The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-03-25
IS new YORK CITY SAFE
Experts Are Divided on the
Question.
CAN SPAIN lombard THE TOWN Z

An Attacking Fleet Would Be In the Line
of Fire From Sandy Hook - Could Not
Enter the Narrows Spain's Probable
Plan of Action.
WASHINGTON. March 1e.-[Special. lin
view of the possibility of war between the
United States and Spain, our naval ex.
perts have been discussing the most inter
esting question whether or not it would be
possible for the fleets of Spain to shell
New York city. Curiously enough, the
experts are divided on this question. Some
of our best authorities think it would be
physically impossible for the Spanish ships
to get near enough to New York city to
throw shells into the lower part of the town.
They point OUT that the distance from the
waters off Coney Island to lower Broad
way is more than ten miles, and that this
Is about the extreme range OF modern
guns. If the Spanish fleets were to at
tempt to shell New York from this spot,
they would encounter two great difficult
ties One is that the water is shoal there,
and probably it would be impossible for
the deep draft cruisers and battleships to
get near enough the city to make their
guns effective. The other is that they
would be in the line of fire of our fortifica-
tions on Sandy Hook, and the ships would
probably be sent to the bottom before they
could do much damage.
No one believes it would be possible for
the ships of an enemy's fleet to pass
through the Narrows and into New York
harbor proper. If they were not destroyed
by our shore batteries during the passage,
they certainly would be sent to the bot
tom by our system of torpedo defenses now
placed in the narrow channels. On this
score an eminent ordnance officer said to
me:
"The people must not think that New
York city is without protection against the
fleets of an enemy. For years congress has
been making small appropriations for
coast defenses. We who have had the ex
penditure of this money are not FOOLS We
have perceived that with the funds at our
command it was impossible to make New
York impregnable by means of shore
works, and we have quietly planted torpe-
does and mines in the channels. To do
this we have diverted some of the money
appropriated by congress for land work
and have kept still about it, as it was our
duty to do. The mining of harbor or of
the approaches thereto is not matter for
newspaper talk or even of official report.
It is secret work and is so regarded by all
the nations of the world. But l can tell
you that no ship of an enemy will ever
pass through the Narrows into New York
harbor.''
A Contrary View.
Notwithstanding these encouraging re-
ports, there are experts who believe it pos
sible for the Spanish fleets to anchor off
Sandy Hook and to throw explosive or
mellenite shells into all of Brooklyn and
lower New York. They say the guns car
ried by ships of the Vizcaya type will
throw their projectiles 8 miles. 1t is true
they could not be fired with accuracy at
such long range, but city is big target
to shoot at. 1t doesn't matter much where
the shot strikes. 1t is sure to do immense
damage anywhere. If the ships of Spain
could get near enough to New York to
throw shells into the city, they could do
hundreds of millions of dollars of damage
within a few hours. The weight of ex-
pert opinion, however, appears to be that
New York is safe; that with our land bat
teries and the help of such of our ships as
could be massed there for action the Span
ish would find it almost impossible to land
q shot in the city. If they attempted it,
the effort would surely be attended by
frightful disaster to them. Their whole
feet might be destroyed before it could get
away.
Moreover, I find in government circles
Q change of opinion as to the nature OF the
war, should war come. A week or two
ago our plan of campaign was mapped out
upon the theory that if they do fight the
Spanish will ignore Cuba and permit the
island to fall into our hands, but seek to
recoup themselves by descending upon
New York or some other city selected by
them and there wreaking frightful havoc.
This theory was based upon the idea that
If Spain must fight it will be war of sim
pie desperation, a war in which they ex-
pect to lose, but where pride and the de-
sire to gain prestige with their own people
will compel them to strike terrible blows
at the United States at the very outset.
The bombardment of New York, for in
stance, would set all Spain crazy with de-
light and give the government at Madrid
Q long lease Of popular favor.
Spain on the Defensive.
But the prevailing belief at the present
time is that if Spain is forced to go to war
she will confne her operations largely to
Vu0 oSo oho W OuO AoAohO VI Sobos onde
she will seek to make her plan of opera.
tions largely defensive, with perhaps some
destruction of American commerce. The
basis of this belief is conviction that the
statesmen of Spain know they will be de.
feated in a war with America, and that
after hostilities have been brought to
close they will be called upon to settle the
bill. They will have to pay a war indem-
nifty to the United States, and the amount
of this indemnity will be according to the
losses suffered by the victor. If, therefore,
the Spanish were to lombard New York
or any other American city, they would in
the end have to pay the bill out of their
treasury. The more fiercely and destruc-
lively they wage war upon the United
States the more they will have to pay when
peace is declared and if the war indemnity
rises to a he Wy figure Spain might be put
to her wits ends to pay it,
Another consideration of Importance Is
that it viii -.obably be the plan of Spain
to make war for honor's sake, if she makes
war at all and in the hope that after q
short CAM ign the governments of Europe
will offer mediation and bring the HOSTILE
ties to a close upon some terms honorable
to Spain. The United States would doubt
less be found generous and forbearing at
such a moment, provided SPANS attacks
had not inflicted too great losses upon us.
If it Is true, as many think, that Spain g