The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1898-04-13

WASHINGTON, April IS. Especial. i
Statements have been made in the news
papers to the effect that a war with Spain
is likely to cost tho United States 81, OOO,-
00O, 900. This is regarded as absurd by
we'll informed officials with whom have
talked on this phase Of the war subject.
Among the members of the ways and
means committee of the house who have
been consulted by the secretary of the
treasury as to raising funds for war ex-
penses no such sums have been heard Of
froiI any quarter. The general oxpeota-
tion is that the war with Spain will not
only be a short war, but that 1t will not
take great deal of money out of the fed
eral treasury. A hundred millions Is be-
lieved by many to be sum sufficient TO
cover the whole cost, beyond the regular
expenses of the war and navy establish
ments.
ave have been informed, 4" said mem.
Der of Che ways and means committee to
me, "that 500, 900, 900 will be sufficient
to carry the war on for year. 1t must be
remembered that most of the fighting
will be done by tho army and navy, which
are already ready for the field. Their ex-
penses during war would not be much
greater than they have been in times Of
peace. OF course they would need more
ammunition, and their supplies of coal
and other materials would have to be en-
larged, but these would not run up to
vast sums. AS for tho army, fits cost
would not be much greater in time of
war than in normal times, except for the
matter of ammunition and transportation
If 1t should become necessary to order out
the militia, the various states propose to
bear their own expenses, save that of
transportation. They will pay their troops,
equip them and boar n great deal Of the
expense that would otherwise fall upon
the federal government.
Weakness of Spanish Navy.
That the Spanish are unable to carry on
resistance against the United States for
any great length of time is firmly believed
by every man In Washington who has good
opportunities for forming an opinion in
such matters. There are current here
statements apparently well founded to the
effect that the Spanish navy is In bad CON
dition. 1t lacks good boilers, many of Its
marine engines are not in the best of trim,
skilled machinists are so scarce in the
Spanish navy that IL has been found neces-
sary TO hire French mechanics, the coal
supplies OF Spain on this side the Atlantic
are woefully deficient and back of 1t all
is the fact that Spain is troubled for ready
cash with which to carry on her opera
tions
The Spanish navy at its best, eyen II
every ship In commission wero In first
class fighting trim, is not a match for tho
navy of the United States according TO
the Judgment of our experts. At first
Spain might gain little advantage
through her possession of the fleet and
strongly armored cruisers of the Vizcaya
type, which are really swift battleships
but the period of their effective operations
must necessarily DO short on account of
lack of good base of operations. Perfect
organization, number of ships capable of
effective handling, ample supplies Of coal
skilled machlnists, proximity 10 bases OF
operations, the higher intelligence and
morale Of the American navy over those of
the SpaniaIds, would all count very soon,
and 1t seems TO be beyond the pale OF rea-
son to suppose that Spain could overthrow
the United States on the sea.
Plan Of Campaign.
Unless Spain could inillct a severe blow
upon the United States at the very outset
the naval men here figure out that wo
should be able TO invest Cuba with our
fleets, to establish an actual blockade of
such ports as Havana, Matanzas, Santiago
do Cuba, Cienfuogos, eto., and by prevent
ing food supplies going into the Cuban
cities starve out the Spanish army In the
island, Almost every military expert in
Washington win say that II our fleets are
strong enough to beat baes the Spanish
squadrons the task of capturing Cuba viii
DO an easy one, A blockade will do IL al
most without the aid OF our troops landed
In Cuba, for without new supplies OF pro-
visions the capital of Havana and all the
leading cities would soon be IN dreadful
plight.
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