Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-11-29
NO CAUSE TO FEAR ENGLAND.
II IL should Declare WAR Secretary
whitney sPys This Country Gould
whip It.

II IL should Declare WAR Secretary
Whitney Spys This Country Gould
WHIP It,
Secretary Whitney, says Washington dis
patch, sale recently In regard to the Canadian
question: "lhere will be no conflict between
the United States and Great Britain. In all
the discussions q most vital and salient point
has been ignored. Our position is right. Ii
has once been substantially admitted by tie
British government In 1870 and 1871, the
reciprocity treaty having expired our fisher
men were denied commercial privileges IN
Canadian ports. Gen. Grant, in his annual
message of 1870, called the attention of con-
gross to II, and asked for the same grant of
retaliatory power that Presid mt Cleveland
lately requested. and within three or four
months the foreign Office at London notified
the Canadians that the view taken by them
of the treaty OF 1918 was AN extreme vlew,'
and that the point might be conceded to the
United States Great Britain is on record as
saving that we are right, or such l consider
the effect OF a statement that the Can adian
position Is an extreme one that should be
given up"
But what do YOU say as to the result OF an
armed conf ctt'
~ suppose any one will admit that we
would easily win II such conflict we're car
ried out on land. We are go UOJ OOs people,
while Great Britain aud her Brit lsh American
colonies are only 1900 900. IL is evident
that the final result OF auy war would end In
the annexation Of Canada to the United
States. British naval supremacy and the geo.
graphical characteristics of the coasts of
Great Britain preclude any idea of invasion
and conquest by the United States. The
transatlantic transportation of military forces
would be limited TO British reinfOrc .ments OF
the garris ons In her American colonies Hos
tile operations on the offensive would he car
ried on by the navy exclusively, and these
would be confined TO attempts 10 occupy har-
bors and ports, which might be compelled TO
pay contributions, aud blockade OF the coast
Attempts To capture the United States sea-
ports or to blockade her coast can not be sue
cessfu, except TO a mtcd extent upon the
first outbreak of hosllllties.
"If you look at any dictionary OF statistics
you will find that our national wealth is twice
theirs and all OF our force Is on the ground.
She would be obliged TO fight all land battles
over here, where her colonies are"
"But wouldn't Great Brain's naval
strength be OF great use TO her on the 81.
/ Lawrence and In the great lakesW
"No, not OF the slightest. Her only access
: 10 the great lakes Is through canals and the
locks would be blown up by Us within week
after war had been declared. | talked with
Gen. Sheridan on this subject wear or more
ago aud he made special Investigation and
rot all the necessary data, and what have
said Is what he said to me after Investigating
the matter. Great Britain has large army
10 be sure, but most ~ IL Is needed elsewhere
than In Canada. Concerning n naval conflict
you understand, ! suppose that Great Britain
, could make no conquest OF territory by her
naval power. She could land no force. Her
aim would he TO get into our harhors and de-
stroy property. But two ran play at that
game. Our fast cruisers would go at her
commerce. There Is anoat every day in the
year English commerce TO tie value OF 81 o.
000, 900 Great Brtain's food supply is on
the water all the time We will soon have
dozen cruisers faster than any OF the English
! iron-clads, and these cru GERS would attack
the British wealth atioit, which would be at
the mercv Of our commerce deslroYers."
THE fate of our navy, then, depends upon
the cruisersln
"The attacking cruiser has every advantage.
The English in their recent naval maneuvers
experimental in this way: cruiser was
sent out into the Irish seas 10 act as a COM
merce destroyer Four other cruisers super
Tor In speed and force we're sent after her,
and the regular British squadron was notified
! TO capture her. She eluded them all. and in
| fifty -four hours had captured ffty-seven
prizes, aud when the fictitious war closed,
after about four DAYS, she was still at large
and ready to operate against British COM
merce. This illustrates the difficulty of
suppressng fast commerce destroyers.
| Twelve vessels OF the Baltimore type such as
are now being built cruising across the lines
OF commerce on the ocean, Won d be able to
destroy more property in ninety days than
| the entire English navy would be able to
reach and DESTROY on our coast. We would
be unable at present TO stand up and fight
their iron-clads / hope that this situation
will not long exist, but as To the rest OF 1t,
we should be heard from most effectively