Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-23
DAILY POST-INTELuGENcER
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DEs IeTTts.

General John Newton. Chief Of In
einsers Of the United States Army
warmly indorsea tie recent letter OF
s.msei ]. Tilden In regard 10 the ooasi
defenses, and sdds some practical re-
marks, which should oonvinss any who
are not already eonvinoed. % tie neoss-
atty of undertaking the vork at once.
Ths people, although they bsve often
heard ii stated, scarcely realize the
fact that the United States il not only
without heavy srmor or pozerfal guns.
bat il without the pant necessary ioi
the manufacture Of saeh arrnor and
s1sh rans ss will meet the requirements
OF modern war. Nor do they realize
that suoh plant could not be con
strncted within less time thar three
years, or that IL v0uld take eiRhte-n
mouths after ske plant ~as eoHs'rucsed
10 turn ont the first guns eq1ai e. 'hose
possessed by Great Britain, France,
Germany or Italy.
The European governments realize II
all. however. In the present condition
of orr navy and coast defenses, II 10
not pleasant for the American people 70
know that at the War Office 10 Berlin
there are on fle not only drawings OF
the harbors and fortihoations OF COR
principal seaport cities, statements OF
the number and efficiency OF the guns
in all our forts. close cstimstes Of the
railway facilities and the number OF
tFoops that could be concentrated at
given point within = given time. and
complete military mSps OF the United
States, bat eysn she plans, all drawn up
and ready for use. for campaign IN
the United States. Nor Is II any more
pleasant 10 knox that the War Offices
at London, Paris, st. Petersburg. Rome
and Madrid are almost equally well
supplied With information regarding
the defenseless condition Of the United
States.
OF course there are those--and there
are many Of them-who believe that In
a crisis Yankee energy and Yankee in
genuity would be sufficient to take the
place Of vessels. fortifieations and guns.
Their belief might prove 10 DO correct,
bat then again, il might not. And sup
pose il should not II must not be for
gotten that there IL English energy and
English ingenuity, German energy and
German ingenuity. French energy and
French ingenuity, as well a. Yankee
energy and Yankee Ingenuity. What
would the world think of q man who,
dwelling in A house OF iniiammable ma
terial, wauld refuse to have IL insured,
refuse 20 provide means for extinguish-
ing Are, aud refuse TO provide for q
water supply. all in the belief that II 8
are shoald break out IN his house be
would have skill enough and Ingenuity
enough 90 PIT 1t out In some way
General Newton. in speaking Of the
Tilden letter. refers 10 these believers
In skill and ingenuity in the following
language
"Should. however. the evil day come
10 fiud Us without modern guns, without
suffiolency of torpedoes, without FORTH
cations except the sand heaps which
form the staple quotation, without en-
placement for the guns II we had them,
or magazines or machinery for unload
ing or maneuvering. or any facilities
whatever for shelter Of guns and can
nonecrs against shells aud machine
guns, II Is 10 bs feared ws would not
cordially welcome the prophet Who, hav
ing opposed timely preparations, prom
ised that in the supreme soment. when
the hostile ironelads, whatever their
strength and power. should approach
the hsrbor Of New York they would be
turned back somehow. without explain
ing how, by Yankee energy, Yankee
skill. yankse inventive Renins.' II 10 u
be feared that the first fash Of the mon
ster guns would dissipate this oratorioal
vapoF emitted when the danger was fai
on. and leave the delnded hearer 10 re
slizs the fate OF the blind who foliov
sha tlsad -