The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-23
ENGLAND OUR FRIEND.
She Has Stood Firmly by Us In
the Present Crisis.
THE OLD ANTAGONIST HAS GONE.

traband Of War q Hard Blow at Spain.
Practically Shuts Her Out of Active Ma
val Operations In American Waters.
WASHINGTON. April 23 Especial. IAN
unexpected effect of the Cuban crisis, f"
said a member of President McKinley's
cabinet, has been that the prejudice
which formerly existed in this country
against England has well nigh disap-
peared. predict that we have heard the
last OF an itching on the part of Ameri-
cans to whip Johnny Bull. That there has
been deep sented antagonism to England
On the part of many of our people Is known
70 every one. Though 1t cannot be expect
bd to disappear in toto In a minute, am
convinced that there Is now very little left
OF It, The explanation for this change of
sentiment Is found in the fact that
throughout this Cuban affair England has
been our best friend. / tell you what i
know to be true when l say that but for
England's stand the mediation of the
powers might have assumed a more I'M
comfortable phase. / do not think Ger
many or Russia would have gone 40 far as
10 threaten us with active interference in
SPANS behalf. but that they would have
gone further than they did go had not
England stood out clear and strong for us
am very sure.
Another act of friendliness on Eng
lands part, one which may have farreaoh-
Ing consequences, was the orders of Colo
NAL Secretary Chamberlain to the governor
OF Jamaica, instruoting him to treat coal
rs oontraband of war; The Importance of
this Is found in the fact that there are
considerable supplies Of coal for sale at
Kingston, Jamaica. which the owners
would gladly sell to any buyer that comes
along and pays their price. But England's
friendliness has enabled the colonial office
at London to perceive that this stock of
coal would, If placed in the open market,
be of much more value to Spain than to
the United States, and the English gov
eminent has therefore directed that after
an outbreak of hostilities the stock is not
to be subject to purchase by either COM
Blatant.
Coal For the Navy.
"The United States can take care of it.
self as to coal supplies" continued this
cabinet officer. "Our base of operations
is near the scene of our naval labors. We
shall not have any trouble in keeping all
our ships going within the radius Of ac-
tion which the war seems to promise.
Spain, on the other hand, must come 2, 500
miles from her own ports to engage In the
defense of Cuba, and by the time her ships
arrive on this side they will be unable to
do much without getting new supplies of
coal. 1t Is said by our naval experts that
not single ship of the Spanish navy can
come across the Atlantic at full speed and
go back again without replenishing her
coal bunkers.
oeha hat
lance coal assumes in the operations of a
modern navy. 1t is different from the old
days of sailing frigates, when the wind
was the great factor in the movements of
naval vessels. Coal is now king. Without
supplies of fuel in her bunkers great
modern ironclad a floating fortress upon
which man has spent millions of money
and years of study and ingenuity, is
helpless hulk, floating about idly. OF
course no commander of a warship would
wait in proximity to the enemy until his
bunkers were depleted He would run
away while there was yet power to go
with. He would not risk going into action
If there was any way of escape without
coal enough to carry him away in case of
a reverse. In other words, reduce the coal
supply of fleet below certain minimum,
and that fleet is out of the fight.
SPANS Disadvantage.
"Spain is at such great disadvantage in
this matter of coal supplies that even If
her navy were equal to ours In other re-
spects we should whip her. Spain has
very little coal at any available port in
America or its islands. There is q stock
of coal at Puerto Rico but 1t Is no secret
that our navy department has made its
.l.,,z f. amt. fhn rf I'm, xph
Spanish coaling station Is situated There
is not much coal in any Cuban port, and
before the Spanish ships can get over here
there are ten chances to one that what sup
ply there Is In Cuba will be in our hands.
Now that England has decided to declare
coal contraband of war Spain Is really
shut out of active and persistent naval
operations on this side of the ocean. The
result of naval struggle Is not difficult
to foresee SPANS only hope Is in staying
on the other side of the Atlantic, and that
amounts to abandonment of Cuba"
The remarks of this cabinet officer bring
out most clearly the weakness of Spain as
naval power in the waters of the west
Atlantic. They confirm tho views already
expressed In earlier dispatches of mine to
your paper. In fact, 1t was In these dis
patches that the Importance of the coal
supplies Of the two navies was first point
cd out, and subsequent events have justi-
fed the assertions which made some time
ago that on account of her lack of coal
supplies Spain would probably be CON-
pelled to adopt one of two possible courses
either to abandon Cuba to our fleets or
to concentrate all her energies In an attack
upon some exposed port along our coast
line, Spain choosing the port, rushing in
with a secret and sudden onslaught and
then making off for Spain as fast as pos
sible.
England's friendliness to the United
States in this emergency is all the more
significant when 1t is remembered that 1t
has always been the policy Of tho United
States to reduce the list Of contraband
goods to tho lowest possible limit. AS
great naval power, providing with energy
and foresight for all her fuel needs In ev-
cry part of the world, Eneland's. policy
has been to declare coal contraband and
thus to cripple possible enemies who wero
not SO we'll provided. The United States
has not aided In establishing her policy,
and England's present willingness to give
holm. IN tho United States In this indirect