The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-02
through the woundse we should receive

Our navy Is hOpeleSSly unequal to the
task of keeping British ironclads away
from our coast, and our Notifications
are SO incomplete that the bombardment
of Portland, Boston, and New York.
not to mention the smaller towns along
our Shores could only be avoided by the
payment or ranSoHS that would be
measured by the forbearance OF the
foe We have practically but one bat
tle-sh1p, the 1ndiana-unleSs the Maine
and Texas are counted as fit to take
their places in the line. How insignifi-
can't would such a fleet be against the
dozens or more powerful vessels pos
sesSed by England. Our navy would
be compelled TO act the defensive and
to avoid collision with the ships of the
power so lightly challenged to combat
lis this position calculated to swell
the pride OF the American people? Smn
less creditable would be the entering
upon hostihties in the expectation that
some other nation with more and LANCER
ships would join us. If a boy can only
fight when his big brother is art hand
TO help him, he ought to avoid picking
Quarrels when alone.
The press abounds in predictions of
the frightful damage TO be done to
British commerce. Indeed, the British
flag Is 20 disappear from the seas, say
many If not all of these prphets,
through the activity Of our prtveteers.
To what extent are these gentlemen
likely TO be correct? History 1t not 81
lent on this subject.
Never was commerce-destroying as
fixed policy more persistently or Wig
orously carried ON than by France dur
ing the wars OF the revolution, consul
ate and empire. Occupying a post on
the flank of all the trade routes CEN
tering in the United Kingdom. the sea
swaTming with her ieuters-o-marQue,
France enjoyed Ideally favorable OPP
portunities for this very species of war
fare which, we are told, Is to bend proud
Albion TO our will. If ever British COM
merce was doomed to be swept from the
face of the ocean, that was the time.
The records, however, according to Cap
tain Maihan, whose authority no lingo
can question. show that but about 21a
percent of British vessels were taken
annually, while British exports and i'm
ports rose from IA. 565 900 in 1892, the
last year Of peace, to f73, 726. 900 in 1900,
the last year of unbroken war. In its
message to the council of five hundred
in January, 1923, the directory stated
thai. Ty4thGn the three years ending
December, 1928, 'privafeers alone put
more than twenty thousand individuals
in the balance Of exchanges favorable
TO England" and mot a single mer-
chant vessel sailed under the French
flag" These are facts which cannot be
doisputed. They do not appear TO offer
much encouragement TO those who ex-
pect TO compel peace through depreda-
tons on private vessels.
Moreover. navigation has changed
since the days of Pios and Napoleon.
Propulsion by steam has replaced pro-
pulSion by sails. Wherever the winds
blew and there was water enough 10
float her, in those times. a privateer
could go. Today she cannot pass a
liTnit Of distance determined by her
ability 10 steam away from a coal dock
and return before her bunkers are ex-
hausted. Deprived OF coallng stations.
her powers OF destruction VIII be con-
fined 70 q narrow zone along the coast.
Few Of our national cruisers could ven
ture over a thousand miles or 50 from
home with She certainty Of getting back
into port The picture OF privateers and
commerce-deStroyerS harrasslng Brit
ish trade on foreign oceans Is pure
fignent Of the imagination In excep-
-ional cases. such a craft might keep
-he sea for a brief season through al
tendant coslerS, but, 7T.Sh ali submarine
telegraph cables n British hands. her
career would be nalther prUsongued nor
fruitful.
''Suppossng this quarrel Just and II
ght@Ous. Is ! tnot the par Of TIE true
patrol 20 consider carefully the risks
tina: ATTEND a national feeling which 1O<-
bids q freddy settlement. and. reooZ-
ming the logic % facts. 20 sex some
temporary arrangement that VII per
1nSt ;ls-n 20 Sharpen his sword and fash
ion rs amor agasrs- a day when the
god 81 war. who's partially for the
heavier b-a-tal5ons e p-oysr5isl. may be
-le-Susded 70 turn rs hack on John
Bull and face toward Brother jon
a-haa7"