The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-01
A Rapid War.

pean wars that critics of the present
son to complain. In nine weeks Spain
has been swept from the seas, two ar
mics of 10000 men each have been
despatched by transports in opposite
directions and one landed in the enc
my's county; volunteer forces have
been mobilized and equipped to the
number of 100000 men; an immense
coast has been put in condition to re-
sist attack, blockade of the enemy's
coast for a distance of several hundred
miles has been declared and made ef-
fective, and in the various aggressive
movements on land and sea, while the
enemy has suffered uniformly and to
considerable extent the American loss
in killed and wounded Is within 100.
So much for the Yankee side of the
account Now let us look at the Euro
pean record in wars fairly comparable
with this one.
Events" says the Press, moved
vastly slower in the Crimean war. For
causes which need not be explained
here, England and France, acting
jointly, declared war against Russia
on March 2S, 1854. Instantly the mobil-
ization of large masses of troops was
begun both by the French and Eng
lish. Considering the inferior means
of transportation then existing, they
were moved eastward with commend
able celerity, for, after spending some
time at Gallipol and other Oriental
localities, they landed at varna on
May 20. of the same year. This, how
ever, it will be observed, was almost
exactly as long after the declaration
of war against Russia as the period
which has now elapsed since the cap
ture of the Buena Ventura. the first
act of the present war, and there was
no end of complaint, both in England
and in France, over the delay. But
the war was not actually begun by the
end of May, 1854. The authorities in
charge decided at once upon an expe-
dition against the Crimea, but they
took their time, and plenty of it, be-
fore they got down to business. for
they didn't embark their forces until
September 8, and the voyage from
Varna to Old Fort, near Eupatoris
about thirty miles from SebastopoI.
was not finished until the middle OF
the month. Lord Raglan for the Eng
lish and Marshal st. Arnaud for the
French had charge of the allied forces
amounting to $4,000 men, and they were
landed on September IA, Is and 16 The
battle of Alma, the Russians number
Ing between 10000 and $4,000 men, was
Fought four days later. and resulted in
a complete rout for the Russians. but
the war lasted until April, 1856, two
long and weary years and more after
the declaration of hostilities. II was
hve and half months after the dec
laration before the first shot was fired.
NOW for the Egyptian campaign. 1t
was in the last week of May, 1882, that
Arab Pasha seized the reins of power
In Cairo. Did England strike a blow
at once? Not bit of it, Diplomatic
negotiations were tried in advance Of
force. and it was not until June IA that
war was declared. 1t was a month
after that before the historic lombard
ment Of Alexandria took place. Eng
land was then in much the same situ-
alton as that in which the United
states was placed when Dewey de-
stroyed the Spanish fieeet at Manila.
having no army ready to occupy the
city after practically destroying il,
But the results We're far more deplor-
able, since Alexandria was sacked and
a large part of its buildings burned by
a half savage mob. Yet England was
then, as now, one of the great military
powers Of the world, with many times
more trained fighting mon than the
United States had when war against
Spain was begun. On the other hand.
Arab Pasha's army, in arms. organ
ization and command, was about as
poor as was ever lined up in fighting
array Its total strength amounted TO
only eighteen regiments of infantry.
and four of cavalry, twenty-five in all.
or from $4,000 to 10000 men. 1t was
made up wholly of Egyptian peasants.
OnSlduRnt
OF civilized soldiers, and really worth
less as military material. England's
organized army at that time numbered
l3l'S59 men at home, and 62653, all
British soldiers, in India. a total force
OF nearly 100000 men. And yet il was
not until August 81, two months and a
half after the declaration of war that
England managed to land $4,000 men
at lsmaila and Port Said, where active
operations were begun. Yet England
is not now held to have acted unwisely
In the Egyptian campaign"
Americans who still feel the critical
impulse should ponder the foregoing
| comparisons.
AT the beginning of hostilities with