The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-07
The Question of con1 supply.

The Question of Coal supply.
In the event of hostiHties between the
United States and Spain, the contest would
be one almost. if not quite. wholly of naval
forces. In modern navies. sail power has
disappeared and been supplanted by steam.
Fuel, therefore, is absolutely indispensa-
bic to the war vessel Without coal the
ship becomes useless. Where would the
coal supply come from for the prospective
struggle?
In so far ds the United States are con-
cerned, the question almost answers itself.
There are a number of available coalng
ports near the probable scene of conflict at
which American vessels could obtain ."eir
supplies-Savannah, Brunswick, Charles
ton, Port Royal, Key West, Tampa, Mo-
bile, ETC., all directly connected with mex
haustible coal fields from which supplies
could be forwarded at short notice. But
how would it be with Spain? 1t is 5000
miles from Spain to the Caribbean Sea,
which, in connection with the fact that ,Ae
United States would dot the ocean with
cruisers, would make It impracticable for
Spain to send coal in transport ships for
her war vessels.
There are said to be small coal supplies
in two or three Cuban ports, and at one
port in Porto Rico. If Spain could keep
these ports open, the coal stored at them
might suffice to keep her ships supplied for
thirty days, according to the calculation
of United States naval experts. But should
the ports be closed by American blockade
so effectively that the coal could not be
reached, or should 1t be reached and burn
ed up before the end of hoshlities, what
course would Spain pursue in order to sup
ply her ships with coal? The only-recourse
would be to apply to neighboring neutral
ports.
The neutral ports that would be the most
handy would be those of Kingston, Mas
sau Bermuda and Halifax, belonging to
Great Britain; Martinique, belonging to
France; St Thomas, belonging to Dem
mark, and the Spanish-American coun-
tries of Central and South America near
est at hand. Great Britain has on several
occasions held coal to be contraband of
war, except that a belligerent ship may
| purchase
nearest home port. No two supplies of coal,
however, may be furnished to a belligerent
! ship within three months. 1t is not likely,
therefore, that Spain would be able to OBJ
tain coal from the British ports. If they
were given enough to get home on they
would be lucky. France has held that Goa
should not be considered as contraband
L., - ~. aar,f br1o 70,
ton of Premier Hanotoux in the Chamber
of Deputies relative to the position Franco
would occupy in the event of hostilitie'
between the United States and Spain, it Is
not believed France would supply Spair
with coal with which to fight the Unitet
States. This government would unques
tionably protest, if France were to do so
giving her to understand that the act wa
regarded as unfriendly; and France. Ger
tainly is not seeking to prejudice thi
country against her. In so far as tn
smaller governments are concerned, all o
them would no doubt be guided by the &C
ton of the greater governments. TIL
Spanish-American states certainly woul
not offend the United States by furnishin
Spain with coal, since they depend upo
the friendship of this country to save ther
from foreign aggression.
The advantage, therefore, is all on tn
side of this country. Spain would be Sc
riously handicapped almost from the frs
by the question of coal. while we have a
ready command more coal than we coul
burn during many years of high pressur
hosti11ties.