The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-17
FORCES READY Waiting FOX THE SlGhAL
EILE at present only one var
cloud 3 dangerously near,
there are Indications that tha
international sky Is by no


~" international sky Is by no
means clear. War mutterings
have bssn heard of late East.
West. North and South. and II has been
considered not unlikely thing that some
day may see the nations o. che earth cr-
gage Ia a life and death grappie. IN which
tina terrible weapons In use at the present
day win cause carnage that viii drench the
universe 81 h.ood
A war with Spain may BE- short. ard
peace may reign again in few weeks: II
may be prolonged and In the latter event
the nations that are ut this time neutral
win ind their interests more or less ne
terfered with, II wiz be 10 Great Brit
aims interest to Sc the war brought to
q sudden close. for war means a stoprage
OF commercial relations with one OF her
best consumers. Should Great Britain I'M
dertake to interfere n the fight between
the United States and Spain. il viii re-
ccire sight pruvocation for her watchfui
enemy. Russia. TO take advantage OF the
fact that the attention OF Engiishmen is
temporarily distracted from the Eastern
situation. TO commit; sosae act that VIII set
a match 10 the train OF gunpowder laid
10 .he magazine in the Orient.
Under such circumstances 1t viii be in
keeping with the present indications for
( Japan 10 JON forces with Great Britain.
and for Germany. France, Austria and
Italy to be forced into one gigantic war
that viii change the map and perhaps
sweep away kingdoms
Armed Europe Is tremendous sight at
present Germany's stupendous army OF
1eis.s $50 men. Differed by s2.s7e men. with
cavalry of over 100000 horsemen. and an
artillery comprising 1854 guns would be a
tremendous aggregation of fighters for
Great Britain to face. with her little force
OF 2,5, eSl soldiers, ISIS officers - So caval-
ryn1en. and TO guns. All the men Great
Britain would have to help her through
an alliance with Japan would be &c. S7 IN
fantry and 500 cavalrymen. The Japs
are born fighters. and have proved their
prowess, as have their British friends but
the odds would be tremendous and indi-
vidual courage does not count for much
where men are pitted at distance of two
miles by a marksman with magazine
rifle.
What frfghtful scenes would result freq,
a general war such as that suggested,
should France join forces with Germany's
millions and swell her fighting strength by
putting over 100000 men into the field.
with II2.60o cavalry and 800 guns II the
course Of events should ever bring il to
pass that France forgets her old grudge
against Germany. and makes an offensive
alliance with her. what tremendous army
would be ready within mobilization time
after the declaration OF war.
Whatever the outcome of Great Britain's
efforts TO obtain an ally. II cannot be hop
ed that Russia viii be anything but an en-
envy OF hers. To the coalition against
Great Britain. therefore, would be added
the army Of the ear. numbering 11l6So4
men. with cavalry force OF 10000. among
whom would be the fierce Cossacks of the
Don. and an artillery force with 2.s72 guns
at It's command.
Austria would be- mighty ally, for her
fighting strength is Sc, 300 men. ard she
nt vvtf
numbering 162, coo horses and an artillery
with l,573 guns. If Turkey came into the
general scrimmage she would add to the
total<of fighting men an army of $4,000