Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-11
IN CASE OF WAR.
The Fighting Power of Mexico ana
the United States.
FROM no Washington STAR

answer. ne COuLluutNs AS At SEttltt va n
an his easy cnair and looked knowingly at
the news hunter. "Have you any idea
what might be the result Of a war with
Mexico? Iwouldn'tundertahe topredIct
the outcome myself, but 1t might mean
an entire change in the map Of the
United States and even IN the map
of Europe. The Cutting case and
the Rasures case. small things IN
themselves, might bring on war when
would last tor years aud ne fraugAt with
the most unexpected results. les,
think we could whip Mckee readily
enough when we were once well started,
but somebody else might take a hand IN
the fight besldes Mex co. Germany would
like very We indeed to gel a good foot
hold IN TINS part OF he world. Bismarck
undoubtedly has his eye open for the fail
ure of tue Panama canal aud the success
of the Nicaragua canal, and IN such an
event he doesn't WaUt 10 Ice too far away.
He won ,dn't care to lay violent hands on
Cuba or on any of the British posses
sions, bpt it is doubtful In my mind if he
wouldn't lump at the chance TO secure
his object by lending helping hand TO
Mexico in the event of a war with us. |
don't predict it, but | am only telling you
what's on the cards. II Germany should
make such move, France, VITO has re-
Gently declared herself TO be in fighting
trim, might think 1t about time 10 attempt
TO regain Alsace and Lorraine. Then
other powers might step III. England
would probably be neutral, but she is
good one TO furnish ships, as we know
from experience, and ste holds most OF
the Mexican bonds. Mexico has no navy
10 speak OF. She is worse off than we are
N that respect, but the loan of a couple Of
CuDnyANy YpnArCT
might play the mischief on our coast.
These vessels might be equipped ana even
manned By others than MeXicans. A
right TO hoist the Mexican oolors, with
Mexican officers nominally in command
for show, and the lrOncIads would be
ready for service. The defense less con-
dIJiOn of our seacOast has not been eX-
aggerated. We would be at the mercy of
such an attack. An ironclad vessel could
approach New York or any other seaport
and levy tribute or blow II TO pieces. Our
best guns can only penetrate ten inches,
and We have no proper carriages to enable
them to do that. An elcven-inch armored
vessel could bomboard any ofOur cities on
the coast and we couldn't help it. The
only thing we could do would be 10 sink
vessels in the channels and endeaVOr to
prevent the approach Of the enemy. That
would only he a temporary check. la
these days of dynamite the distractions
could be blown up before our eyes, and
we wouldn't have the means to prevent Its
being done. We are in fine CON
dItiOn, truly, to resist an invasion! Had
Congress directed the President to de-
mand the release OF prisoner Cutting, it
wOult have gone home without doing
anything 10 enable us to withstand the
consequences Of enforcing this demand.
The House refused TO appropriate even
100000 tor seacna-t detenses, wbeu The
forttcatious board reported that over
S2l,OOJ,0UO should be expended the first
y Year"
HOW OUR COAST Is GUARDED.
"Just look minute Mt this map" con-
tinued the officer, pointing to a map OF
the United States. "From Fortress Mon
re, along the coasts ct North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Fiorid o, Alabama and
Mississippi TWO companies OF artillery
are The only protection that is afford. d.
while from Fortress Monroe to the MeXl-
can frontier, at the mouth of the RIO
Grande, there are stationed four compa-
MES OF artillery, one OF infantry and two
ofcavalry. There 10 fort at Key West,
but there are NJ troops to garrison it. On
the Pacific side there is but one company
'of infantry 10 guard the coast from Mexico
TO San Francisco.
NJ the tl'St Ut ire NRAlca0 war we
fahsed the world in light artillery, stood
well IN heavy artillery, and bad navy
equal 10 that OF any otter nation of our
relative standing. To-day we are simply
experimenting with heavy artillery, and
our navy IS ranked by all countries, ex-
cept "A few little ones in South America
Mexico Is stronger now than she was AT
the close Of that war, but have no idea
mat sue could Withstand the United
states ithUut assistance. bur she would
night better than is generally supposed"
TIE MEXICAN NAVY.
The reporter here produced the follow
ing list OF vessels belonging to the MeXi-
can navy, which he had obtained from the
bureau Of naval Intelligence: Two iron
gun boats, the Mexico and the Demo-
cratica, each OF 400 tons, two twenty
FOUNDERS, six officers aud eighty men.
eleven knots speed and 600 horse power:
Two 300 ton vessels, the Llbertad and
the nuependencla, each armed with two
twenty FOUNDERS and manned by six Off
GERS and eighty men, and one other small
gun hoat, the name OF which is unknown.
"1es. that constitutes the Mexican
navy" said the army officer, looking over
the list. lone OF those VESSELS was living
at San Francisco for several years. She
was out Of repair, but the Mexican credit
was SO bad that no one would do any work
on her. She was originally the Yacht of
an English gentleman. IheUwner brought
her over and sold her to the Mexican goy-
ernment, and she was CHANGED INTO a gun
boat. We would have IA difficulty with
Mexico at sra as she is now, hut Pm
AFRAID there would be some ironclads Sc
cured from some place."
THE SOLDIERS OF MEXICO.
"How about the strength OF Mexico on
tandt' asked the reporter.
81 don't know definitely, but ! have
seen it stated that MtXico's army con-
sists OF 22.5O0 men OF all arms, just about
fhe size Of our army. Some of the SOL
oilers are very tine, while others are tue
worst 1 ever saw. In tue western part or
MeXlc) there are some admirably drilled
and equipped soldiers, but in tue region
lof Chihuahua The troops y composed of
The scum OF the earth. TAey are mostly
c0nycts, who are given the choice of
working in the prisons or jouing the
army. These troops are marched in omen
pOlumn, wltb the officers IN the centre 50
That they can watcn tho soldiers on either
side and check any attempt at desertiOn
which they KNOW from experience will be
made II tue slightest opportunity is al
aorded. Mexico has really due body OF
men In what - known a. the Rural Guard
about 1000 strong, forming very good
nucleus tor an army
OUR AVAILABLE TROOPS.
"What troops would we have available
in the event of warp