Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1898-03-04

battleship should be located
where it was. If a mine was
under the ship, and blew up
from any cause, the Spanish
would be in that degree respon>
sible. I am 10th to believe that
the Spanish authorities did it,
but l hardly think mere crank
would be able to effect the ex>
plosion Of the mine, if mine it
was.
"Another thing is the report
of the sentry that the explosion
came from the port side. Some
of the magazines are intact,
while if magazine had blown
up, ell the others would also,
and the ship would have been
we'll nigh obiiterated
of it should be proved that
the ship was blown up from the
outside, believe that We should
at once seize the island without
further parley. 1t is the richest
island in the world. 1t would
be better to do this, and disre-
gard to some extent the inter
es.s of bondholders The lnan-
clal interest, of course, has much
to do with the
DELIBERATION OF THE COUNTRY.
George Washington urged
against territorial extension.
But if he had lived in a time
that would have given him cog
nlzance of present conditions, I
am sure that his attitude would
have been entirely different On
this subject. He lived in time
of sail boats. They could GO all
around the world and be indie
pendent of fuel supplies. George
Washington died in 1899. and
he never knew Of a steamboat.
The new type of vessel made
new type Of needs. Washington
was a man of great sagacity,
and he would at once have seen
the necessity to this country of
controlling a series of Coaling
stations all around the world.
We should have Cuba. 1t is the
key to the West Indies and the
Gulf of Mexico.
Il believe history will be
made in the coming. Things
are coming to head, and there
must, it seems to me. be break.
Europe cannot stand the heavy
war burdens she is bearing
England is now building nearly
two hundred war vessels, many
Of them armored. This means
something. When we talk the
possibility of war to some OF our
Congressman, they tell about the
hundreds of thousands of men
we could turn into the field. But
what are men with nuskets
against battleships ? China had
plenty of nen, but see what
the bantam Japan did to the
Shanghai rooster.
"Do l think this stir will
arouse sentiment that will
bring about proper American
navy? Well, ali l can say is
that it ought to- hope it will.
1t depends on what kind Of Con-
gressmen are
SENT TO WASHINGTON.
THE readiness of this couu
try for emergencies? | am sor
ry to say that our preparation is
not what it should be- Con-
gress should years ago have be-
gun to do what the government
IS trying to do now. With the
recent guns we have al harbors,
and by blocking the channels
with sunken ships, we might
protect the coast. If We should
try with all our might, it would
take fully twelve months to get
into desirable shape along the
coasts. We have a fairly good
navy. While it is not as large in
numbers as the Spanish navy, on
the whole it is somewhat stron~
ger. The wreck of the Name
was a heavy blow. The crew
were picked men. l might add
that one other indication of
treacherv is the fact that both
General Lee and Capt. Sigsbee
advised against sending a ship
to Havana"
The reporter, among the nu-
merous questions which brought
out the conversations. asked DR..
Calling about some OF his ideas
of what should be the tendency
in the future development OF the
navy, and whether there need to
be much Encouragement should
it so happen that all of the bat
tleshlps were blown up.
mo" he said. in answer to
the. last question. II think /
could take the tugs of New
York harbor, and by placing
shields in front of them at tue
right argyle, and putting-a dyaa-
mite gun in the bow Of each,
even a battlesaip might be dis-
poseds of. would engage her