Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-04
PATRIOTIC FIRE GLOWING
New York Full of Enthusiastic Loyalty 10
the Nation.
Prominent Spaniard Discusses the
Probabilities Of q War with
the United States.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.


NEW YORK, March 8, 1893.
War seems to be a remote possibility in
the eyes Of the majority Of New Workers.,
but the patriotic fire burns as f1ercely as
| ever. At the National Guard armories;
| the recruiting offices, where there are daily
| tenders Of service to our flag and country;
| at the public play houses. where the audi
| eEces go wild over the stars and stripes
| or over some gag" introduced to stir up
| the loyal sentiment, there is every evil
derce that our people are as ready now
as on the day Of the Maine horror to
| march to the time of the drum for our
| nations vindication.
The men from the Terror who have been
| given shore leave have been made little
| heroes, and wherever a bluejacket is
| found there, too. is found an impromptu
| display OF patriotic enthusiasm. There is
a great interest manifested in the prepara-
| tions-emergency preparations-being made
| by the army and navy in this harbor and
| vicinity. In spite of the warm, red-blooded
| feeling which would have led our citizens
| to the front bareheaded and substantially
| barehanded to meet the enemy, 1t must be
calmly admitted that We were ill-prepared
to defend this great municipality had war
come to us two weeks ago. Undoubtedly
| this city would have been the place on
| which the eyes of the country, and, indeed
of the whole world, would have rested with
| the greatest interest.
| Spain, in the event that war should he
| declared would undoubtedly not wait to
be attacked. This is borne out by several
| conversations your correspondent had
| Willie the Vizcaya was I'm port with a gem
tieman who Is well known in Spanish cir
cleS IN this city. This gentleman knows
| Spain and the ever faithful ISLE thor
ocshly: has written numerous articles
about both places and, besides possesses
| large amount of information about the
! United States, having travelled in twenty
six of them. In one of these conversations.
which happened to be about the cruiser
Vizcaya, he said:
| The spaniards VIII Fight.
Make no mistake about It, those fellows
can and will fight. 1t will not be a ninety
day war. as many of your people have Of
ten said, but long and determined strug-
gle. Oh course the United States will win
In the end, but they will suffer great dam
age to gain the victory. As Christian
| man L would dread a war between this
country and Spain, for the great losses
| that must come to both sides. L grant YOU
| That your country is wonderful in resources
| ana that In the end there could be but one
| result. Spain's navy ranks yours by one
| vessel but she could pound the American
| ships into pig iron, and the American peo-
PIE could build more and deal the victo-
| f1ous stroke, so great are their resources
| I'm the meantime, look at the Immense
| carnage TINT must be done to this country
| Ihere has been talk of placing a certain
humber OF ships in Havana harbor and
| starving the Inhabitants into submission
| that would be all right IL the United
| states had enough ships, but there is more
| o. Cuba than the city of Havana There Is
an immense coast line that would require
| too many of your ships to guard, and leave
| protection Tor your home ports. And sup
| Tcse you do take Havana Have YOU taken
| Into consideration that while the American
| Eavy Is blocking and besieging the island,
| with its old Notifications, the Spanish
| navy would come straight to the states
| and hammer them all along their unpro-
| tected coasts? If war should be declared,
| would Spain wait around the island to pro-
| tect 1t. or would she leave the old fortifica-
| tions to take care of themselves and rush
every ship into American waters to deal as
| many blows as possible before the recuper-
| alive spirit Of the Americans could stop
| their proceedirgs?"
| The Lack of Men.
Referring again to emergency prepare
| tions. there are not enough competent ar
| tillerymen to efficiently man the guns at
Sandy Hook, which would be the key to
| the entire situation in case Of a naval at
| tack. II the gunners from. Wadsworth and
Hamilton and Slocum and Schuyler were
sent to Hancock or Sandy Hook there
| would not be enough who know their bust
ness. or who are capable of being taught
their business, to serve all the complex en-
gines Of war which, even now, are rea ly
for the enemy that tries to come up to
New York through the narrows In order
to serve the guns now in position in New
York harbor would require for one relief
just LOCO men. But no commander would
go into action with one relief only. There
| must be men to replace all casualties OF
action and to take the places of those who
are worn out after four hours of battle.
when the strongest physique gives way un-
der the terrific defamation and shock OF
modern high explosives and big guns. This
one defect remedfed, and we would be in
an excellent position now to meet any
emergency. And in the present spirit there
will be no trouble to secure men In plenty,
and Of ample intelligence, to quickly grasp
the method of handling our new and pow
erful guns.
If there is any alarm at present over the
outcome of the Maine incident in the d.
rection Of war. it should be set at rest by
the words of Col. Henry NJ. Roberts. pres
| ident of the board Of United States engi-
neers who would know, If any one could,
whether the government could protect this
city. 1t is strange fact, but none the
less true, that remote as was the posi-
actions have been delayed by the timidity
Of proposed buyers, who thought they
might 'just as well wait till things get
| Strengthened out" before putting up or
taking over buildings that would furnish
mark for an enemy's gun.
No Cause for Alarm.
Says Col Roberts:
on the part of the public. 1 may not tell
you what the defenses OF New York are
Just what steps would be taken to pro-
tect New York, where protection is neccs-
sary rests with the President and his ad-
visers. 1t is hardly necessary to say that
New York would be well protected should
the occasion arise, for the vast property in
terests here would not be lightly sacrificed
As said before, there is not the slightest
occasion for alarm"
Then Col Roberts turned to other SUBJ
jects. One Of them was the question Of
international law which is far more time
ly. There are numerous lawyers of high
standing among u.s." he said. land IT seems
strange that better understanding of the
principles Of international law does not
prevail. There Is not scintilla Of EVIL
dence that Spain in any way connived at
the blowing up of the Maine, and that she
should have done SO is simply unthinkable
The interests Of the country are perfectly
safe in the hands of the administration in
Washington, and whatever 1t is necessary
to do will be Gohe well and promotly-the
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