The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-02
NOT READY FOR WAR.
OUR uNPREPARED CONDITION m
CASE OF A CONFLICT.

Aonooo-" ersuips Not oumcientIy MAI
ned-The Supply OF Ammunition short
Army Said to Bc Worse or Than Navy.
Army and navy officers are reluctan
to talk about such things, but there
no disputing the fact that the Unite,
States is not ready for war. We nov
have fine feet of ships, = much bette
navy than Spain. We have four Of tn
finest battleships, equal in every respec
to anything that floats, while Spain ha
but one, which is neither SO large nor s,
well armed as the Massachusetts, Indi
ana. Oregon or Iowa. She has two sec
ond class battleships that are better thar
ours Of the same grade. but she has M
seacoast defenders, while we have si1
monsters that are equal to anything OF
their class in the world. She has four
armored cruisers, while we have but
two. but we have ten protected cruisers
where she has but two. In partially
protected cruisers the two nations are
about even in tonnage and guns In
gunboats we are superior in number and
in tonnage, but in torpedo boats the
Spanish navy is very much superior to
ours. II the two nations should meet at
sea and fight it out, there is no question
of final victory for the United States.
although Spain might win the first few
battles. OF course we could raise larger
army, and the United States is a wealthy
nation, while Spain is poor Our credit
is strong, but hers is weak and has been
exhausted in the money centers of the
world. 1t would be impossible for Spain
to make 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
insurrection in Cuba.
The weak point in our condition,
however, is that we have so many i'm
portant cities ON our seacoast undefend-
ed. There is not one on the Atlantic
coast, from Eastport to Galveston, that
could resist or protect itself from de-
struction if it were visited by Spanish
feet and a single gunboat in single !
day could do more damage to the United |
States and destroy more property than
he Spanish army has destroyed in Cuba
'ince the revolution began. It is also an
important fact that our army and navy
10Th lack ammunition, which cannot be
urnished in q moment. 1t is humiliat-
ng, but nevertheless true, that all the
in possession Of the navy
{ the United States is stored in maga-
ines Of the ships that are floating to-
ay, and our great battleships and mon-
tors would be absolutely helpless and
seless after few hours of fighting.
Dispatches from Wilmington say that
he powder works there are running
light and day filling government con.
racts. On the other hand, Spain is pre-
ared for war. She is ready to fight at
be drop Of the hat, while it would take
ix or eight months or year to arm
nd equip our navy.
Last year Secretary Herbert sent an
rgent appeal to congress asking for au-
nority to enlist 5000 men for service,
nd he showed that we had no more
ailors now, with our splendid new feet,
nan we had 90 years ago, when the
avy consisted Of a lot Of old wooden
abs that had been kept floating since
he war. Congress refused his appeal,
nd as consequence there is not ship
, the United States navy that has more
han half q crew. Nor is 1t possible to
ut the ships on q war footing in q
,onth or two. The modern man of war
monstrous machine, filled with en-
ines and electric apparatus, machine
uns and all sorts Of tackle that require
killed and experienced men to handle.
md modern sailor must be machin-
It. The slightest mistake or carelessness
q the part OF green hand would rem
Or q gun or an engine useless, and
avail officers say that no man is fit to
0 trusted on board ship in the excite
lent OF battle until he has had at least
We years practical training at sea.
In these respects the United States
ould be at q great disadvantage if the
overnment Of Spain should take q no.
on to resent the jingoism of the senate,
nd that matter was seriously discussed
? the cabinet before Secretary Olney
rote his interview for the newspapers
nd gave an assurance to the Spanish
overnment that the independence Of
uba would not be recognized, no mat
,r what congress said or did.
Our army 10 in even worse condition
ian the navy. We have about "a, 900
len, but they would not be one-fourth
J many as are necessary to man the
,rtifications along the coast. even il we
I'D guns for them to use OF course we
ould enlist 100000 men within q
'onth or six weeks il there was danger
invasion, but, as Ii Hung Chang sug.
ested when was In China, they would
ave nothing to fight with. Guns and
cannot be made In q day,
nd they cannot DO purchased like dress
Gods or groceries.
The jingoes who are displaying their
otwf fntt In kA L