The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-09
VISION or YET YORK'S ran.
Admiral Jouett on This City's Chances In
a War.

Admiral James r.. Jouett recently sad
I'm discussing the statement that no va
ship can approach Witnlh uo1rn ~, ~
of New York until u had destroyed the
barriers in the bay ana Sound;
you can only see a ship eight lnlleS
out at sea. ana therefore a man l-""i
twelve miles away from the hItDoL anu
beyond the vision OF the gunners IN lns
forts could leisure throw us shot "ii.
shell into New ] Orf ana be peLecuy
safe itself Give G half dozen Boou Nta-
sells with their hig l-poWtr guns accurate
charts and they "a 50 place thelr sht49
that New York would De ieduceu III ~
surprisingly short time. Ioils are 'It
right when 10 comes 20 keeping the me-
OF the enemy out OF the harpor. put 10
prevent the ships from effectively bonn
banding q city they must nave tle as
sistance OF Ouc modern-Dullt monitors
ANY large squadron blockadlnB NeN
York city would be more powerful tndh
all her forts combined. II would ne onts
a question OF time before the toits WOuiu
have 10 capltulatc u the vessels shouiu
concentrate their fire. But put three or
four monitors out in the shoal water ana
le them poke their shot into the Ilos OF
tho epCmy. ana before you can say JACK
KobincOr trey will steam Tor the open
son a. fast as their screws can pF0pel
then. Not only that. but should any VI
the opposing fleet become disabled
monitor could hustle up ana tow her lI
as n prize before the necessary repairs
could be- made. .... ID,
"say thar we are on the defensive m
stead OF being the aggress0rs we WouI
not want to 50 abroad. GIVE US a9 ,StI,,
thirty fleet commerce destroyers, an l!lh
frigltes with good pairs OF legs llks tlc
Columbia ana Minneapolis, anu we Woulu
have TIE enemy begging Tor mercy III ~
tfnta take the little Essex tndt was w .
der command of Porter during the war OF
1872 Single-handed she drove the COM
mere Of England of the Paclhc ocean
and was only finally captured III
trail port. Forts are necessary, ou ~, ,se
~ have more active and moving forts.
those that can venture out 10 ueltnu
the coast and those that can prey upo"
the C mn cree OF the aggressor.
let these little frigates go aD snS men ,y
them burn. sink, and destroy ana lneh
Get AWAY Why, ] should run IKE q uVs
after / had committed as much dopieu@-
ton as possible and then sd" plssr'
fellow than / bearing down upon ~
Let us have about ten more ihVnl.u'e -,
ev,.n though we have about that huhott
now. we also need about twenty NOR
torpedo beats. Ihese together WIN '"0
speedv vessels that l have just mention
ed. would put us IN go09 nsht,"s ,, (rii, no
War with Spa.uy Well u Wouiu pe
fooIhordv i'm the Dons 20 press us 700
hard. Spain knows her navy - tl."0 S,, vl'
n par with ours. ana as me Is"t 49," D.',
All be on the sea and ABOUT the Nicl""E
~ Cnb9 she would undoubtedly give u3
trouble for time. but only a very SNORT
time. The Spaniards are an lsholeh'
peOple the most dehScly lSHV'aHl' "
Iieye. OF any OF the civilized nations. but
thew are naughty, and should they see
that their cause in CUBA Il iOst lhey
would ncht the United states al tae "N-
petse of the freedom or the ish'hH 10
save their honor
As "a n war with Englanl. ina: IL al
most ont OF the question. Ensiari croii
rrt aftOrc IL. IL our ports were bloch dc-
ca there would be bread rlos III ,nv
BiJish Isles in little or no time. lhey
ne Cependent upon us for their cereals.
Tho United states, by the way. / teNeVe:
is the only country that couid uepehi
uprn its own resources IN case 81 war.
"Spain says she would nrst proceed TO
destroy our commerce. That IS f.dict-
ions. Almost all Of the exports 81 ''ls
country are carried by foreign shlps De-
cause the crews can he employed al
cheaper wages This. however. - not TO
our credit More merchantmen that
could be turned INTO ighOnS 'hSat"s
should be flying the Americln i'as Inc
Government should expend about slc'Vp-
COO I'm building such vessels. or iet me
big exporters build them isn1 IsN TT
their reconstruction out ~ VIVA they
would receive from the JOvcTh eHs icf
carving the mails. This country wod'd
really be embarrassed rign. now III case
of war with any great power because OF
a lack OF ships 20 convey me seldi:F'' -
New York sun