New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-02
Az INSTRUCTIVE WAR.

War between the United states ana SPAN ~
not n cornbnt Of the first magnitude, hut II VIII
sui,,cc 10 show much that is useful 10 know.
both 10 Americans and 20 Europe. II VIII teach
the new generation II Americans. who nav"
come upon the stage since tho great war III Inc
sixties how grossly they have Numbered IN sup
posing that there could be no need OF prepare !
ness and training for National defence. Tn"
difYcronrc between the so-called militia Of som"
States and the fairly disciplined and equipped
c,,Izen soldlcry Of others will he too strongly
Immersed upon the mind. Il Is probable. 10 he
sn..dilv forgotten 1t Is hardly conceivable
that the Nation. having once learned something
~ the difference between even It's best militia
and n thoroughly prepared Regular Army, VIII
ever again permit itself 10 be without suili-
cicnt force absolutely ready at all times for the
defence Of the Nation against the first brunt OF
any attack TO which it may be exposed.
Hut +, is not possible tina, the nations OF the
Old World will witness the conflict without
some new conception OF thu cxpediency Of keep
ing peace with the Republic. In no bonstful
spirit il may be said they have learned some
thing already. In sample, so TO spcai thcy
have seen what American ships and scamen can
do. and realize that against big navles composed
in part of ships and guns on paper me Aihcri-
can force Is not exactly TO be measured by
weight Of metal or tcnn0g" OF vessels. Ih"y
have also seen something Of the energy win
which this country can increase IFS naval force
on OCCASION and understand that the incrcas"
accomplished and in progress is certain TO max"
this Nation one Of the most important on the
seas
Tho quality Of the American soldier has been
exhibited only little as yet. But observers al
ready begin to notice that the characteristics
which made American armies 80 enectlv" dur
Ing the Civil War and earlier have not vanished
with the rising Of n new generation. II ~
something Ia know that the long disciplined and
seasoned regular army of Spain, which has not
been mcanly estimated for its size 10y European
EXPERTS docs not stand well against even the
latest recruits Of America. That this Nation
was babitually and Of set purpose profoundly
unprcparcd for war everybody has known, but
II NAV suggest something to other natiorS 10
see how rapidly material preparation is pcSs-
bic In a country having such enormous facilities
for manufacture. If il has not taken sixty days
To nut n small army Of one hundred thousand
men or more in possession Of needed equipment.
tho fact will also he observed that ten times the
quantities Of clothing. equipment and ammun-
ton could have been turned out in not much
greater time. If necessary. merely by utilizing
more of the Nations working force.
I'm 1850 this was Nation Of about thrtytwo
millions and about twenty millions quickly
placed and maintained in the field an army of
million men The population is now more than
sevcnty-fve millions. and AT the same rate II
could place In the field. If there were any need
en- army Of 3. 10000 men immcasnrabiy better
armed and equipped for fighting Than the sol
ders Of thiriy-fve years ago Il" make them ms
well disciplined and competent would take time.
but there Is no other nation which will attempt
TO transport to this country an army able to
meet IT, Nor Is there any other country that
has not vulnerable points which. with the aid of
n powerful navy. such an army could strike cf
fectlvcy Troops have been raised and moved
from the Atlantic Coast for shipment from San
Francisco to the Philippines within few days
and. were there necessity. other points even
more distant could b. reached. II docs not fol-
low that this Nation will never have trouble
but II II docs not bunder again by leaving Itself
unpreparcd the United States may reasonably
believe that no other nation will make war
without seriously counting the cost. 1t was