Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-10
That Vigorous Foreign Policy.

mat NlSOE0Us EoTtISu EOAfCI.
The Washington Post. which was most
jealous in approving the revival Of the
Monroe doctrine aud the recent note of
Mr.. Blaine on the Panama canal, which
if it meant anything was defiance Ofthe
great powers of Europe, IS suddenly re
minded that our sea coast is lamentably
deficient in agencies of defense against
hostile fleets. Itquotes from the annual
report of General Wright, Chief of En-
gineers, to the Secretary of War, as fol-
lows:
The casemated works, Of which our sea
coast defenses are necessarily largely com
posed, were built when wooden walls were the
only protection OF guns afloat Now ships of
war are clad in armor mp 70 two feet in thick
ness, and the old smooth bores have been re
placed by rified guns. the largest OF which
throw shot OF nearly q ton weight, and which
burn az each discharge nearly q quarter OF n
ton OF powder. While other maritime nations
are adding 70 their already powerful navies
heavily arnored ships OF war.which are armed
with 81 and 100 ton guns, and which cost, ex-
elusive Of armament, more than two and half
millions OF dollars, they are building armored
defenses for the protection OF their own coasts
Great Britain has already more than nVe nun
dred guns in position behind armOred defenses.
We have not one such gun, nor have we any
armored defenses whatever"
"This," says our contemporary, Gin
view of possible contingencies, is start
ling"
If our contemporary has Just realized
the situation. it may be deeply con-
cerned, but the information conveyed by
General Wright is by no means a revela-
ton. The Worthlessness of our coast
defenses % was established long ago,
and the uselessness Of our sO-called navy
is patent to everyone. The Post, how
ever, thinks that, though we are peace
fully inclined, it may happen, as it has
before. that we may have to fight in
the interest of peace" 1t thinks we
might attack Mexico on eqnal terms, but
Chili's two iron clads could lay any of our
great ports under contribution. 1t calls
attention to the cool impudence of Spain,
some years back, and how meeklY we
bore IT, 1t grows eloquent on the duty
of providing for our safety, and joins
General Wright in his plea for a good
supply Of tOrpedoes along our coasts.
1t closes its plant with an appeal for the
rehabilitation of our navy by building
"a few" (Only few ships with srmOrs
that are ''impenetrable to any known
pr jectile."
For an advocate of a vigorous for
eign policy" all this is, in the light of
the future, consistent, but the weakness
of our coasts and the helplessness Of our
tubs should have rendered it less bold in
seconding declarations from the State
Department, which, since they could
not, as the world we'll knows, be made
good, were the veriest brsgadocio. As
we don't propose TO rush blindly into
war, it is likely that, if it became nee
essary, enough tOrpedOes could be pro
vided to dispose of Chilis two iron
clads, or any other powers that might
trouble us. We took Spain's insolence
meekly, perhaps, because Mr.. Robson
was putting or had put several millions
Of our cash where it would do the
most good, but not in our navy. 1t is
hardly likely that the American people
viii care to furnish similar opportunities
to the future lords OF the navy.
In the race between amor and projec-
tiles the odds are in favor of the latter,
and the probabilities are that the model
iron clad of to-day may in dozen years
be as helpless as are the tubs built a
dozen years ago. Our helplessness
should make us prudent, and, in view of
the belligerency of Mr.. Blaine and his
supporters in his vigorous foreign policy,
may be a blessing in disguise. II, how
ever, we must be solicitous about our
commerce, we might take some pains to
make it large enough to justify concern,
and if we must show our arrogant rivals
that there's life in the old land yet we
had better begin with Mexico and whip
them in detail. 1t would be imprudent
to tackle the world at once.