The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-12
VISION OFNEWYoRK'S STALL
ADuIRAL JoUETT ON THIS OITT'S
CHANCES IN a WAR.
We Need More Fioating Forts In the shape or
HSonitorp, ne says. 10 Dsrsnd tire CITY
vWarnhips Could Rcrnain Below the Rorisen
ana Drop She'll. int the Town Easily.

We Weed More Fioating Forts In the shape OF
Mentors, ne says, TO Defend tire CITY
Warnhips Could Remnin Below the storiheh
ana Drop She'll. int the Town Easily.
LouisvILLE, KY, Nov. 11.-Admiral James r..
Jouett, who is in tho city on a visit to relatives,
said, In discussing the statement that no warehip
can approach within a dozen miles OF New YORK
until 1t had destroyed tho barriers In the Day
and Sound:
You can only sec q ship eight milesout at sea,
ana therefore a mnn.of- war twelve miles away
from tho harbor and beyond tho vision OF tho
gunners in tho forts could lcisurely throw its
shot and shell into New York and DO perfectly
safe itself. Give q half dozen good vessels
with their heterogeneous accurate charts and
they can 80 place their shells that New York
would be reduced in n surprisingly short time.
Forts are all right whom It comes to keeping the
fleet of tho enemy out OF tho harbor. but to pre-
vent tho ships from effectively bombarding a
city they must have the assistance OF our mod
ern.built monitors.
ANY largo squadron blockading New York
city would DO moro powerful than all her forts
combined. 1t would DO only q question of time
before the forts would have to capitulate II the
vessels should concentrate their fire. But put
three or four monitors out in the shoal water
and let them poke their shot into the ribs, of the
enemy. aud before you can say Jack Robin son
they will steam for the open sea as fast as their
screws can propel them. Not only that, hut
should any of the opposing fleet become dis
abled u monitor could hustle up and tow her in
as q prize before the necessary repairs could be
Say, that we are on tho defensive instead Of
being the aggressors. We, Wouldn't want to go
legs like the Columbia and Minneapolis. and we
would have the enemy begging for mercy in no
Of Porter during the war Of 1912.
Single-handed she drove tho commerce of Eng
captured in a neutral port. Forts are necessary.
but let us have more active and moving forts;
those that can venture out to defend the coast
and those that can prey upon the commerce OF
Let these little frigates go abroad. let them
Why, l would run like "a dog alter l had COM
mitted as much depreciation rs possible and
upon me. Let us have about ten more monitors,
even though we have about that number now.
We also need about twcnty more torpedo boats;
These, together with the speedy vessels that l
have just mentioned. would put us in good fight
War with Spainl Well. it would be fool
hardy in the Dons to press us too hard. Spain
knows her navy is almost on, a par with ours,
and as tn, the iight would y all all be sS on the rea sea and
doubtedly give us trouble for a time; but only
a very short time. The Spaniards are an igno-
of any OF the civilized nations. But they are
naughty, and should they soc that their cause in
CUBA ls lost they would hight The United, states
at the expense Of the freedom of the island to
save their honor.
AS to a war with England. that is almost out
Of the question. England couldn't afford 1t. II
our ports were blockaded there would DO a
bread riot in the British Isles in little or no
time. They are dependent upon us for their
cereals. The United States. by the way. / be-
lieve. is the only country that could depend
upon its own resources in case of war.
"Spain says she would first proceed to de-
stroy our commerce, That is ridiculous. Al
most all of the exports OF this country are car
ried by foreign ships. because tho crews can be
employed ut cheaper wages. This. however. is
not to our credit More merchantmen that
could be turned into fighting triGates should DO
flying. the American flag. The Government
such vessels. or let tho big exporters build them
and pay for their reconstruction out of what
carrying the mails. This country would really
be embarrassed right now in case of war with
any great power because of q lack Of ships to
convey the soldiers"