Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-10
ps~d ,. ernsSr

that business DO likely to withdraw
their capital?
These small suggestions are enough
10 enable thinking men TO see the inn
menae damage that . single spark Of
actual war coming from any nation,
however small. could effect. No man
or set Of men could calculate the i'm
mense conGagration that might result
from fanaticl or malicious kindling.
Your third question Is the most I'm
portant, viz: How cosld tho United
States meet any aggression from
abroad"
We will consider aggression, in illus
tration. from the Pacific coast alone.
On the Atlantic the conditions would be
the same. though, of coursc. On q larye-
scale.
A country situated on the sea should
have three lines Of defense when re-
ceiv;ng an attack from the sea; frrt. the
navy itself; second, forts. torpcdoes and
haroor-tsefcnsc vessels fixed and nova
Die, and after foreign enemy shall
have established himself IL a harbor.
then the third is the army proper. with
base in The interior. In our case we
are partially supplied with the frst line
OF defense; still our navy Is not large
enough 20 protect our vast couruerce:
therefore. il alone could rot be consid-
cred as IN absolute check 70 an enemy
morning agains; our coast.
In The second line we have some good
guns of old pattern mounted at princi-
pal harbors, as at San Francisco and
San Diego: a number Of submarine
mines that could be placed In position
70 shrs oat an enemy and clase the
openings u the harbors: they would
lust now be mines that would explode
on contact with the vessels, and not by
electricity Soon, however, we look
forward to q complete system of cleo
trio cables
Again. we have for sudden nee all
the tugs, small yachts and harbor boats.
which. by great sacrifice OF life and
property, giving csch long spar IN
front add sorae dynamite, can be used
20 protect she entrance TO the hareor.
These rneins with other aids readily
suggested 20 inventive brains might
keep out an enemy from our Pacific
coas. harbcrs: that y, from San Diego.
san Francisco. Columbia river and
Prrct sornd.
But assuming that these shonld not
be enough. shorId sn arFny attack fail.
and further. that one harhor. San
Diego. for instance. should como into
full posse ss.on of the enemy; then .
aeA srray would have to be equipped
and orrnuisrd In order 70 regain that
harsor aad somehow cheokmate tbs
eusny. who. doubtless. enemy sks.
would be attempting 20 act from this
location "a a base ~ extend his power
OF our present regular army probably
not more than ten Thousand troops
would be available. the others being
Required In the posts they cow occupy
10 protect the people from loesi trcu eiss
or foreign atsesks The states wsaiS
10 spe-assv called upon bv the president
70 N,r-stsh sseh number Of men - veaia
z;ve us = iarrrr army than tho hostile
one landed or probably landed by ous
ornsn>.t There would se from fe-.
states veil drilled rsiiitsa, bat they
weass ss unxccustomfd 20 campaigning
end fesA ~rvise. From ether stsis1
ws waalA oaiy sapeet raw isvsss
A arsA thsn. 80 would have ~ ss6ss
The sseatsst ls>s - vaiussie HvsA whii>
ox,er~ssex - s~nzns the enstsy within
a. elsss slsnsts - pc.~sbsei Perhsps fall
hss ssss b~ssss hssa. antli ~ equip
ping snA tsSilisg sssss fsress sc siseass