The herald., 1898-04-30
Is THIS CITY IMPERILEDP

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A thoughtful citizen of Los Angeles
, in a we'll considered communication else
where published, calls attention to TIL
. invitation which the second city in th
state offers to invasion by a foreign
force, which might any day be landed
upon our shores from a war vessel d
privateer.
The Herald ID not an hlarmist, bu
since the war department has alread.
recognized the possibility Of a hostil;
visitation, owing to our long and almos
wholly unprotected coast line, and has
considered schemes looking to the meas
urable strengthening of our defenses, we
should be neglecting a conscious duty
did we fail to accentuate the possible
perils OF our situation and environment
1t is, of course, inconceivable that an
attack upon the Southern California
coast will be deliberately planned by the
strategists of the Spanish navy, or that
any considerable sea power will be en-
ployed in these waters. The inducements
for such demonstration do not offer.
There is nothing here to fight. We are
destitute of coast defenses and of vessels
to engage an enemy. Just such condi-
tions. however, would invite visit from
a privateer. Counting upon our fancied
security from attack, small force of
men could do an immense amount of
damage in a very short time and escape
to sea before organized resistance could
be offered.
Numerous successful raids upon de-
fenseless towns on the border were
made during the war, and infinite
mischief was perpetrated by a hand
full of men. We recall the brill
liant raid of General Forrest upon
Memphis, in the summer of 1864, when,
with few hundred cavalry, he captured
the pickets and pressed into the city,
sacking banks and stores and hotels,
before the considerable army under
command of General Washburn was
aware of the presence of the en-
emy. The little band of daring free
hooters trooped into town under the
very walls of Fort Pickering, and paid
their respects to the Federal commander,
who was quietly sleeping in his apart
ments at the Gayoso house, so paralyzed
by the surprise that he could not sum-
mon to his relief single platoon from the
tens of thousands of troops camped in
another part Of the city. Such desperate
undertakings are not common but they
are always possible, and our people
should heed the lesson they teach.
Our correspondent states a self-evi
dent proposition, that there is no physical
obstacle In the way of the landing Of
a force at any one of the three ports
in this county and that the city would
be absolutely at their mercy. The effect
i've force of the national guard in the
county is about $50, but not more than
rs per cent of it is equipped for service. !
There are in Southern California 1850
guardsmen, but they are widely scat
tered, only partially armed, and in no
sense completely prepared for the de-
fense Of Los Angeles in the event of a
sudden raid. We are destitute of both |
guns and gunners. We are without tents
or camp equpage. The enlistments !
under the presidents call will take away
the cream of the national guard, and with .
them the most experienced tacticians and
organizers. There will be left, to be sure,
a plethora of men, and neither city nor
section will lack gallant defenders. In
addition to the members of the
national guard who may not be
accepted under the first call, there
are thousands of young men will
ing and anxious to enroll themselves
IN a home guard organization. And out
1T the National home are perhaps thou
sand grizzled veterans, heroes of score
IF battles, and still physically able to
perform any duty to which they might
De summoned--a thousand men who
muster in force in twenty minutes to
'epel an invasion from Che sea front.
Students of the university, to the num-
)er of a hundred or more, are ready to
espond to the first summons.
But all these resources are of little avail
II the poverty of guns and other imple- '
nents.
1t is likely that protection could be Sc
ured in no better, quicker or more eco
omcal way than in <he mining of the
arbors on our coast. Suggestions might
e multiplied to little effect in the face
f the fancied security in which the city
ests. Is it not time we awoke to the i'm
ortance of organizing and providing it's
Wiling protectors with the essentials of
n effective defense?
JUSTICE MISCARRIES AGAIN
Justice has been cheated again in the