The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-01-23

are held with but threads of silk. The sun
never ceases to shine on British SOIL and her
drum-beats roll around the earth but her sol
diers must beat the drums, and they cannot
make them reverberate around the earth by
staying at home A large part of her force is
in India, where it is absolutely needed. A
4 part of it is in Canada, part in Ireland, part
in British Guiana, part in Cape Colony and
| the balance is scattered about her own islands,
and in Australia, the Bermudas, Gibraltar,
Malta, China, around the Dardanelles and In
various parts of Africa, along the Suez Canal
and elsewhere. In case of war with us,
| therefore, her provinces would be her vulner-
able points. The Beers would doubtless take
advantage of her relaxed vigilance in that
quarter to declare independence. The Sepoys
and Indians might ask greater liberty; the
powers might say: ave want the Suez
Canal" Spain might say "You have occu-
| pied Gibraltar long enough. Give us back
our own," and Italy might, perhaps, demand
| the Island of Malta
In any event, whether these things should
happen or not, England must needs guard her
own, and what then is her available force
| against us?
Her war footing is 224, 211 men, scattered,
as | have indicated, and her naval footing
| including naval reserves, is 102, 5S3 according
to one authority, and 63,S05 according to
| another. Her war footing is 1,03S, 100, and
| her naval reserve, is but rs, 700 according to
another authority.
Our peace footing is 1887 officers and
men, and naval force of about 1000, with
a reserve of 1883 men. Our war strength,
| on the basis of the number of men actually
| enrolled in the civil war, viz, 4,276, 304,
should be at this time, or 80 years afterwards,
close upon 6,000 900 of men in the army
and at least 150 900 marines and seamen.
OF the 4, 276 1904 enlisted men who fought in
our late war at least one-fourth are capable
of bearing arms to-day, which means in adj
dition to our peace footing of 143, 796,
i ,069, 076 veterans, who are already drilled,
and who have had actual experience in the
field, for most of these veterans keep up their
regular drills in the Grand Army and other
military societies; 676, 100 of these men, or
their families, are now, or were in 1892, draw
ing pensions regularly from the Government,
and it is pretty safe to say that most of those
who are able would be the first to volunteer in
case of hostilities Add to these the hundreds
of thousands of our young men who are
members of some of the dozen or more mill
tary societies training regularly, and you
will readily that, after all, this 6, 900, 900
of men claimed as a var footing is not ali
over-estimation, and that Uncle Sam is not so
badly equipped with raw soldiers" as these
writers intimate.
1t has been stated, and no doubt you have
seen the report many times recently, that the
soldiers of England are accustomed to field
service, and that they are Injured to hard
ships and are more experienced in the art of
war. This is an absurdity for outside of a
Few hn If tlar. 1,o hove
in desultory Indian warfare, from time to
time, within the last 90 years. and a few
survivors of the Crimea who were mustered
out of service long ago, the English army has
not smelt gun-powder. 1t hasn't dozen
officers of any rank now in service who have
had practical experience in handling armies,
but, on the contrary, they are mostly untried.
Contrast this with our living Generals, all
hale and robust enough to have volunteered
the moment war was talked of, who are
thoroughly experienced in the art, the follow
ing of whom are only few:
Generals Miles Scofeld, Howard, McCook,
Wallace, Rosecrans, Hawley, Longstreet,
Batchelder, Ruggles, Breckenridge, Fessen-
den, SMITH, Hardin, Carr, Sickles, Robinson,
Porter and Flagler. Many of these are at
this moment directing branches of the
Government service, and many others are
retired, but can be called upon at moments
notice. if necessity should demand the sacri-
fee.
There is no other country on the face of
the globe which can put g, 600, 900 of men in
the field on short notice, if patriotism de-
manded their services. No nations ever
massed such armies of volunteer soldiers as
confronted each other in such numbers dur
ing our war, and they taught the world how
to fight.
The American Militia is more accustomed
to roughing it than is that of any other Nation.
A great part of it would be recruited from men
accustomed to handling the rifle. The SUI
periority of the American soldier over the
British was demonstrated in the Revolution
airy War, in the War of 1872 and particularly
at the battle of New Orleans, where an Eng
lish army, under Gen. Packenham, number
ing four times our own, was defeated most
disastrously, because of the superior marks
manship and hardihood of the Americans
What we did then, with about 3, 000, 600 popu-
lation, we can certainly do again, now that
we have a population of 20: 000,0
England undoubtedly has a superior navy,
but, fortunately, in case of crisis, we have
but little shipping she can get at, and re-
sources within ourselves which do not compel
us to 90 outside for everything we may want.
Through letters of marque we could, in
short time, drive her shipping off the seas, in
spite Of her navy, Neich will also be occupied
elsewhere. Our cities are adequately pro-
tected against any immediate force that can
be brought against them, and before an ex-
traordinary expedition could be fitted out we
could have one ourselves
The ST. Louis and the New York. two of
the swiftest boats afioat were subsidized by
the Government so that in case of war they
could be pressed into service Our boats now
in the stocks could be rushed through and as
our present vessels can sail all around most of
the heavy English ships, we are not SO badly
off for naval protection. The little Monitor
when it first put in an appearance, completely
TeyOlutionized naval warfare and rendered
the whole English navy practically valueless
Four-fifths Of the great inventions of this
century are of American origin and no one
need doubt but what inventive genius abid-
ing on this side of the waters will be equal to
any emergency the English may force us into
Our facilities for building gunboats, as shown
III the last war, were never surpassed. before
or since. BY means of these, but a few weeks
would suffice to put any city of our seacoast
in state of defense together with the pro-
lection which they already have
Washington is protected by the Notifications
at Indian Head proving ground, where is also
stored armament and ammunition in large
quantities by Forts Washington and Mver
and by garrisons at the Arsenal. within the
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