The San Francisco call., 1895-11-15
AT Present the United States
Could Not Withstand Any
FirSt-ClaSs Power.
ONLY TWO PORTS PROTECTED.
Admiral Walker and Senator Squire
Say That Defects Should Be Rem.
edied at Once.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov 14-The
defenseless condition OF theAmerican coast,
which the general of the army recently
elabora ted with much precision of detail,
IS for the moment the principal subject of
conversation among army and navy Off
GERS. General Miles declaration that
England, Notwithstanding her great navy,
would be practically helpless against a
powerful adversary, but fer her system of
coast defenses, is fully indorsed by both
branches of the service.
Admiral John G. Walker, who repre-
sents the progressive element of the new
navy, regards coast defenses and a navy
as the complement of each other. That is
to say, no great country can protect itself
without both systems of defense. What
Admiral Walker says in this connection is
significant not only because of his knowl-
edge OF military matters, but for the fur
ther reason that he believes war between
the United States and a strong foreign
power would demonstrate how lily this
country is psepared for such an encounter.
81 am a good American" said Admiral
" alker this morning, but l cannot shut
my eyes to cold facts. We are not pre-
pared to-day to engage in war with any
first-cass power. We are in the position
that China occupied in her recent struggle
with Japan. We have vast population,
great wealth, boundless resources and in
tense patriotism. But I'VE cannot main
tain an offensive or defensive attitude
against any of the more powerful half
dozen foreign countries. What General
Miles says about the defenseless condition
of our coast cities is entirely correct.
ut is true New York and San Francisco
are better protected than any of our other
commercial cities, but even they would be
helpless against the assaults OF dozen
1ipwerful ironclads. So far as the remain
ing cities are concerned they have no pro-
lection whatever"
"What do you think the Government
ought to do2n
Congress ought to make liberal appro-
priations for coast defenses and for addi-
tional ships OF war More than ANYTHING
else we need u strong navy. If we had
dozen battle-ships of the Indiana class on
the Atlantic coast we could defy as power
ful maritime country as Great Britain.
We have now four battle-ships building
and two others have been appropriated
for. We need at least seven more. If
Congress would appropriate the money
two of these ships ought to be given to the
Cramps, two to the Huntington yard at
Newport News. one to the Union Iron
Works at San Francisco, and the others
ought TO be built at the navy-yards at
Brooklyn and Norfolk. With anything
like fair system of coast defense we
would then be beyond the possibility of
war. There would be no more Corinto
incidents, no more talk of foreign aggres-
sions on American soil. The United
States would be pre-eminent on the Amer
lean continent. The greatest precaution
AGAINST war is to be fully prepared for it,"
What about the Pacific Coast2'
Three battle-ships would be sufficient
for those waters, as the only probability of
trouble there might be with the countries
to the south of US, and three such vessels
would amply protect us from their as
saults.'