The silver blade. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1895-1903, 1896-02-15
A TALK WITH SENATOR SQUIRE
Gives an Interesting Interview TO the
New York Sun-Work in the
Committee.

man of the committee on coast defences,
that the correspondence relative to the
Venezuelan boundary dispute and the
popular endorsement of the attitude oe
congress and the administration would
be without valuable results unless pro-
ceedings were at once taken by congress
to place the government in readiness
to meet any trouble that might arise
therefrom. Mr.. Justice Brown of the
supreme court also said to a member
Of the committee that he considered the
question of the military and naval
strength Of the country the most impor-
tant that could come before congress at
this session.
The committee on coast defences has
been engaged for the past six weeks on
bill appropriating $S7 900, 900, to be ex-
pended on land Notifications at the
"a important cities named in the recon-
mendations of the Notifications board,
and after listening for two hours this
morning to Admiral Walker, who pre-
scented the value of defences from
naval standpoint, the committee decid-
ed to close all hearings and at once be-
gin the final considera ton of the meas
ure prior to reporting it to the senate
that he was confident of a favo- 1ble re-
port from the committee and expected
the senate to make most liberal provis-
ion, but he was little dubious about
the action of the house, in view of Mr..
Reeds mandate for curtailment of eX-
penses in all directions.
He pointed out the helpless condition
the country was at present in owing to
the parsimony OF congress in past years,
and represented that many first class
powers could without much trouble
bring most of the important coastwise
cities into subsection. He showed that
the navy was inadequate to cope with
even second rate powers, and that the
defences were little more than worth
less.
Like General Miles, he advocated not
only increasing the navy, but urged that
coast defenceS are of even greater i'm
portance He considered one kind of de-
fence to be the compliment Of the other,
and both are as necessary as cavalry
and artillery are to the army. He deem
ed the land defences to be requisite as
means of guarding the large cities,
so as to permit the navy to be free for
operations outside, and of affording safe
places of refuge in case the naval forces
were being overmatched by a superior
fleet of the enemy. There was neces-
sity for further defences, he said, in or
der that fleets could be protected when
repairing coaling, or receiving supplies.
Without the former the navy would at
all times be open to assault from the
enemy in time of war. He showed that
without land Notifications dock yards
could be destroyed and our ships pur-
sued into port and annihilated by SUI
perior fleet. He also advocated the con-
struction of battle ships rather than
harbor defence vessels, as being better
adapted for general purpose of attack
and defence. Under present conditions
he believed it would be impossible fo1
the navy to defend the seaports, and
that it would be far more economical tC
protect them with land defences than to
create a sufficient navy for that pur'
pose.
Senator Squire after the meeting sale
to the New York Sun reporter:
1.-THE country seems to be manifestins
q. deep interest in the subject, / shoul6
Judge from recent newspaper articles
and I have been especially pleased II
note the decided interest and able man
ner in which the Sun has set forth tn
necessity for coast defences. The fac
"a that right thinking people are awar
If the necessity Of Notifications, bu
nothing can accentuate the feeling s.
much as the foreign complications an
+ha threatening troubles growing out Q