Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1898-04-22
IF WAR SHOULD COME.
The United States More Than a
Match For Spain.

Without being able to give a
good reason for the faith that is
in us, we have been ofthe opinion
all along that there will be a
small-sized war between the
United States and Spain.
Well, suppose there is war,
what of it, and what will it
amount to?
There seems to be a notion
that the moment war is declared
Spanish fleets will appear be-
fore many of the Atlantic coast
cities and commence to drop
shells i'll their principal Streets
We doubt if a single one Of
the heavy guns mounted On the
American coast would have to
be fred. Spain's naval power
is not great enough to inspire
any such fear. The American
fleets should be able to handle
all the ships that Spain can get
to this side of the ocean, without
PRINTING them to threaten any
city more nearly than to appear
in the oflng, where the noni>
tors may come into actio n. O
course the theater of war would
OF be on American soil, for if
Spanish army succeeded in eff
f; cling landing It would be
overwhelmed by the forces that
W ould sweep down upon it Nor
W ould the combat be upon the
soil of Spain, for the United
States has neither desire nor ne~
cessity to remove the scene OF
action across the Atlantic, where
the enemy would be able to EN-
ploy his forces to the best adj
vantage.
The conflict would centre in
and around Cuba. The first
step would be the blockade Of
Havana. The feet could throw
its shells into the city without
entering the torpedo soWn har~
Dor, and if the destruction
wrought by the projectlIes were
not sufficient to bring the enemy
to terms, hunger soon would be
The supplies consumed in Fla
wanna are almost entirely brought
in by sea. 1t must be remem
bered, too, that a declaration of
war would allow arms, amnuni-
ton and ,ner to be poured into
Cuba by any and all avenues,
subject only to interference by
the Spanish fleet, and that fleet,
would have its hands full taking
Gaze of Itself. Within a few
weeks the insurgent army would
Be supplied with munitions of
war i'll an abundance that it has
never known, and thousands of
Americans would have made
their way across to swell their
ranks. With this army pressing
against Havana on one side and
the American feet confronting
1t on the other, the case of the
Spanish armies would be hope
less and unconditional surrender
would soon be their only course
to escape humiliation.
Spain has only thirteen war
ships to be reckoned formidable.
One battleship, six hrst-class
cruisers and six second class
cruisers make up the list. There
are nearly 100 smaller and older
boats, but by far til: larger por-
ton of them are. scarcely as for>
midable as a tugboat with a gun
in its bow They are
antiquated, slow and are either
very little or not at all protect
ed by arlnor. Many Of them are
scattered in remote parts of the
world. Operating on this side
Of the Atlantic, Spain would be
at enormous disadvantage, as it
has no coaling station nearer
than the Canary islands. and its
ships would be 5000 miles from
docks and repair yards A war
would be short and decisive and
spain would lose its utvy a..
Well as its american co!o.ii..s
-Danvilie Register