Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-28
ITALY TO BE FEARED.
She Could Make Us Eat Very Humble Pie
III She Chose.

Ii she Chose.
or COURSE NO ONE IMAGINES FOR A
" moment that Italy il going to declare war
on account of the killing Of those italian assas-
sins in New Orleans, but il Is rather amusing To
speculate as to the chances this country would
have surprising that she took notion to do 50.
STAR reporter was talking on the subject yes
ierday with q captain in the United States navy
and he said:
THE only possible show In such o case for III
would lie in the prospect that our part would
be taken by Great Britain and France-by the
former for the sake Of protecting British prop
erty In this country and by the latter because
France hates Italy so. 1t is funny, as well as
humilia.ing, to consider that for safety in an
event Of the sort we should be obliged to look
to the navies of foreign powers. Unaided we
should be as helpless against Italy as a mouse
in the grasp of q cat. With her fleets she could
land to Galveston. Among the ships in her
navy are four of the finest ironclads in the
world-the Duilio, the Dandolo, the Italia
and the Lepanto. Any one Of these vessels
could float securely nine miles out at sea from
New York and, herself in perfect security, re-
duce the city to ruins with shot and shell.
These ironclads carry 100-ton guns, the largest
ever made.
THIS coUNrRY's RESOURCES.
"There is great deal Of talk about the re-
sources of this country and the celebrity with
which an army could be raised and organized;
but of what avail would half million men,
fully trained and equipped with the most ap-
proved weapons, be against small feet OF
Italian ships of war lying OF Sandy Hookl
Almost simultaneously with the declaration OF
hostilities the greyhound ironclads Of that
nation would be on our coast and threatening
our ports What could we do? Nothing. A
iieet appears outside the harbor Of New York
and demands $500. 600, 900. Pay the COM
mander says, 'or l lombard the city OF
course the money would be paid at once; there
would be no alternative. All the other seaporta
could be levied upon in the same way. Not an
effective gun of defense could be fired from
light would be quickly blown out Of the water.
AN ARMY HAS NO CHANCE AGAINST A NAVY.
"fou must realize that under present con-
ditions of warfare an army has no chance
against ships. Just for example consider the
recent bombardment Of Pisagua on the coast Of
Chilli The row there is between the president,
Balmaceda. who has an army with him, and
the citizen people, who do not propose that
Balmaceda shah run the whole country IL they
can he'll it. 1t happened that the people got
possession Of the navy. and with the ships they
have had the whole coast line in their power.
few days ago two small war vessels Of theirs,
the Esmeralda and the Blanco Encalsda, de-
manded the surrender Of Pisagua, and when
this was refused deliberately destroyed the city
with their guns, killing incidentally 1000 nom
combatants, men women and children. Gen.
Baimacedas army was absolutely helpless.
Take another instance: During the late rebel
hon on the occasion of the Red river expedi-
ton. the Usage. small tinclad bringing up the
rear OF Admiral Porter's feet was attacked
from the shore by battery and q whole brigade
Of dlsnounted cavalry at Pleasant Hill. The
Osage steamed up and down in q leisurely way
and totally defeated the army and the battery,
sizing 400 of the enemy and their commander,
Gen. Green.
'Supposing our ports had been laid under
contribution by Italy and the country almost
bankrupted in ransom fees, what should we do
next TO get back at the successful foe we
should have to build a navy. But a navy is not
to be built in day, with any amount Of expen-
tlture. 1t would take ct least ten years for Vi
to create one. Italy has been twenty-five years
making hers. That nation ought to find oul
exposed situation a very attractive temptation
She wants money badly, and in this manner she
could get as much as she wanted without much
trouble or any danger"