The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-06-03
Eieat.. Morton Gives Second Regi-
ment Few Points.
DECLARES CONFLICT WITH THAT
COUNTRY INEVITABLE


Sinking Enough Dynamite in Our
Harbor to Blow Up Entire "Queens
Navee."
Bangor, June 2.-Colonel George A.
Philbrook, opened the School for Military
Instruction for the officers of his Second
National Guard Regiment of Maine, on
Wednesday morning with full attend
ance.from each one of the twelve COM
panies in the command.
Lieut. Charles G. Morton, 9th o. S.
Infantry was chief instruction officer of
the school and in the forenoon the officers
discussed the disposition of regiment OF
infantry in prosecuting an attack.
AT the afternoon session Lieut.. Morton
read paper upon ''Maine in the War
With Great Britain, - and Major Edwin
e. Fuller of Bath, regimental surgeon, adj
dressed the school upon the physical con-
dition of the command and how to pre-
serve it in the field,
Lieut.. Morton among other things,
said. s.
Great Britain is our most natural foe.
Twice we have fought her, and we shall
doubtless again have the same antagonist.
Such being the case our state will be in
the midst of the conflict as l hope to
show in this paper.
Pending the formal declaration, and
without listening to protest from us,
Great Britain would concentrate fleets at
Montreal, St. John, Halifax, Bermuda
and her other strongholds along our
South Atlantic coast. She could easily
transport by troopships and by ocean
liners a1yyaVs J1nda1. contract for this MR.
pose LOO, O0n regulars from their home
stations, leaving to the militia the protec-
ton of her coasts. These men would be
sent to Montreal and St. John, at which
points England could have greater forces
of trained soldiers than we could raise
during the early part of the struggle.
From ST. John and Halifax strong
naval forces would threaten our important
cities from Eastport to Hampton Roads,
and SO absolutely defenseless are they at
the present time that they would escape
bombardment and destruction only by
the payment of millions of dollars as ran
som.
From St. John also it is probable that
a powerful land force, supported by a
feet, would be sent into Maine as far
west as Portland. Portland would be of
the greatest value to the British Tt has
one of the finest harbors in the world,
which is open the year round. The St.
Lawrence is closed in winter by ice, and
for years central and west Canada have
found a winter outlet to Europe through
Portland. 1t may be interesting to know
in this connection, that the city defenses
have not yet one modern gun in position.
Extensive Notifications are under way,
but will not be completed for some years
In general, the provinces to. be con-
sidered are broken, even mountainous
and are heavily wooded. Hay and grain
are produced in abundance, but on ac-
count of the first conditions mentioned it
is likely that cavalry and artillery would
be employed to minimum extent, and
infantry to maximum. The latter arm
is the only one which can operate off the
roads unless the country is cleared and
fairly level.
The most important river from mill
tary point of view is the ST. Lawrence.
1t is formidable obstacle for troops try
ing to cross.
The next river in Importance is the St.
John. The St. John is also formidable
protection to troops operating behind its
shelter, and would afford strong base
for British troops invading Maine.
The great Canadian Pacific railroad
stretches across the continent from Van
couver to Halifax. If left intact it would
enable the British, using also the Pacific
steamers, to transport troops from the
banks of the Ganges to the shores of the
St. Lawrence in forty days. In case of
war, however, we would cut it in the
west and also within our own borders
The roads connecting Montreal and Que
bee on the one hand, with Portland and
Boston on the other, should also be cut or
held in force at central points just north
of our border line
1t has been said that Great Britain
could bring greater force of trained
soldiers into an American war, at the be-
ginning, than could the United States.
Although the conditions would be re-
versed in a few months, yet we should
take warning to increase the efficiency of
our land forces, and to strengthen our
defences. The British government know
ing our weak points as well as ourselves,
would not wait for us to make ready.
In naval strength Great Britain is. and
probably always will be immensely ahead
of US. Of this fact she would make great
use.
The same writer, however, makes the
serious mistake of saying that winter
operations in Canada, when the St. Law
renee can be crossed upon the ice. are not
possible. 1t is fully agreed by military
experts of the present day that winter
will cause no cessation of operations in
the next war.
In case of war we should take the often |
sive at once, without waiting to be in
vaded So far as operations in the east
are concerned, our greatest effort would |
be made to capture Montreal and Quebec
and thereby secure control of the St. |
Lawrence. This operation would be |
undertaken by troops advancing through |
New York and Vermont, along the shores |
of Lake Champlain. Maine troops would |
take but little part in the movement, for |
they would be engaged elsewhere.
The next great movement cooperating |
with the first, would be to invade New
Brunswick along the railroad line |
through Bangor and Vanceboro, with the |
ultimate object of capturing St John and |
Halifax from the land side. Our navy is |
too small for use except in home waters. |
As the army advanced it would cut |
every communication by rail between |
Montreal and Quebec on the one hand |
and st. John and Halifax on the other |
Thus we would divide the provinces a |
second time, as Sherman did the south on |
his march to the sea.
1t is here that our Maine troops would |
come into use, and we may rest assured |
That they would find plenty of employ
lnrnt They would be of esDecial val1Ie ~, |