Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-09

dispute possession Of the port by means of their
army, and it would soon fall into our hands.
Having seized Valparaiso, possession would be
nitrate fields. At both places coal would be
found, great quantities of the fuel being
utilized at Iquique for the preparation
Of nitrates This coal would be Of the
utmost value to our vessels, and for that
reason 1t would doubtless be set on fire for
the purpose OF destroying it. The chances
are, however, that most of it could be saved by
scattering it with torpedoes and extinguishing
the flames with water. The question would
then remain to be determined whether to in
wade the country or to hold the ports and the
nitrate fields. upon which Chile largely depends
for her revenue, until she chose to surrender.
In all likelihood the latter course would be
adopted In view Of the great difficulty OF pro-
viding for the subsistence of an army in q
hostile region no far away from . base Of sup
plies. To march upon the capital city of
Santiago. eighty miles distant inland, through
strange and excessively mountainous dis
trict would be to invite disaster. The best that
could be done, it is held by war wiseacres, all
things considered, would be to retain control
of the coast.
SUPPLIES OF COAL
large feet of steamers would have to be
purchased Immediately upon the declaration OF
war for the purpose of carrying coal to supply
the ships in the southern waters Such col
liers would be capable of carrying 5000 tons
each. 1t Ii easy to see that good many
would be required when it is considered that
each OF the big war vessels consumed while IN
active service more than 1000 tons q month.
Supplies of the fuel would De drawn from the
fields in Wyoming, which would send up the
price OF coal IN that part OF the country out OF
sight and occasion q famine of the article IN
wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, south Dakota
and all that region. The problem OF provid-
ing feet of battle ships with coal 5000 miles
from any source of supply would be novelty
in warfare. Necessarily the golfers would
have to be conveyed by cruisers to prevent
them from being captured. The difficulty to
be thus overcome would be serious embar-
rassment.
FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF TROOPS
to Chile all necessary arrangements could be
made very quickly. Every available ocean
steamship in Pacific waters would be hired for
the purpose. One such vessel OF good size
could carry 1000 soldiers, those for whom
bunks could not be provided sleeping in their
blankets on the decks. The troops would prob
ably be shipped over the Southern Pacific rail-
way to San Diego where they would be put
aboard the transports, which would be con-
veyed by the cruisers Baltimore and San
Francisco. Together with them would 20 the
transports of the hospital corps of the army.
For this latter use mercantile steamers can be
transformed into proper shape within less than
week from first notice according to plans all
ready at the War Department, fitted up with
beds and duly equipped for the reception of
sick and wounded.
THE HOSPITAL CORPS
is an organization supplementary to the medi-
cal staff of the army. Its privates serve as
nurses, while for every ten privates there is a
hospital steward who acts as an apothecary,
compounding medicines, and also supervising
the preparation and serving of food. In the
held private attends each auryeOn q his Or
DERBY. carrying u canteen of water O knife and
pouch containing surgical instruments. band
ages, DC. Chile Is a member of the Red Cross
League, and her soldiers would therefore In no
case hre upon the hospital corps whose officers
and assistants are distinguished by badge and
bear dag with red Maltese cross ON white
ground.
THE UNITED STATES MILITIA.
There are LOG. 900 militia in the United States,
and they would doubtless be summoned first
to do duty. Congress would call upon the
states, each for its quota of the number of SOL
diers required in proportion to population.
beyond this. y more are needed, it has the
power to create any number of regiments and
this would be done by establishing recruiting
stations all over the country. 1t is estimated
that 100000 volunteers could be secured.
There are now in the United States Z, zoo, 900
available men for military duty. This is q
fact which Chile probably does not realize her
own entire population being less than g. 900 OOO
Her spunky little regular army consists of about
ZO.OOO warriors. each one of whom in his own
opinion Is able to whip at least ten Yankees.
The estimate which these people have OF our
courage is indicated by the fact that bull
which runs away at one of their bull fights is
called jeeringly yankee bull" They actu-
ally believe that We are much less civilized than
themselves; In fact, that we are comparatively
barbarous.
SUPPLIES OF ARMS AND AMMUNITION.
There are plenty of arms on hand wherewith
to equip the United States volunteers. In the
arsenals are 300, 900 Springfield rifles, in addi-
ton to those belonging to the militia. each man
OF whom has his gun. There are |, 900 tons Of
gunpowder on handkerchief to blow up all
South America-and so 900 900 cartridges The
government factory at Philadelphia can turn
out 900 cartridges q day. without counting
the capacity OF the private arms concerns. In
the way OF ordnance there are in readiness for
use ten batteries, each including six light steel
breech-loadong guns, not to mention plenty of
heavier siege guns. The new Schroeder
guns, which can throw a storm of explosive
shells, would be likely to seriously
demoraliZe even the Chieans The latter are
equipped with repeating rifles, whereas the
Springfield weapon is only single loader; but
the relative value Of the single loader and the
magazine arm Is by no means settled as yet in
favor Of the latter. theoretically the more
sAoto tudt can DC ureQ the better: but the fact
Is that soldiers in battle are apt to pop away
without taking much aim when they have
magazine guns to shoe! with while the man
who loads for each discharge marks down his
target every time he fires. With the Spring
field rifle six shots a minute can be placed to
advantage.
The objection urged against the magazine
gun would seem to apply particularly in the
case OF the lmpulsive Chleans. whose method is
TO empty their weapons and then rush in with
their curved knives. In their conflict with
Peru they gave NO quarter whatever in battle
TO PROVIDE FOB THE SUBSISTENCE OF AN ARMY
5000 milesfrom home would belikely to prove a
serious problem. Ten thousand men in the
field would require each month 225, 600 pounds
of canned meat, 300, 900 pounds Of hard bread.
Ice, 600 pounds of baked beans, 24.OOO pounds
of roasted coffee and As, 900 pounds of sugar
As partial substitute for hard bread thew
would have while on dry land -four and yeast
carrying Dutch ovens for baking purposes To
feed the crews on board the ships proportion
ate supplies would be required of salt pork
hard tack, flour, preserved meat, rice, desic-
Gated vegetables, coffee and sugar. For the.
troops great quantities of extra clothing would
have to be carried along, because in active
service suit OF clothes and q pair
Of shoes wear out in week or
two. Soldiers, however, are granted no extra
allowance Tor the unusual wear and tear
OF war, being obliged to pay for everything
they get that is extra II is worth mentioning.
incidentally, that, in the event OF hostilities'
. Il H.