The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-12
THE NATIONS STRENGTH.

The secretary of war directed Captain
, DANIEL NJ. TAYLOR to observe the move
mcnts of the militia assembled at New Y DIRK
on the occasion of the recent centennial Gel
: ebration, with the view of ascertaining the
probable time required to concentrate the
various commands at a given point in the
case of actual need. In his report. Captain
TAYLOR says that 10000 state militia
reached New York city on time, without
disturbance, and on an average of within
sixteen hours from the time they left their
homes. 1t should be borne in mind that
these troops came from the various sections
of the republic, with the exception of the
far west. The captain regards the result
as being favorable to a highly satisfactory
degree, demonstrating, as it does, the posi-
bility of bringing fully 10000 militiamen to-
gether in New York in fifteen hours. Every
hour thereafter the number would be in
creased, as trains from the more distant
/ points arrived.
| The military governments of the old
world. and some Of our own timid citizens |
make light of our insignificant army Ger |
tain Of our alleged statesmen are con
stantly deploring the absence of a great |
standing army, and are trying to impress
It upon the public that the United States
are in deplOrably helpless condition in
the event of trouble with a foreign power.
Captain TAYLoR's observations demon
strate in measure, how helpless we
would be under the circumstances named
Within sixteen hours fully 10000
soldiers We're concentrated at one point
and that point on the sea shore, the
one Of all others most likely to be attacked.
This movement of soldiers occurred at a
time when there was an extraordinary
movement of citizens, something over
half million people having been carried
into New York during the twenty four
hours which included the sixteen hours
that the militia was en- route The facil-
tiles OF the railways running into New
York were taxed somewhat heavily, but
not exhausted, and the other roads leading
towards New York scarcely felt an
demand on their resources.
In case of necessity, such as war would i'm
pose, private travel would be suspended
for a day or two, and instead Of moving
10000 troups in sixteen hours, the railways I
could transport five times that number if
so many were required to be moved.
The United States have regular force :
p, 900 strong, which naturally seems !
trifing and insignificant in the eyes of
Great Britain, Fra nee, Germany, Austria,
Russia and Italy; but back of this little
force of 5000 scattered in small squads p
from Oregon to Florida, are more than
seven millions of man who are ready at an
ioCrs notice to shoulder their arms and 90
N defense of their country. These men =
re on the farms, in the mills, on the rail n
roads and in the workshops; they are n
ieacciul citizens, employed in the peaceful ]
but they are as willing to v
light when the occasion demands, as the "
men now wearing the uniform; they are C
ust as loyal, and many of them, through C
heir enrolment and training in the militia B
service, are as well prepared to engage in "
Ictive war as the average of the $4,000. j.
1t is in her citizen sOldiery that the repub- ID
ic is strong, and her country impregnable, u
10 other nation on earth can raise such an a
rmy, either in point of numbers or in the n
atriotism of the troops, as the United :.
;tates can put into the field by the mere "
ssuance of a proclamation. Days before u
Il invading force could reach our shores, or r
ny place on our land borders, we could G.
onccntrate at the place to be invaded an ~
rmy which would overwhelm any that c.
ould he brought against US. Those who J;
egard the United States as weak in a mill r
lry sense, because our army is little more A.
nan plaything considered in connection a. a
nth war, do not think of the millions of D.
lilitiamen scattered through the country e
tho are bein trained in the use of arms. A.
nd whose courage and love of the republic R.
'ould make them at once the very best r
ghters who could be put into the field. A
G.
Liza ,r -