The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-27

1t is known that, in the case of any
war which the United States might ind
on its hands. there would be no lack OF
ultimate resources. Money and men would
be practically unlimited. One trouble
would be to arm and equip the forces.
II il customary to state the reserve MIL
itary strength of the United States at
10, 900, 900 men. It il not beyond possipinty
that this number might actually De caiieo
into the field in q supreme issue invoav-
ing national existence. France, with 2
population of only IS. 0oo, 900. has a grand
war total Of all forces Of about S.soo.ooo
men, or 1 in 10 of the population. A SIM
liar proportion would give this country
$500, 900 men as an army OF defense en-
tirely feasible, according to European
precedents.
Ten million men. parading by fours
front, would reach right across the
United States from New York to San
Francisco, with intervals of only six feet
between files.
In such a host our present regular
army, amounting with the engineer
corps, signal men, hospital forces and the
two additional regiments of artillery re-
Gently authorized. to but 5000 men. would
cut a small figure. BY tours front and
with six feet interval they would form
but. eight miles of the living wall across
the continent, reaching not quite to New
ark, N. ]. The entire militia of all the
states. possibly 12O, 900 men at the utmost.
would only cover "a miles of the line.
Regulars and militia together. the SOL
diers now i'm arms, would reach from
New York only to Princeton, N. j. From
that point the wall of men forming the
complement of full war strength of 1,5VO,-
600 would reach to Salt Lake City. and
the last reserve. never likely to be called
upon, certain never to be called upon
save in direst extremity. would complete
the distance to the Golden Gate.
No such impressive showing can De
made of naval resources. We have 81
new vessels of all sizes, 16 old ones capa-
Bile of taking the sea, II seaworthy naval
tugs and some 60 large vessels In the ma
val reserve-lsO in all Our Atlantic, Pa
cific and gulf coasts reach 5000 miles.
disregarding the minor indentations; so
that we have one war vessel available Tor
every a miles of coast. Placed at such
intervals our ships would be far out OF
tight Of each other.
Fortunately, however. naval defenses
are not thus arranged. 1t is harbors, not
coasts, that need guarding, and our po-
tential naval strength is vastly more than
$50 vessels. More than half the private
steam yachts of the country are in the
naval reserve. and these, which are fully
availa BILE as scout and dispatch boats,
add greatly to our defensive powers at
sea.
There are now in Cuban waters the
Massachusetts,, Texas, Indiana, Iowa,
Nashville, Marblehead, Fern, Montgom-
cry, Detroit. New York. Ericsson. Cush-
ing, Vicksburg, Annapolis, Cincinnati.
Castine. Brooklyn. Wilmington and New
port.
These various ships. now lying between
Cuba and the United States, have a to-
tai armament of 1898 guns. Our Atlantic
seaboard is now protected by the We
suvius, Amphitrite, Essex. Machias
Foote, Winslow, Puritan, M~iantonomoh,
Minneapolis, Columbia, Katahdin and
Terror.
Following is a detailed statement of the
militia strength of the various states: