Arizona silver belt., 1896-01-18
WHERE WE ARE WEAK.
The Urgent Necessity of Better
 Coast Defenses.

urging the importance of preparation for the defense of coast cities.
 ] In the recent patriotic Outburst, in- spired by the Presidents Venezuelan message, the war department has been impressed with the popular miscon- ception of what a war at the present time would mean.
 War no longer means men. It doesn't mean great loss of human life. There came to the war department of the United States few days ago an official report from the Japanese Gov ernment of the casualties sustained by the Japanese armies in the entire cam paign against China. It showed that the total loss in killed sustained by the Japanese armies was 6S9 men. 1 This seemed almost incredible. The Japanese minister was asked about it. He said the report was true; that his country had lost less than 700 men in conquering China. In the late civil war the fatalities of the Northern army were 10000. In single charge at Spottsylvania the present general of the army had as many men killed as the Japanese lost in the late war. The war of today and tomorrow means millions of dollars and hundreds not thousands of lives. General Miles, now at the head of the United States army, does not believe this country needs large army. He would in- crease the present limit of 25,000, but not largely.
 The civil war lasted four years. Two of those years were consumed in get ting ready to do the real fighting and battle-winning of the last two years. The war between Japan and China continued only about as many months as the war between the States occu- pied years. No war that could be started now with modern methods would last year, the military experts say. Six months, they think, would see the end of any conflict that might arise between Great Britain and this country. Impressed with the changed conditions of warfare and oppressed with the feeling that public sentiment in this country is not alive to the real situation, officers of both the war and the navy departments have spoken freely and emphatically of the want of preparation.
 Ten years ago plan of sea coast defenses was adopted. It was elabor- ate and complete. it provided for the fertilization of twenty-seven ports and Puget Sound. These included all of the principal cities and harbors on the Atlantic, the Pacific and the Gulf coasts. There were to be mounted GIT of the most modern guns and S24 mor- tars. And to make assurance doubly sure, the board of eminent engineers who formulated the plan of sea coast defenses, suggested the addition oi floating batteries to the big guns and mortars on shore. The plan called for an expenditure of s21, 100000 the first year and S9,O00,000 a year until the work was done. Under this recom- mendation, the engineers were certain the system of defense of the twenty seven coast cities and harbors could be completed by December, 1895. With such a system of sea coast defenses the United States can defy the world. This nation has simply to close it's ports, feed and clothe itself and await attack. It can never be conquered, and, while presenting no vulnerable point for attack, it can send its navy forth to inflict damage on it's ad versary.
 Up to the present time there has been spent upon the plan of defense S10, 900, 900 instead of $97, 900, 900. That is why the military authorities speak so discouragingly of this country's readiness for war. High authorities give S75, ,000, 900 as the amount which will put the coast in a proper state of defense. This amount is not asked at once. If the money was supplied as fast as it could be used advan- tageously, the year 1900 would see the principal ports of the country ap- preaching a condition of security from foreign attack. The Government now owns an equipped factory which can produce thirty-five of these big guns year. A contract has been given to private corporation at Bethlehem, Pa, which has prompted the construc- tion of a plant there and from that source the Government in the next half dozen years will receive 100 big guns. These guns weigh from thirty to forty tons.
 At only three ports have any of the sea coast defenses reached that stage of completion in which immediate use could be made of them. New York has two of the largest-sized guns yet made in position for service. The same port has sixteen of the big nor tars. San Francisco has one of the big guns and sixteen of the mortars. Bos- ton, which is to have forty-three of the big guns and 12S mortars, has not a single gun in place and only sixteen of the mortars.
 But the progress of preparation has reached that point where a great deal can be accomplished by the time the Venezuelan commission may be ex- pected to report. In July, according to information obtained at the war | denartment there will be 124 ofthe h; os