The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-29
COAL AN IMPORTANT FACTOR.
Ought TO Make the American and
English Nayies Invincibie.

Warfare has become an exact sci
ence wherein personal valor counts for
little and victories are won by ma
chinery and its intelligent and skillful
manipulation" says the Philadelphia
Stockholder. Should the complications
now menacing the peace of Europe, in
connection with the partition of China,
and those which threaten the friendly
relations hitherto existing between the
United States and Spain eventuate in
armed conflict, the world is likely to be
given at least one impressive lesson as
to the elements which govern modern
war. Should there be an outbreak of
hostilities in the east, with Great Brit
ain on the one side, opposed by France
or Russia or Germany or all of them,
1t Is certain to be naval war.
1T may be timely to. point out at this
1uncture that to carry on war upon the
sea greater essential than armor and
armament is the steam power requis-
lite to the handling of fighting ships.
Even the hosting. of the shot into the
big modern guns require steam. What
can be accomplished by France or Rus
sia or Germany in Asiatic waters de-
pends, not upon the weight of guns or
n,
but upon coal-plain everyday, inert
coal. If England can deprive her pos
sible antagonists of fuel she has them
whipped without the firing of a shot.
Great Britain controls absolutely all
the supplies OF coal contiguous to the
probable field of operations, excepting
such as are controlled by Japan. More
over, the British government has taken
measures to intercept and purchase all
cargoes of coal entering those waters.
The powers now engaged in a scramble
for choice slices of territory and con-
cessions of various sorts on the Chinese
coast must realize that England has
them, to an extent, at her mercy"
The same state of affairs may be
said to exist with respect to the situa-
ton which appears to be looming UP on
this side OF the world, as between the
United States and Spain. In the event
OF war Spanish navy In American
waters would be very likely to be rem
dered helpless by its inability TO obtain
coal. Few vessels of the Spanish navy
are able to carry across the ocean with
them such fuel supplies as would be
required in making demonstration up
on our coasts. Spain hitherto has pur-
chased her navy coal from Great Brit
ain, and has stored IL at Havana. or
course, in the event of war the harbor
OF Havana could be closed against all
Spanish vessels within a few days.
Nor is 1t likely that Great Britain as d
neutral power would permit armed ves-
sells TO coal in any of her ports in the
West indies.
Considerations of so material and
unsentimental character must be ex-
ceedingly distasteful, to the naughty
Spaniard, but IL the Spanish ministry
can bring itself to contemplate such
prosaic factor, it may even yet hesitate
to bring on hostilities by continued re-
sistance to the just demands of this
country. 1t needs but a cursory survey
OF conditions the world over 10 bring
the conviction that, however it may be
upon land, in war upon the ocean the
United States and Great Britain. by
their control of the worlds fuel sup
plies, are practically invincible.