The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-07
HOUSTON, MONDAY, MARCH Z,
j A MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL
NECESSITY.

i
The fact that the navy OF the Unitei
States would bo divided In case of war
thousand miles apart, the one in the Pa
cific and the other in The Atlantic. ough
to give the Nicaraguan canal scheme q
decidedly practical boost. Our naya
forces are none too strong at best. and
when they can be concentrated rapidly
against an enemy. but when divided as
suggested they would be most seriously
crippled
In case of war with Japan. OF sudden
origin and followed Immediately by hos
Titles. we would be lamentahly weak from
a naval standpoint In the Pacific, It
would require twice the time to get our
ships around the Horn and TO the California
and Oregon coasts that would be required
for the Japanese fleet to reach the same
ground from Japan. Our Pacific squad
ron could be annihilated before 1t could
be reinforced. Then In case of war
With no interests to speak of in the Pa
cIfic, our Pacific fleet would havo to be
eliminated practically from tho fight. A
war ON the Atlantic side, In short would
cut down our rated naval strength, yir-
tually, to the extent Tint we had wat-
ships in the Pacific, and war on the
Pacific side would make us practically the
weakest naval power. with any preten-
sions 10 naval strength, on the globe.
The Nicaragua canal would remedy this
weakness ut once. In sending warshlp,
as II is. from New York to San Francisco
at least two stops for coal would be nec-
essary II We expected to get the vessel
from the one point TO the other with any
sort of speed. With the canal we could
make the trip In half the time and With
one stop for coaIing. The shorter route
would at once almost double our sea
power!
Tho strategic Importance. therefore. of
the canal is at once apparent. There is
not a first-class nation on earth oxcept
the United STATES. thai, similarly situ,ted
as the United states, would have rested
IN peace until this canal had been con
siructeh- England, France, Germany
Russia or even Italy would have openod
such waterway for their vessels years
ago
But the commercial considerations are
ms urgent and equally as important 10 the
military reasons and necessities Nj
single item of expenditure by the United
States government beyond the ordinary ok
penses would be SO productive of added
power and commercial development az the
building OF this Nicaragua canal. And Yet
the Nation hesi,ates!
y Is going to require good, stiff, up.
Hill fight with somo flrst-class poMer ono
Of these days 10 impress upon us IN a
practical way our plain duty TO Ourselves
and the Imperative necessity OF ,iisoharr-
Ing that duty, Even now, IN tho face or
threat OF war, we see congress ready
TO do something thar ought 10 have been
done several years ago and that tho d.
partments have been asking for repcat-
eddy, but without success. We are uecu.
tlarly people who win only learn from
experience We are quick enough to take
q hint, however. when It Is conveyed
through the fundamentally OF club,
.-----------
The DISCRIMINATION OF Senator Mins ID ro.
tire from the senatorial race in ,nls stats
win create political sensation In Texas Ia
DAY, and his letter. as published In Tho POS,
this morning. viii be read everywhere Win
profound interest. Tho spnatcrs iona service