Omaha daily bee., 1895-11-13

Something must he allowed to mill.
tary and naval officers for extreme
Views regarding the defensive works
needed on our Scabnnrd. aud vet It
would be Il mistake not to give careful
consideration to their recommendations.
especially in view of the fact that there
Is no difference Of opinion among them.
For the same reason that the consensus
OF Judgment among practical financicrs
and business men In relation 60 the cur
rcncy aud to trade is given respectful
attention. the expert opinion of military
and naval officers, presumably disin-
tcrestcd. Is entitled to thoughtful and
unprecedented consideration. 1t is not
to be doubted that the country would
be in II better condition for defense than
it now is if the people had hitherto
placed more confidence in the recon-
mendationS of the men whose particu-
lar function it is to advise regarding
military and naval preparation.
For years men occupying the highest
positions in the army and navy of the
United States have been urging the ne
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us the surcSt means of protection
against Il foreign foe, and willie the
arguments ana recommendations from
these sources have not been altogether
disregardcd. but on the contrary have
had good results, it appears from the
report Of the now commander of the
army. General Miles, that Il great deal
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dcrcnscS are what they should be. The
general of the army states that our con
ditiOn in This respect is known by every
first class power, and there can be no
question that such is the fact. 1t would
be so even if it were not made known
in our military and naval reports. be
cause foreign governments make it Il
business TO keep themselves as fully
Informed as possible regarding the de-
fcnsivc preparations OF other powers.
and there is no difficulty in the way
of their knowing just what our condi-
ton is. 1T may somewhat Startle the
American people, and perhaps silence
the judges, to learn on the competent
authority of General Miles that we are
as far behind in the modern appliances
of war as China or Japan. and that n
million men marShallcd on IL coasts
for defense would be useless without
the appliances of war which we lack.
With this deliberate statement of the
highest military authority before them
what will the advocates of Il war with
Great Britain say. and what becomes
90 t1, 1,,,., ,l.,. A.. .Y- -. -
able to cope with any nation of the
world in arms against it? An AmCri-
can soldier of distinguished ability. in
tercstcd only in the security of his coun-
try, acknowledges in Il rcpOrt to the
government hat thiS is among the
most dcfcnSclcsS of nations. and who
will venture TO dispute his statement?
The United States has Il coast line
Of 1000 miles and General Miles says
that it is n dcluSion to think that we
can depend for its defense upon the
navy and upon torpedOcS. There must
be at every seaport adequate defcrSeS.
fully equipped with modern guns ana
appliances. Progress is being made in
applying these ut San Francisco. but
lllt bull illu .hllullllc COASTS, where the
greatest damage would be suffered in
the event of war with Great Britain or
any other great European power. are
practically defenSclcss. The obvious in
ference from what General Miles saws
is that a strong naval force could de
stroy any of the exposed Atlantic sea
board cities, and there is little reason
to doubt that Great Britain could con
CentTate Il fleet in the Atlantic within
ninety days powerful enough to over
come any naval force we could send
against it and lay New York. philadel-
phia or Boston in ashes. American
pride may revolt against such an ac-
acknowledgement, but it is justified by
the highest military authority.
Unfortunately. the present condition
of the national treasury is not favorable
to increased expenditures for coast de
lenses, but the strong statement of
General Miles can hardly fail to com
mand the serious attention of congress
and the country, and it ought to operate
to quiet the ClamOr of those whose voice
is for war.