Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-04
Facts Of Especial Interest Nowadays.

CORlC 6ChNiahy AA~ INV N"P~e'
war with Spain, if we may judge from
the reports that appear. nor are there
any certain grounds upon which 10
base such a supposition. Neyertneiess
there are occurrences which exclte
comment and afford more or less rea-
son to assume that there is a POSSIBLE
ity that the United States government
will be glad that it has as much OF It's
new coast defences as have been put
in place and as much of its future
splendid navy as the work OF the past
fourteen years has been able to pro-
duce. The recent report OF the secre-
tarv of war showed that the work upon
the coast defences had been forwarded
as fast as possible and that much had
been accomplished. Recent incidents
indicate that this work is not being de-
layed. A few days ago the command
ant of the WATERFOWL arsenal received
three kilograms ordering him to send
Immediately the gun carriages for
Sullivan Island, Charleston, 5. c. har-
bor. He had been intending to send
the lot together but this telegram
changed his mind abruptly and he kept
men at work all day Sunday getting
off two of the carriages and is hasten
ing everything to ship the others as
soon as possible. The work Of fortify-
ing Charleston Harbor is being con-
tinued lust as vigorously. An0t..er
feature that attracts notice in Wash
ington is that naval officers are maxi
ing strenuous efforts to be assigned to
duty, expressing the hope that there
will yet be work for the navy and
chance for glory. On December Il, if
nothing intervenes to prevent Admir-
al Bunce will sail southwark from the
Brooklyn navy yard with a splendid
fleet all of which, with the exception
of the Texas, which will follow later,
will be in perfect trim.
In event Of war with Spain there
would apparently be comparatively
little to fear from incursiOns of
Spanish troops upon our soil. They
might land an expedition in Florida or
at some other point along the Southern
coast but the likelihood of its penetrat-
ing to any vital part of the country
seems extremely slight. We have not
been led to look upon Spanish troops
with awe, judging them by the ac-
counts which leave the impression that
many of them are understood youth
capable Of rejecting but little of the
past lustre of Spanish arms. But out
of the 365, TAG men. which Spain has
under arms, today, at home, in the
campaign in the Philippines and in
Cuba, it would be erroneous to assume
that there are no good soldiers, trained
veterans capable of vigorous fighting.
The Spanish are not towards Along
with degeneracy in other respects there
the courage that once lent brlliancy
to Spanish history, so that what with
corruption and mismanagement and
the fact that many of the troops called
out, owing to eXtremities, are little
more than boys, i'll fed and with little
to inspire them, the Spanish forces.
man for man. will not compare at all
favorably with the troops of this coun-
try. including those which make up the
national guard in the various states.
The total war strength of Spain is
placed at 45S,643. liability to service be-
ing universal. At home that govern
ment now has 64,S9O infantry, 1896
cavalry, 1896 artillery. In Cuba her
army exclusive of the native soldiers
numbers 100000, at Porto Rico are 5000
troops and the army in the Philippine
campaign numbers not less than 30, 900.
Certainly Spain can i'll afford to spare
any troops from Cuba or the Philip
pines. nor can she increase her present
footing but little
The total number of men in the Uni
ted States liable to military duty is
10, lS0,043. Jan. l, 1895, the total num-
Der, exclusive of naval reserves, of
state troops in this country was l14,-
Jag. The regular army is now limited
to $4,000. There is naval militia in
the states of Massachusetts, Rhode
Island, Connecticut. New York, Penn
sylvania, Maryland, North Carolina,
South Carolina. Georgia, California.
Illinois. Michigan, New Jersey, Vir-
ginia and Louisiana. The strength of
this force is about 5000 and it's duty in
time of war will be to man the coast
and harbor defence vessels, leaving the
regular force free to carry on offensive
operations.
or course in war with Spain over
Cuba we could reckon on our side
the Cuban insurgent force, which has
been demonstrated sufficiently STRONG
to hold at bay 100000 troops. This
insurgent force is daily growing
stronger and is in control of abou,