Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-10-03
BRITISH FORTS rHREArEN..
Line of Qualifications from Halifax {
South America.

BRITISH FORTS THREATEN
Line of Qualifications from Halifax to
South America.
There is no parallel in history to the
manner in which this friendly ration
CGreat Brittany is multiplying and
Strengthening Notifications in front of
our face in such manner that she may
best hem us in, lombard us, and. inter-
fere with our commerce If occasion
should arise. Says correspondent of
the New York Times: From Halifax
to the coast of South America she has
line drawn in front of us. in some in
stances directly in our face, and in no
case more than 500 miles from our
shore. She has our entire Atlantic
coast guarded, and every year she is ex-
tending and strengthening her works at
almost every point.
Ii the Bermuda cable had been laid
and had been in British hands in 1860
instead of 1890, what would have been
the effect upon our blockade?
This offensive line-for I can hardly
regard it as defensive line-is main
tanned at almost fabulous expense, and
there is reason for its existence.
From our own northern frontier
everything except Alaska and two in
significant French islands is British to
the North Pole, $500, 900 square miles
of it in Canada alone, their frontier
touching ours, theirs fortified and the
Notifications manned.
Towering over our northeastern cor
ner are the two sections of Canada
known as New Brunswick and Nova
Scotia, and little further off is the
separate colony of Newfoundland, with
its 10000 square miles of territory, q
big black, woolly dog guarding the en-
trance to the st. Lawrence River, brist-
ling with forts, bright with the red coats
of British soldiers.
Directly south of Nova Scotia, about
300 miles from it, and 500 miles off the
coast of North Carolina, is Bermuda, q
young Gibraltar, fortified almost to the
utmost limit, with unapproachable har-
bors and q strong garrison.
These two places, 48 hours apart By
modern war vessels, are connected by
telegraph, so that vessel leaving the
port midway between them for New
York could be intercepted from either
point before she fairly got to sea.
Only 300 miles south of Bermuda, the
Bahamas, chain of islands 400 miles
long, some of them within 100 miles of
the Florida coast, the principal one
fortified and garrisoned.
Next south of the Bahamas, Jamaica,
with its 1000 square miles and it's 6OO,-
600 inhabitants, its forts, its naval sta
ton and its telegraph,
Then in the northern part of Central
America is British Honduras, with its
10000 square miles and 10000 in
habitants.
With the Bahamas fortified by Great
Britain, nothing could pass between
Cuba and Key West; and the naval sta
lions at Jamaica and Belize could easily
prevent any vessel from entering the
gulf through the Yucat.n Channel.
The entire Gulf of Mexico could thus
be blockaded with ease by two or three
good vessels. and New Orleans, Mobile
and all our Gulf ports sealed up.
Here is our whole Atlantic coast.
from the northernmost corner of Maine
to Brownsville, Tex, effectually
guarded by the ships of friendly ma
ton; everything arriving at or leaving
the great port of New York at the
mercy of vessels sent out from Halifax
or Bermuda, and New Orleans, Key
West and all the Gulf ports ready to be
shut in to order.
But although she does not contem-
plate coming over here to make war
upon us, she does appreciate the fact
that there may, at some future day, be
trouble between the two nations, and
she is taking care to be we'll prepared
for it.
Some Anglomaniacs may scout the
idea of Great Britain's recognizing even
the remote possibility of such a thing.
but when man once becomes an Anglo
manic his judgment is likely to be
warped in many respects.
Our main safety lies in the fact that
the United States is not Cyprus, nor
North Borneo, nor the Gold Coast, nor
Fiji, nor yet Zululand, but nation of
10000, 900 of people, with money and
arms and ability to use them.
A Characteristic Monument