The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-26
NOT FIXED TO FIGHT
WHAT A CONSERVATIVE" o0RRE-
spOEDENT SAYS

Uncle Sam, Says This Blus-Glass Observer
OF International Questions, has . very
Fine Navy, Doubt, But Hasn't Am
munttion Enough to Feed the Guns 81,
Hours, Nor Men Enough to Work Them
Nor Soldiers Enough to Man Coast De
fenses-Other Things Uncle Sam Cs.',
Go-spain's Fighting Clothes.
Chicago, Dec. 25.-Says the Washing
ton correspondent Of the Chicago Rec
ord:
Army and navy officers are reluctant
to talk about such things, but there is
no disputing the fact thst the United
States is not ready for war. We now
have a fine feet of ships. much better
navy than Spain. We have four OK the
finest of battleships, equal il every res
pect to anything that floats, while Spain
has but one, which is neither SO large
| nor so well armed as the Massachusetts,
Indiana, Oregon or Iowa. She has two
second-class battleships that are better
than ours of the same grade, but she
| has no seacoast defenders, while we have
| six monsters that are equal to anything
| Of their class in the world. She has
| four armered cruisers, while we have
but two. In partially protected cruisers
the two nations are about even in ton
| mage and guns. In gunboats We are su-
perior in number and in tonnage, but
IN torpedo boats the Spanish navy IS
very much superior to ours. If the two
nations should meet at sea and fight ii
i &c - =.
| tory for the United States, although
Spain might win the first few battles. OF
| course, We could raise a larger army,
and the United States is a wealthy ma
lion. while Spain is poor. Our credit is
strong, but hers is weak, and has been
exhausted in the money centers of the
world. 1t would be impossible for
Spain to make a loan of any large
| amount with foreign bankers. Her last
attempt was failure, and she was com
peIed to appeal to her own people, who
| responded promptly and generously.
Their resources are limited, and it would
not De possible for them 20 duplicate the
money they have already given to sup
press the insurrection in Cuba.
UNCLE SANS WEAK POINT.
THE weak point in our condition, how
ever, is that We have so many import
ant cities on our seacoast undefended.
There is not one on the Atlantic coast.
from Eastport to Galveston, that would
resist or protect itself from destruction,
IL 1t We're visited by Spanish fleet, and
a single gunboat in single day could
do more damage to the United States
ana destroy more property than the
Spanish army has destroyed in Cuba
since the revolution began. 1t is also
an important fact that our army and
navy both lack ammunition, which can
not be furnished in moment IT is hu-
initiating, but nevertheless true, that all
the ammunition is possession of the navy
or the United States is stored in maya.
zines OF the ships that are floating to-
day, and our great battleships and moni-
tors would be absolutely helpless and
useless after a few hours of fighting.
Dispatches from Washington say that
the powder works there are running
night and day, filling government con-
tracts. On the other hand. Spain is pre-
pareo for war. She is ready to fight at
the DROP OF the hat, while it would take
SIX or eight months or year to arm
and equip our navy.
SHIPS SHORT=HANDED.
Last year Secretary Herbert sent an
urgent appeal to congress asking for
authority to enlist 5000 men for service
sailors now with our splendid new fleet
than we had twenty years ago, when the
navy consisted of q lot of old wooden
tuoS that Rad been kept floating since
the war. Congress refused his appeal.
and as consequence there is not a ship
In the United States navy that has more
than half O. crew. Nor is il possible to
put ships on war footing in a month
or two. The modern man-of-war is a
&c --rrs 1r@s
and electric apparatus, machine guns
and all sorts of tackle that REQUIRES
skilled and experienced men to handle.
And a modern sailor must be machin-
est. The slightest mistake or careless
hess on the part of green hand would
render a gun or an engine useless and
naval officers say that no man is fit to
be trusted on board a ship in the excite
ment OF battle until ne has had at least
five years practical training at sea-
In these respects the United States
would be at disadvantage if the govern
ment of Spain should take a notion to re-
sent the jingoism of the senate, and that
matter was seriously discussed by the
cabinet Friday night before Secretary
Olney wrote his Interview for the news
papers, and gave an assurance to the
Spanish government that the indeDend-
ence OF Cuba would not be recognized.
no matter what congress said or did.
THEN THERE'S THE ARMY.
cur army Is in even worse condition
than the navy. We have about "a OO0
men, but they would not be one-fourth
as manv as are necessary to man the
forti1cations along the coast. even if we
mad guns for them to use. OF course.
We could enlist 100000 men within
month or six weeks if there was danger
al
Csges.ed. they would have nothing to
hight with. Guns and ammunition can
not be made in day, and they cannot
De purchased like dress goods or grocer
les. Therefore, as the great viceroy re-
marked when commenting upon cur mil
itdry condition all that our soldiers could
do IN case of sudden attack upon our
se2cast would be TO throw sticks and
stones az the enemy, like a lot OF old wo-
man.
''The jingoes who are displaying their
patriotism in the newspapers and the |
L Unted States senate have failed TO con-
sider The cost of war. in human lives,
as well as money. If we should send /
an army TO Cuba a very small part of /
It would never return to this country.
The maiarial fevers of that climate have
done more II prevent the suppression OF |
the rebellion than the armies OF the in
: iA gems, ana recent dispatches tell US
that there are now 1000 men in the hos 4
pitaiS or Havana alone. without includ- |
Ias As many more VINO are disabled from l
tie same cause in other cities The eli |
mate OF Cuba would he even more dead |
y 10 an American than 20 a SDaniari. |
because the latter are not accustomed TO /
TIE cooler temperature and the comforts |
ana laN;nies which cur people enjoy
MATT EANSO,r.S MtyFD yrTwS
Personally for Cuba. But In His job Hold