The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-27
IF THERE SHOULD BE WAR
Tho Ease with which Enrlish Ironc,.s,
Might Command Our Harbors,

for II. Congress fs ding well in what m ay ha
| called the handto- mouth method OF proyid.
| Ing guns. ships. and fortincations-that is. in
giving at ono time somewhat stintcd sums
for ono years work. But when 1t comes n
| considering the wise proposition OF making
liberal permanent or continuing appropris.
lions. such as will lead prudent firms to estab.
fish costly plants and increase the capacity OF
those already in existence. and such as will
also enable the chief OF engineers to encrccti.
caly push tho most important works without
being constantly retarded by insufficient
funds. those making the proposition arc mat
with the jaunty assertion. "Oh. no one il
going to attack the United States They all
know too much for that" And this frivolous
and unreflecting style Of talk has long had far
too much influence In Congress.
The present situation OF our controversy
with England is surely one which demands
thoughtful attention. Those responsible for
the management OF national affairs. both in
Congress and In the executive departments
would he trifling with most serious duties II
they did not recognize this fact. aud give Il
their most serious consideration. They would
be failing in their duty IL they did not kcepths
fact in view that war is one OF the contingen.
cies Of the controversy now in progress.
Lord Salisbury's note refusing TO renew the
n,odus rirendi now in operation in tho Bchriny
Sea. but about to expire. was little short /, In.
deed 1t fell short in any degree. OF an open in.
suit. Tho prompt. firm. and dGnifled manner
in which President Harrison met it commands
the respect and support Of the nation. As is
we'll known. the most active preparations are
in progress to maintain the Presidents posi-.
ton at oil hazards.
The entire fleet OF revenue steamers. with
the Pacific squadron at its back. vii! be ready
before the poaching season OPENS to deal Win
Whatever degree of force is found necessary to
stop their stealing. The question of war over
Ensand see To- sha fS
rison will not hold HIS hand. The nation could
not afford TO have him do SO. even it his rm.
c0nsts and on tho northern frontier The sit.
patton is, this: England must yield now ora
Bob ring Sea begins to capture poach.rs living
EnElands flag; or war is certain \" armed
In Behrns Sea with any other result ihan War War.
the0 tnted State And G IS out III aS % Hands
sible. There are some things worse for a ma
tion than war. and the national hlmiIiation
maintain its rights Is one OF these. ~
), With such situation confronting w. with
fleets on the Pacific coast to lie rsay ior "t OF
fensiye operations when the poAchng season
in Behrng Sea opens. with Canadian rpach-
renew their tresrnssinG. It certainly cannot
DO considered sensational writing to look
the probable. events Of tho early >ulnnlsr
The season for active seal poarhin: i"g,ns
June. BY that time our H armed vessels viii :"
there, and probably among them the Cha.I">.
ton. the Boston, and the Yorktown. Ih- Ing
heavier ships than we can ,send. and snm-
which are faster than ours. For instlnrr tbs
carrying IA modern guns and ~ crew Of 40.
and with 10000 horsepower engines its usna!
1t is easy to see what the situation will bs
three months hence unless England makes
satisfactory Tepiy to President i,arrison,s re;
cent notes. What the situation may be. stripped
as sensational. can, perhaps. be best set forth
tie events Of the next Fourth OF July:
san Francisco. July 1. 1s'2-tSSpecian.-Tn
his evening. bringing news u q, general ani
severe engagement between the American
n m -, EngIlfh fleets IN the vcnity, It ,nn
Tho Charle.ton had seized the well, known
sed Of the set
ssoa %itsr opeaea1 5 the SIarsst S 1%is
remming Later in the day the Boston and
the Yorktown became warmly engaged: but
TSs RUSH 1S in! ne @ ), esp
the news to Port Townsend but when within
days steaming of that point she smoke II
English men Of war cruising on the mouth q
Puget Sound. and the Captain Of the Rush
this port The news s. has ersa,eH the widest
excitement. and this has been Increased ty
Seattle RIaHs IN that two i Ens , roacd.
hnve to- day entered Puget sound"
"Ldta.-SAN FEaSclsoo p. M..-The, signal
bor, The Captain OF the Rush also reports that
a ner 1Hat sWs Esrk snns" " ' Rom
Bsshring Sea had been passed a short dstanre
OH Victoria the evening OF June ~.
Fr"r the nIumns Of the I'os of J.'ye
"a cipher telegram was received Mt the State
haat y fhS 5G the DE-
had been impossible to gain the least know.
edge Of the news she brought. No one but th-
which We're anchored yesterday at EsrnmuuA
put to sSa at al early h2uF 81 as Of
forenoon up9,n, its becoming sonsraiiy knGwn
early this morning. and one, Of them j. re-
ported =. %nG pn9t list ab9ye Bse Isle THs
points on, tho rivers and canals above an.
nonnco that two artillery companies. s,pnr,
nSsG By saS 1sGy 4. s pon as"a On tt,
{@s% Tss5dS a.fs* tSs l. E:
ironciads which went up the river this morn.
ing arp rsrorted to have passed the st. ca,
up the lake. 1t was ascertained at the locks
from some o! tho seamen that these ships ,.'t
had come through the Canadian canals ny
night and kept out OF sight on tho north
shores of the lakes for two days.
'Po!!rIANp. Me-. July .lS'2-i Especial
was considerable excitement In the city TO-DAY
over tho arrival Of two large class English
ironcluds. They cast anchor about sunset. but
held no communication with the shore"
"BosToN, July 4-tSpecialL -Four English
ironcIads OF the first class arrived on this
harDor mt dusk and anchored. They were =
little lat" to tnkn part IN the most general and
ept huSias.ic celebration OF the Fourth which
Boston has witnessed in many years. There Els
considerable curiosity concerning their aF-
"NEw YORK. July 4. 10 p. M-ISpeca,-A.
fishing excursion steamer. returning from OH
iockaway. reports passing mt dusk on 'onry
Island. moving slowly toward the Narrow.
six ironclads. each fully AS large as any IN No
white squadron. Their course had evidently
been outsid . the range OF the signal station at
Fro Island, as they were not reported from
that point"
"FoKT MoSGoE, July I, 1S02-ISpecaIL 4
x o'clock this evening three large ironriAds
entered this harbor. and are now unchwret
beyond the isip-raps. lighter vessel, whlc,
seemed 10 bo moving with the rest did not
anchor. but proceeded up the Chesapeake.
whether bound for Bait more or Washington
could not lee determined An officer from ons
OF the ships came ashore and sent cipher de,
spatch addressed to Ottawa. Canada. One OF
I i. son ,unn ui tina wharf who brought the off,