wealth and popula-
! ton add to our safety every year. No
| country in the world would undertake
to lew war upon us now, for the excel
lent reason that no country could make
anv progress in its attack upon us. Why
| then should we impoverish ourselves IN
planting our 10000 miles OF seacoast
with costly guns that in all human prob
ability would never be fired OIL after
they were placed in position? A Finch
rifed steel gun, OF the most approved
pattern, would cost as much as small
shin. and it would never bring any re-
turn for its cost. II the Government
has any money to spare let it be applied
| 10 the promotion of the arts and indus
tries OF peace. While so per cent of
our foreign commerce is carried in Brit
ish bottoms, because we have no ships
of our own fit for the business, 1t is Jolly
to talk OF wasting millions upon costly
and useless guns.
The risk OF invasion from the coast is
too slight to provoke fear or anything
but laughter Why then should We
distribute $50 12-inch guns from Mexico
TO British Columbia? The most fOrmid-
able foreign vessel likely to approach
San Francisco with hostile intent during
the next decade is "Her Majesty's Ship
Pinafore," and no number of Pinch
guns can keep her out. Let us hear
less OF the need for great guns and more
of the promotion OF our commercial and
industrial interests, II the time ever
comes when our coast cities need de-
lenses of iron and steel they will be fur
nished in short order.