The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-04-10
G;heD Star
VAR TiLh RIDICULOUS.
The Washington corresponds


of the Chicago Tribune says:
Nothing Is more ridicu'ous thar
the war talk so called. II Is truI
that next to Great Britain The ltal.
ian navy is one at the most power,
full in The world. While the last
Congress has been criticised by a
certain school of partisan econ0-
mists for voting money TO give To
the United States a h~aif-way de-
cent navy, debl-riddeu l'aly ha,
built up fleet that Is really for
midable. Some at Its vessels
notably The DWiliO and Dandola-
are more powerful than any vessels
in existence. On The two ship,
mentioned are .:ounted 100 ton
guns, The English and Italian gov.
ernments being the only powers
that have put such heavy guns
afloat. The italian navy consists
of - heavily armored vessels.
their displacement ranging from t..
100 to 1900 tons; 80 uuarmore'l
vessels of from $50 tons 10 800
tons; t %unbnats of from go to
500 tons; 6 smaller gunboais 100
tirst-class torpedo boats, and an
ample force of transports and dis
patch boats. In addition Ia this
great array there are at least 8
merchant steamers of more than
5000 tons on The auxiliary list, and
of The e have Leen fitted for tor
pedo launching.
Students of modern warfare
speculate on this ravy with some
interest. They wonder how many
of The big ships could carry coal
enough to get them acrnaS the At
lanlic. Without the all OF trans
ports for carrying coal, in order
that The baltle-ships may take OH
coal in midocean, it would be sim
ply impossible for any one Of them
TO cross the Atlantic. This is re-
carried as the one weak spot IN the
Italian ballleship. They were ap
~parenily Euilt for service IN the
Mediterranean. Even if they COLD
reach this country ii wnuld be nee
essary 10 fill their cOalbunkers at
sea before they could return, as
their great draft would preclude
their entering any of TIE cnaliug
harbors. Indeed, naval officer
here have great doubts whether
these large ships could reach near
enough to any Of the large cites to
do much damage. Certain il j.
that they cannot reach New Or
leans, Tor il is impossible for a YES
sci drawing over twenty feet 10
cross the bar at the mouth of The
Mississippi, and none OF the ltal-
ian battle ships draw less than sc
feet.
HOW AN ATTACK WOULD BE MET.
1t is presumed that the Italians,
knowing this, would make their
on New York, where, by
anchurIng off Sandy Hook, they
might do some damage if their biz
guns prove what they are cracked
up 10 be. But the probabilities
are that they would not find the
New York harbor so deienSeless as
the general public thinks il is.
There has been Il good deal Of Sc
ret work going on of late by The
engineer corps IN the way of sub
marine matters that will surprise
many if the occasion arises for the
lrmy TO show lis hand. Some stu
Tents of scientific warfare are con-
idant the arrival of n hostile fleet 1;
would be prevented bv torpedo
lolillas, which would blow the
'essclI ont of existence before
hey could levy an indemnify OF
500,000,000 or so On the city Of
New York.
From n practical standpoint 1
lolhiug could be more foolish than
O provoke the United States. :
)riSpl's policy Of raising Italy tn Z
he rank of a tirsl-class European .
,Ower has been at the expense of
n enormous debt. It's African
onquesls have been failures, but
still costing an immense b
mount Of money. The triple al
ance Of Germany, Austria and ,
tally is now threatened 10y IA treaty Il
,etween Russia aud France. and
tally will have all 1t can do TO nj
eep lis rank ON the continent AZ
.ilhout picking q~uaTrels with a -
DunIrr like The United Sla'es. 4.
his is what makes those familiar
18th The situation believe that in
he end The minister will seek TO
low that Baron Fava's recall was Z
ne to dissatisfaction with him
Ilher than resentment against
le United States.