Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1897-10-08
COMMANDMENT OF a CITY,
Paris Suffered Little from the csnuos
of the Germans.

COMMANDMENT OF A CITY.
Paris Suffered Little from the canuon
of the Germans. :
A good many people have been Iosingi
flesh and sleep yer the fear OF what al
foreign fleet of warships might do toll
our great seaport cities like New York.
Brooklyn, Boston, Philadelphia, SAM
Francisco, New Orleans and othersl
along the coast, but the situation Ia not!
at I'LL serious.
The landing of a hostile army of sufi-!!
cient force to make n stand IL practical-i
~ out of the question. The sole danger.
lies in n bombardment by n feet OF
warships and that is hardly more Sc
rious. for weak as are the defenses be-
fore all the great harbors, they would
DE able to hold any feet in the world at
a respectful distance until aggressive
measures had been planned.
At Boston the harbor entrance could
be blocked by means OF torpetloes and
powerful land batteries could be plant
ed on Deer Island, Lovell's Island and
a dozen other points far out from the
city to keep the feet at long range.
Batteries ut Sandy Hook. Rockaway
beach and other places off New York
harbor could hold the hostiles twenty:
miles from New York and ten miles
from Brooklyn, even if the tortuous;
channel across the shoals was left un-
Obstructed. These are the two most
assatlable ports OH the coast.
So far as bOmbardment is concerned,
that is not a terrifying matter unless
huge mOrtars can be brought up to close
range. so that explosive shells a be-
dropped with accuracy at any desired
point. During the F'ranco-Prussian war,
n battery Of about 600 cannOn rained'
shot and Shell into the city of Stras-
bOurg from Aug. "a until Sept. q. The
city was about o%ne-fOurth the size OF
Detroit and the residents were able to,
hold 1t against the Germans until they:
were starved into surrender.
Metz, a town of about 10000, Wass
occupied by Marshal Bazaine for
months, and starvation, not cannon
shot. compelled the surrender.
Paris. after being beleagured for
months, was treated to n steady rain
OF shot and shell for nineteen weeks.
For a few days the residents were;
scared and kept on the streets, but con-,
hdence was soon restored and business.
went on as before. Occasionally q she'll
would fall in the street or wreck al
building. but the mortality and destruc-l
ton Of property was comparatively
small.
The residents We're put on an Allow
nee of four of meat and elevenI
ounces Of bread n day, and this wast
gradually reduced. They ate all theI
cattle and the horses and dogs were
going fast when they concluded that
further resistance would be useless.
1t would be impossible to smut up one
Of our American cities from the land,
Yard side, and If q tar away fleet was!
able to land Il successful shot once a.
day it would he fortunate. Marine bat
teries are not noted for their accuracy
Mt long range even i'll the %stillest Of.
water.
These ports could be closed 10y q,
blockade beyond any question, and
American shipping would suffer some
what. but the same tactics as were
practiced in the war of 1872 and 1914.
would be adopted. Prlvateers would
be fitted IL by speculative individuals
and syndicates to prey upon the British
merchant marine on the high seas, for.
British ships are to be found In any
direction. The reprisals would more
than compensate for the Inconvenience;
Of a blockade Of the large ports.
The resources of the United States,
are sufficient to meet all the wants Of
Its people, even IL it was possible to,
blockade every port. Shut OF from it's,
cotton and grain and other great ex-
ports. the English people would be Sc.
riously Inconvenience. The blockadei
Of Southern ports, during the civil war.
cutting off cotton shipments alone, al
most bred q famine in the factory towns
of England.-Detroit News.