The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1896-02-26
UNITED AMERICA.
Western Republics Gould Form an
Irresistible Combination.
Nearly q Million Armed Men
Ready For Mobilization.

republics have to-day, equipped and
armed, over 0Gj,OOO men, regulars
and militia, against the GG2, 900 regu-
lar, reserved aud auxiliary forces
which the United Kingdom of Great
! Britain has stationed in England, In
da aud the colonies Without ndd-
ing single man, volunteering or
drafted, this side of the water thus
appears to have the advantage of
numbers, ns far rs the now organized
lnnd force is concerned.
Chile has standing army about
one-qunrter the size of ours and
National Guard of over 80, 900 men.
All of thoso are armed with small cali
Der rifles. Argentina maintains
standing army onc.third the size OF
ours, but she has tremendous M
tional Guard, numbering 30i, 000--
almost three times the size OF our or
ganised militia, says the Washington
correspondent Of the Boston Trans
cript. She has only la.oly equipped
herself with the most modern fire.
arms. Her forces alone, If added to
ours, would mike an army of almost
n half million. Peru, although with
smaller force, has likewise pro-
cured modern rifles, not forgetting
hn, J,,rnat lao rhila
One great disadvantage under
which we would suffer, il joined with
the sister republics against the United
Kingdom, is the lack of uniformity of
arms. Each Of the South and Cen
trail American States has it's character
istic arm and many doubtless carry II
variety of patterns. Suppose NIL OF
the United States, Central and South
America were concentrated for war.
About twenty-five magazine factori, 8
might be require to operate night and
. day making that many sizes OF car
tridgos. Each nationality would be
disabled without its special brand OF
ammunition, because 1t could not bor-
row from n neighboring army using a
different shell. Great Britain's iu-
fnntry is equipped with Il rifle which
will repeat eleven shots. The whole
army can be supplied from ono fac
tory and one regiment can obtain n
new supply Of cartridges from any
other.
Great Britain has sc armored ships
in service; wo have but 20. She il
n builling IA we but 10. She has il
g addition 1873 unarmored ships avail
= able we but AZ. She is building 2'
new vessels Of this class while We ar,
n builing 8. In other words Great Brit
;, ain has over four times as IN any ship
n ready for war as we have, and is still
building over twice as many as W
are. The republics OF Central ant
> South America could furnish us nbou
:, 200 ships, which when added to ours
will form fleet still smaller than thn
of Great Britain. But John Bal
cannot sparo all of his fleets from for
eign waters, for fear of Russia an
- France.
Braz's navy consists OF ninetoe
D vessels, seven of which are armored
Only two of these are bnttleships, tn
G. largest having displacement of $40
8. tons and an armor belt eleven inch6
% thick. Besides these, Brazil ha
p twenty-five torpedo boats. She is ais
IL building eleven new naval vessels, fou
of which are TO be ironclads. Argcl
is tina has seventeen ships in her navl
be five OF which are armored, bcsd,
G. twenty-one torpedo boats Her large
gn vessel has displacement of A, 200 tor
tn and an armor belt of nine inche
Chile can add to this eleven vesse
4. and twenty-five torpedo boats. III,
le largest il battleship of 200 ton
5. with twelve inch belt. Uruguay CT
an lend ten vessels, three of which a
Id gunboats. The navies OF the renal
ing republics of Central aud Sou
Il America are very Insignificant as i
,a dividuals, but if concentrated won
+ make quito large feet to act as cor
va merce destroyers.
"a With this combined navy Unc
bo Sam could ut least defend his prime
pal seaports. 1t is thought that ii
task would be easy with such powe
''' full aids as the ram Katardin and t
A monitor Puritan.