Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-15
A COMPARISON OF FORCES.
What the English May Have and
What Americans Could Do.

From the Figaro.
NJ. Nignauds statement that the Ameri-
can fleet would be able to destroy to
paralyZe in one month all the commerce
Of England. and that the United States
would Immediately find the millions for as
many warships they might need, has
not Influenced the English. Confident of
the power of their fortyfour battle ships
their l42 cruisers and their 40 torpedo
boats. our neighbors on the other side of
the strait look with a certain contempt
upon the feet of the United States, which
numbers only about forty vessels. nine
battle ships. twenty-five cruisers and few
torpedo boats. This disproportion of
forces appears TO the English so utterly
crushing that they will not admit the pos
sibility of a repulse.
On the other hand, the Americans, in
blowing the war trumpet Immediately af
ter the defiant message of President Cleve-
land, seem tc be a little too hasty. 1t is
evidently the recollection of the wonders
accomplished by their sailors during the
war of the rebellion that fires their ardor
1t is true that during that fratricidal
struggle, which lasted during four years.
the federals and confederates succeeded in
creating fleets almost out of nothing.
1t is also true that, taking advantage of
the initiative spirit of the boldness which
has never deserted the Americans the
men of both north and south were able to
revolutioniZe the art of naval warfare.
They made improvements, introduced nov
elites, and invented new engines, such as
ironcads. monitors and torpedo boats.
But IL 1861, at the commencement of hos
t!lities, the two adversaries were evenly
matched in the means at their disposal.
means which were utterly insufficient, If
not completely worthless. The conditions
of the possible future conflict are alto
{ IF inn
and of enterprise still remains active
as ever among the Americans, if thei" in
dustrial resources have been developed dur
ing the past Few years in marvellous pro-
portions, If by intelligent and patient eff
forts they have been able to create an ef-
fective fleet, without drawing upon any
foreign products, it must none the less be
remembered that they propose to quarrel
on the one hand, occupies in an industrial
point OF view an Incompatible position,
and on the other possesses the greatest
navy in the world.
There was some truth in the statement of
the British naval officer which appeared in
the New York Herald the other day. that
the activity of the English dockyards
could surpass, If necessary, that of the
dockyards of America: and he was not
wrong when he asserted that the Ameri-
cans, possessing neither a naval reserve
aor thoroughly trained crews, would be at
great disadvantage in case of war But
forth the announcement that the Ameri-
cSns would need ten times as many ships
as they have at present before they would
be able to cope successfully with the Eng
lish. Now, inasmucn the Americans
have at the present moment thirty-four
modern warships, without counting the
coast-guarding vessels of the old model
and the torpedo boats it follows there
fore, according to this English correspond
ent of the Herald, that it would take $40
American vessels to beat the 1SG British
vessels. That certainly is pricing the fight
ing value of the latter at an extraordinarily
high figure and belittling the power of the
former. 1t is a good thing to have self
confidence, but when it reaches the point
indicated it becomes excessive. not to saw
ridiculous.
Englishmen would do we'll to remember
that in 1872 the Americans made war upon
them with feet small in number and
weak in preparation. But for all that five
English frigates fell into the hands of the
enemy during the very first months of the
struggle, and II did not take long for those
in London to become convinced that their
enemy, so much despised on the outbreak
OF hoStlties, was well worthy of serious
consideration. What happened at that
time might he repeated again, and the
American navy OF 1895. however small II
may be in the number of its ships, might
Wen be able to make more imposing enc
my suffer very considerable losses. A ma
ton that lives upon its maritime COM
merce alone has much to dread from the
attacks of cruisers boldly commanded
And since the Americans have refused to
sign a sanction of the treaty of Paris
which would bind them TO the suppression
of privateering, they are at perfect liberty
to create any number they please of auxil-
larry cruisers, SO that the war which they
could wage upon English steamers and
sailing vessels might be redoubtable in the
extreme.