Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-26
WE'D HAVE THE ADVANTAGE
In Behring Sea in Case of War With
Great Britain.

In Behring Sea in Case of War With
Great Britain.
CINCINNATI, March 26.-E. H. Wells,
the well known newspaper man and ex-
plorer, who was sent to Alaska year OF
so ago by Frank Leslie's Illustrated
Newspaper, and who knows great
deal about that part of the world, in an
article in The Post, of this city, says:
The possibility of hostilities occurring
in Behring sea between English and
American warships suggests an inquiry
as to whether extensive naval maneuvers
are possible in those waters.
In the event of war, the first engage
ments would necessarily take place in
the vicinity of the sealing grounds, the
seizure, or attempted seizure, of poachers,
furnishing the melting cause for bellig-
erency.
If the waters of Behring sea were an
open oceanic expanse the problems of a
naval conflict would narrow down simply
to test of the comparative strength of
the contending ships, after making the
usual allowance for the accidents of bat
tie.
But Behring sea is not open in any
SCuSt VI UllG bGTlH. IL rs d TUCK
shallow pond of salt water of extensive
area, studded with dangerous rocks and
islands and is a center for severe storms.
Captains navigating ships in Behring
sea are never without apprehension of dis
aster. So pronounced is the mariners
dislike to these waters that vessels seldom
venture near the coast of the Alaskan
mainland except during the summer
MONTHS when the days are long and the
atmospheric disturbances are less fire.
quent. Shoals and reefs are imperfectly
known, large portions of the sea never
having been surveyed, especially in the
vicinity of the coasts.
There are many portions of the Behr-
ing sea where shallow draught cruisers
might travel in safety, but where large
battle ships dare not venture
1t is quite probable, therefore, that a
fleet of American cruisers, such as the
United States has on hand at present, can
be handled far more effectually in Behr-
ing sea than can a fleet of heavy British
battle ships.
Ingenuity in dodging about among
islands, reefs and sandbars would come
into full play in conflict in Behring sea,
and in this kind of play the Yankee cap
tains can pull the wool over the eyes of
the British commanders.
1t is hardly possible that England
would in any event send her heaviest
ships into Behring sea, knowing the dis
advantage at which they would be placed
My recent travels along the eastern
coast of Behring sea revealed but few
deep water harbors. At Kodiak there is
water for heavy battleships to enter, and
the same may be said of the harbor Of
Oonalaska. At Nushagak can be found
small well protected anchorage for light
draught cruisers, but no water for large
men-of-war.
Among the Aleutian islands and on
Cooks Inlet are other good anchorages
for small vessels, but little protection for
big ships
oh the Siberian coast of Behring sea
are few harbors, and these will not be
available for English ships. 1t is not i'm
possible, however, that the czar might
take hand in the dispute and throw
open these ports to Uncle Sans cruisers,
on request.
1t will be seen that Uncle Sam can not
be taken at disadvantage in naval con-
test in Behring sea.