The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-06

Important Cities on the Atlantic Are onae-
sendea-warsh,ps Not Sufficiently Man
ped-rhe supply of Ammunition short
Army said TO lie Worse on Than Navy
Army and navy officers are reluctant !
10 talk about such things, but there Is
TO disputing the fact that the uni'ea
States is not ready for war. We now
have a fine fleet of ships, much better
navy than Spain. We have four OF the
finest battleships, equal in every respect
70 ANYTHING that floats. while Spain has
hut one, which is neither so large nor 50
well armed as the Massachusetts, Inol-
ana OREGON or Iowa. She has two Sec
ond class battleships that are better thah
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 Tour
armored cruisers, while we have pul
two. but we have ten protected cruisers
where she has but two. In partially
nrotected cruisers the two nations are
about even in tonnage and guns. In
onnboats we are superior in number ana
in tonnage, but in torpedo boats tine
Spanish navy is very much superior 10
ours. If the two nations should meet at
sea and fight il out, there is no question
of a final victory 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 wealthy
nation, while Spain is poor. Our credlt
IL strong. but hers is weak and has been
exhausted in the money centers OF the
world. 1t would be impossible for SPAN
IN make a loan of any large amount
with foreign bankers. Her last attempt
was failure, and she was compelled TO
appeal to her own people, who responded
promptly and generously. Their re-
sources are limited, and it would not be
possible for them to duplicate the money
they have already given to suppress the
instruction in Cuba.
The weak point in our condition,
however, is that we have so many I'M
nortant cities on our seacoast undefend'
ed. There is not one on the Atlantic
coast, from Eastport to Galveston, tDa'
could resist or protect itself from oe
struction if it were visited by Spanish
fleet. and a single gunboat in single
day could do more damage to the Unltet
States and destroy more property thai
the Spanish army has destroyed IN Cubs
since the revolution began. 1t is also al
important fact that our army and nav!
both lack ammunition, which cannot o.
furnished in moment 1t is humlilat
ing. but nevertheless true, that all tn
ammunition in possession OF the nav.
of the United States is stored IN maya
zines of the ships that are floating &c
dav. and our great battleships and mon
itors would be absolutely helpless an
useless after few hours of fighting
DISPATCHES from Wilmington say tina
the powder works there are runnln
night and day filling government col
tracts On the other hand, Spain Is pr
pared for war. She Is ready to fight I
the drop Of the hat, while it would tai
six or eight months or year to ar
and equip our navy.
Last wear Secretary Herbert sent {
urgent appeal 70 congress asking for a
thority to enlist 3 600 men for seryle
and lie showed that we had no mo
sailors now, with our splendid new flee
than we had % years ago, when t
navy consisted If lot Of old wood
tubs that had been kept floating SIN
the war. Congress refused his apes
and as a consequence there is not a sh
in the United States navy that has mC
than half crew. Nor is it possible
put the ships On a war footing IN
month or two. The modern man-of-v
is a monstrous machine, filled with
gines and electric apparatus, machI
guns and all sorts Of tackle that requ
skilled and experienced men TO hand
And % modern sailor must be mach
list. The slightest mistake or carelessn
on the part of green hand would
der a gun or an engine useless,
naval officers say that no man is I'll
be trusted on board ship in the exc
ment of battle until he has had at IL
five years practical training at sea.
In these respects the United St;
WOulu w uO BlpA1
government Of Spain should take a
ton to resent the jingoism OF the sen
and that matter was seriously discus
by the cabinet before Secretary Ol
wrote his interview for the newspa
and gave an assurance to the Spal
government that the independence
Cuba would not be recognized, no
ter what congress said or did.
Our army is in even worse condi
than the navy. We have about "a
men, but they would not be one-fo
as many as are necessary to man
Notifications along the coast, even j
had guns for them to use. OF cours
could enlist 1000, 900 men with
month or six weeks if there was da
of invasion, but, as Ii Hung Chang
gested when / was in China, they W
have nothing TO fight with. Guns
ammunition cannot be made in
and they cannot be Purchased like
goods or groceries.
The jingoes who are displaying
patriotism in the newspapers an
United States senate have also fail
consider the cost Of q war in HI