The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-28
GENERAL FORSYTHE
IS INTERVIEWED
Suggests That the Maine Was Blown
Up from the Alfonso.
sHINKS THAT WAR IS INEVITABLE
We Cannot Honorebiy Accept Repar-
alton from spsin--The Warrior,
Who Is Visiting His Old Friend, ,
Colonel Beaumont, at Wilkes
Barre, Talks to a Times Reporter.

WflkeS-Barre, MarCn Zn-Ine llHleS
publishes the following interview with
General Forsythe, of Washington,
which will doubtless be read with
much interest at this time:
General George A. Forsythe, of
Washington, d. c., is visiting his old
friend and comrade-in-ar Col. F..
r. Beaumont, of this city. General
Forsythe has seen thirty years of mill
jtary service having served through
out the civil war which he entered as
a private. He was successfully pro-
moted until he became a cavalry gen.
eral of General Sheridan's staff. He
and Col. Beaumont served together in
the Fourth United States cavalry. For
six years General Forsythe has been
on the retired list. General Forsythe
is married to a daughter of Col. Beau
mont.
In view Of the present ominous cris-
is in international affairs the views of
such distinguished parsonage as
General Forsythe will be of great in
terest to the public. His long, active
and brilliant military record tends to
give great weight to his opinion on the
Maine affair and the consequent
strained relations between the United
States and Spain. Especially so, as
the nation is now passing through the
greatest crisis which she has known
since the great war of secession and
since it is acknowledged, even by the
most conservative, that we are on the
verge of war with Spain.
A Times reporter this morning called
at the residence of Colonel Beaumont
and interviewed General Forsythe
who talked freely on the present in
ternational difficulties and the prob
able result of the Main affair. Asked
his opinion regarding the blowing up
of the Maine, the general said:
WHAT EXPOSED THE PLOT.
while / do not wish to forestall the
report of the Maine board of inquiry,
l feel no hesitation in giving my indi-
vidual opinion on the explosion. The
Spaniards are a cruel and treacher-
Gus, yet brave people, and, being
treacherous themselves, they suspect
ed some treachery on the part of the
United States government in the
presence of the Maine at Havana. l
believe the Spaniards, being appre-
hensive of an attack by the Maine on
their warship Alfonso the Twelfth,
prepared a mine with the intention of
exploding it under the Maine in case
our ship attacked them. The Maine
was ordered by the harbor master to
anchor by tying to a certain buoy.
This she was compelled to do in ac-
cordance with the rules which govern
foreign ports. The tide swung her
directly over the mine. / believe this
mine was connected by a wire to an
electric battery on board the Alfonso,
and l believe that from the Alfonso
the mine was exploded. AS a matter
of course it was expected that the ex-
plosion of the mine would explode
both magazines on board the Maine.
Strange to say, however, neither of
the magazines were exploded-a thing
which would probably not happen
again in a thousand times"
WAR is INEvITABLE."
What is your opinion as to the re-
suit of the Maine affair-do you think
We'll have war?" was asked
Il do not see how we can avoid it,"
answered the general in emphatic
tones. 'The Spaniards simply mur-
dered 266 seamen who were under the
protection of the United States flag at
Havana. No reparation that Spain can
make for this tragic and atrocious
crime can be adequate nor can any
reparation be honorably accepted by
the United States. War is the only
means by which the murder of our sea-
men can be avenged and, in my mind,
there is not doubt that war is in
evitable."
In your opinion, general, is the
United States fully prepared for WARP
Not yet, but we will be when hostil-
tiles break out. How soon that will be
l cannot, of course, say, but it cannot
be any great length of time"
rs Spain prepared for war;"
SPAIN PREPARED FOR WAR.
"She is," replied the general, land
We must not deceive ourselves as to
Spain's strength. Her navy is equal to
ours, even in view of the recent pur-
chase of vessels by the United States,
and the Spanish people are heavily
taxed in order to furnish the sineWs of
war. Moreover, the Spaniards are a
brave, proud and aggressive people and
will make a desperate effort to main
tain her prestige and make the United
States and the world feel her power u
you believe, then, that the contest
will not he altogether one-sided?"
Il am certain that war with Spain
Will BE- no picnic for the United States. -
ansW cred the general, while his eyes
flashed with a characteristic military
fire. 1T viii be a long, stubbornly,
fought conflict and will be fraught with
all the usual horrors, privations and
loss of life. / am of the opinion that
the war will last anywhere from fifteen
months to two years"
What do you think will be the ulti-
mate outcome?"
UNITED STATES WILL WIN.
eve will win, of course" said the
general confidently, but we will lose
a great many men,"
"Where do you think most of the
fighting will be done-on land o,
water?"
'"rEerc will be some heavy fightinf
In Cuba, where there is already a large
Spanish army On the breaking out o.
hostilities the United States will doubt
lessly send an immense force TO Cubf
t. cope with the Spanish army there
There will also, no doubt, be some bis
naval battles"
How will the war between tn,
United States and Spain affect tn,
Cubans' struggle for liberty?"
1T cannot fail to result i'm SPANS
losing control of the island" was the
reply. THE United States forces viii
secure possession of ii as the war pro,
ceeds and the final result will be Cuba.
complete independence or her annexa,
~ "a AIoI n Al,