The western recorder., 1898-07-21

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ca States and good many elsewhere
VINO md much cause for complaint in
nat ,nes are pleased to term the jill
a'oiy prosecution of Uncle Sans war
against the Spanish Dons. Were these
kickers thoroughly familiar with the
annals Of the present century they
would know that to date events have
moved with remarkable rapidity since
.ne beginning of hostilities last April.
II is true that the Franco-Prussian war
was showed along with much greater
eeierity and so. perhaps, was the war
oetween the Italo-Prusslan alliance
ana Austria, but in these two cases
conditions were so different from those
prevailing in the present war that
comparisons are by no means fair. In
neither case was II necessary for the
aggressive nation to put to sea, let
alone expand a little group OF between
so'ooV and 10000 fighting men. barely
enough to maintain military organiza-
lion. to an effective army Of invasion.
russia and France are contiguous,
ana 1t was only necessary for the Prus-
slams to advance to the French from
uer to begin operations, and condi-
lions were not less favorable to the
expedition of operations in the Austro-
Prussian war. Besides, all parties
we're ready for both these wars. having
been perfecting military organizations
tor many years.
Ihe only wars fought in this half
century that can be compared with tbe
current one with any degree of fair
aess were the Crimean war of 1s54-5C,
and the conquest of Egypt in 1882.
both were conducted with much great
sr deliberation than that with which
our operations against Spain have been
carried on. Yet in both instances the
aggressive nations were provided at
the beginning with thousands more
trained soldiers than the United States
possesses even yet Moreover. in the
crimean war, England was not fighting
single handed, being in alliance with
france. while in the Egyptian opera
ions England had the moral support
of every European power, and her an
.agonists were all Asiatic or African
olood-people totally unable by nature
% put up a winning fight against
Europeans. 1t Is now two months and
lour days since the present war began,
IN April %. by the Nashville's capture
,f the Buena Ventura. Since then
the United States forces have COM
pleteiy destroyed one Spanish feet in
waters thousands of miles from home,
lnnihilated another on this side
anil tho nf
5ch group Of islands is virtually ao-
,omplished. From an effective force
of less than 10000 men the army has
oeen increased to more than 100. 900,
md the new troops are being rapidly
transformed into one of the most effec-
i've fighting organizations in the
world.
Events moved vastly slower in the
-rimean war. For causes which need
not be explained here. England aud
France. acting Jointly, declared war
against Russia on March 2s, 1854. In
stantly the mobilization of large
masses of troops was begun both by
the French and the English. Consid-
sring the inferior means of transporta-
lion then existing, they were moved
eastward with commendable celerity,
'or. after spending some time at Gal
lipolis and other Oriental localities.
hey landed at varna on May 20 of the
same year. This, however. 1t will be
observed, was almost exactly as long
after the declaration of war against
Russia as the period which has nov
elapsed since the capture OF the Buena
Ventura, the first act of the present
war, and there was no end OF COM
plaint. both in England and France,
over the delay. But the war was not
actually begun by the end Of May.
1854. The authorities in charge de-
.ided at once upon an expedition
against the Crimea. but they took their
lime, and plenty of it, before they got
down to business, for they didn't em-
bark their forces until September 3.
and the voyage from Varna to Old
Fort. near Eupatoria. about thirty
miles from Sebastopol, was not finished
until the middle of the month. Lord
Raglan for the English and Marshal St.
Arnaud for the French had charge Of
The allied forces, amounting TO $1,000
men and they were landed on Sept. IA,
Is and 16.
The battle of Alma, the Russians
between 10000 to $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 hos
tllities. 1t was five and half months
after the declaration before the first
shot was fired, and nearly eleven
months after the destruction of the
Turkish feet by the Russians lat Sin
ope. November 30. 1881. which virtu-
ally insured war between France and
England on one side and Russia on the
other.
Now for the Egyptian campaign. IL
was in the last week of May. 1882. that
Arab Pasha seized the reins Of power
In Cairo. Did England strike blow
at once? Not a bit of it, Diplo-
matte negotiations were tried In ad-
vance of force. and it was not until