National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-20

tensions SO vulnerable to attack by q foreign
power as the United States. While our in
torior possesses imprognable means of defense,
by reason Of she number and valor of our cit-
zens capable of bearing arms our rich sos-
board cities are absolutely dofenseless against
not only the great powers of tho world, but
the minor nations also. Spain, Portugal,
Holland, Belgium, Turkey, China, or
that could steam unframed up the
harbor of New York and levy tribute ex-
ceeding in richness any recorded in history.
And what is true of New York is equally
true Of Washington, or any of our other
cities capable of being reached by water.
There are scores Of ironclads ahoat that
could lay in front OF Alexandria and she'll
this city until its grand buildings were re-
duced to o mass of shapeless ruins, of which
one stone could not DO distinguished from
another.
From the earliest period OF our existence as
q nation until the close of our civil war it
was our policy to keep abreast of all the ma
tons of the world in the formidable character
of our ships of war and cannon, but to-day we
have not a single vessel afloat that could con-
tend with any hope of success with the iron
clads possessed by all foreign nations. Eng
land, France, Germany, Russia, and Italy
have vessels that could calmly anchor in
front Of any fort on our coast without the
slightest fear that any cannon in our possess
sion could inflict any damage to their i'm
penetrable sides.
The ready genius Of Americans conceived
and gave to the world the practicable iron
clad war ship. Europe quickly saw the day
Of the wooden ship was over, ruthlessly laid
aside her wooden navies, and has gone on ex-
perimenting until her monster iron and steel.
clad vessels are such examples of speed, in
vulnerability, and lighting power as the
world did not even dream of twenty. five
years ago.
The destruction of the Alabama by the
Kearsarge off Cherbourg harbor gave Europe
another striking lesson, in demonstrating the
great superiority vessel armed with heavy
guns possesses over one armed with those o f
lighter caliber. From that day to this the
work of producing the most perfect types of
heavy breech-loading cannon has gone n
through successive steps of improvement until
the leading armored ships abroad carry guns
weighing from 80 to 100 tons The Arm
strong breachloading 100-ton gun is of 173
inches caliber and 80 feet length of bore. 1t
powder, giving its enormous 1000 pound
projectile an initial velocity of 1882 feet per
second. A quarter of ton of powder il
common charge for this gun, under the
power of which its projectile travels over
thousand feet per second when more than
five miles have been covered in its destruct-
i've flight. A vessel armed with this gun
could lie out of range of our cannon and
batter to pieces tho strongest forts on our
coast. Great Britain has expended $150,000,-
900 for armored ships and riaed cannon, in
testing the crushing and penetrating energy
OF cannon and projectiles, and the resisting
power Of armor plates of iron and steel wher
forced to sustain the impact of the tremen-
dous force exerted by modern artillery.
Having been the schoolmaster of the world
in revolutionizing naval warfare and gun
merry this country has been content to keep
| 90 oh; oh al
antiquated forts, without endeavoring, ex
cept in the most feeble way, to make pro
visions for meeting the changed conditions o
modern warfare.
1t is assumed by our statesmen in congress
who are responsible for the fact that we hav
not an available modern ironclad or cannon o
high power, that our isolated condition an
freedom from ENHANCEMENT with the affairs O
foreign powers render the chance of on
being called upon to engage in warfare re
mote and improbable. But, in point of fact
we have been on the verge Of war sewers
times since the rebellion. Ourrelations wit
Spain were strained to very delicate ten
sion at the time Of the Virginius affair, an
not long since wo were compelled to ponde
over the possibility of having our Pacih
coast cities laid waste by CHILEAN ironcla(
No matter how little We look for it, we ma
be forced into war at any time.
In these days of rapid intercommunicatioI
by steam power such an ironclad as the II
| flexible could have New York under tn
muzzles OF her sl-ton guns within ten day
after declaration of war, and we could nc
help ourselves. Even if we were prepared wit
all the appliances for their productions,
would take US months to cast cannon viii
the construction of an ironclad requir
several years. Before We could DO pr
pared to defend our coasts our enemy coul
, destroy OF levy tribute on cities containir
} over 100000 Of our people and wealth oni
: to be counted In thousands of millions.
: We believe that the American people
o proud and patriotic, and in the event OF W
!. would know no north, south, east, or we
,skbut would rally with one common impulse