The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-02
OUR COAST DEFENSE.

y. n,
ablest practical statesman the Democratic
party has known since the death OF Silas
Wright in ls47, wrote a very strong letter
TO Speaker Carlisle forcibly pointing out
that our seaboard was at the mercy of
even second-class maritime power. At
that hour not modern gun had been
mounted in one OF our forts, and today
the work of coast defense has only Just
begun. We have a few high.power
modern rided guns at New York and
san Francisco, and we shall soon have an
abundant supply of twelve-inch mortars.
AS an adjunct to coast defense we have
small but excellent fleet of modern ships
armed with high power s-inch and 6-inch
rifles. The Miantonomob and several single
turret monitors are about ready for serv-
Ice, and the Monterey, now receiving its
steel armor, will make the harbor of San
Francisco secure. Its battery consists of
two Finch and two i0-Inch guns. 1t is
SAFE to say that our Pacific coast is secure
against any attack that could be made by
the South American states or by China or
Japan. While this is true, it cannot be
denied that our present condition of i'm
perfect sea coast defenses, backed by a
choice but small navy, would be utterly
inadequate TO resist the attack of great
naval power like England, France or even
Germany.
The United States is not safe from az
gression merely because 5000 miles of
water roll bet ,,z .,J arr Fo,,usdoklo
Zoe. Oceans that were once deemed
obstacles have now become easy highways
OF invasion. The steam tonnage of Eu-
rope IS so vast that an alliance of any two
oil the great powers of Europe would
enable them TO invade us with million
traiLed soldiers. Europe could blockade
aii our ports on the Pacific. On our
Atlantic side from Halifax, Bermuda, st.
Lucia and Jamaica England could send
great expeditions against our coast within
twenty-four to forty-eight hours after en-
barkation. and by the Canadian Pacific
England could in ten days plant power
iul army of observation or attack in Brit
ish Columbia, using Vancouver island as
base. Against such a peril as this we
nave made no provision. and in the pres
ent jealous temper of the two great politi-
cal parties We are not likely TO make any
that would be adequate to prevent such a
calamity.
Fortunately, the security of the United
States against attack by Europe does not
lie IN military provision and preparation
against il. 1t lies in the fact that if any
two of the great powers of Europe should
make an alliance against us they could
not execute their purpose without incit-
ing instant interference on the part of
other great powers of Europe No danger
is TO be apprehended from England. Eng
land is bound by no ties to continental
Europe that are strong enough to drag her
into war with America. The time -
gone by when England will ever assail
America or America England. The CIV
ilization of both America and England has
advanced so far in the direction of good
sense that rests on self.interest, and good
feeling that rests on humanity, that il is
impossible TO conceive Of a situation likely
TO occur where either England would force
war upon America or America upon Eng
land
Leaving England out, there remain
no two powers of Europe that dare spare
10000 men 10 invade America, and il
would require an army of st least this size
TO make o., 0o0. 900 of brave. intelligent, pa
trlotic and enterprising people shudder at
the anticipation of foreign war The
moved on America, France and Russia
would be on their backs. and if Russia and
| France moved against rs, the Dreibund
would take them by the neck. An alliance
| Of all the great powers Of continental
Europe would be necessary to make a seri-
Gus impression on America, and such an
alliance AZ present is impossible.
The jealousies and riyalries of the great
continental powers are so many and so
deeply rooted in their determination to
maintain the balance OF power that il is
safe at present 90 regard the invasion of
Americs by Europe as a theoretic danger.
We know that practically America is not
and never will be in danger of serious
European invasion, because the powers of
Europe nave so uuch 10 Go 10 MAINTAIN an
equilibrium Of peace and safety at home
that no one or two of them can afford 10
| assume the additional burden of vast
war abroad. If any two Of them should
undertake 10 cut our throat they
would soon he called home 10
save their own throsts from being
cut by their neirhbovs. The United States
has nothing TO fear st present from Eng
land, and with nothing 20 fear from Eng
land We need not fear Germany. for, with
Russia on the one side and France on the
other. she cannot spare either soldiers or
ships for war with the United States.
The United States could not. of course, in
her present condition, beat of the assault
OF united continental Europe, bat she