The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-03
southern coast pcfen.es.


The members of the river and harbor
committee who visited Southern harbors
last week, have been talking about the de-
fenseless condition of Southern ports since
their return 10 Washington. They found
out that not only are Southern ports not
protected, but that very little Roadway Is
being made in the work for their protec-
ton. 1t is. evident from what they say
that they were not aware that a hostile
fleet would meet with little or no resis-
lance if it should undertake 10 enter
any one of The important Southern herbors
for the purpose of levying tribute upon a
city. In fact one of the committeeman
said that a Spanish cruiser could sail from
Havana to New Orleans. levy a heavy ui-
butte on the latter city and return to Ha-
vana before preparations could be made
by our government to defeat such an I'M
dertaking.
Under the circumstances II is not at
all strange that the South Atlantic
coast cities are not particularly anxious
that our government shall adopt a policy
in respect to Cuba that would likely bring
on a war with Spain. They understand
the danger TO which such war would
expose them. If they We're as well pre-
pared as the North Atlantic cities are to
resist the attacks of an enemy, or if they
were as remote from danger as the cities
Of the interior are, they might be much
more aggressive in their demand for a
policy in respect to Cuba that would speed
lily bring the war in The unhappy island
TO a close.
1t is not probable that what the members
of the river and harbor committee say
will have the effect of modifying the war
feeling of the jingoes in Congress, but it
may influence. Congress to push forward
the coast defense work for the protection
of Southern cities more vigorously
In this connection it is worthy of notice
that the fortihcations bill, which has just
been reported to the House, provides but
A,144, 912 for coast defenses for the next
fiscal year. The war department esti-
mates call for $1S,37S,571. Last year the
appropriations for Notifications were &c.
ST. 141, and the year before they were near
ly T,5O20OO. The great reduction this year
would seem to indicate that the desire
of the party in power TO keep the e&pen-
ditures of the government within its re-
enues is greater than its fear that the
country will become involved in war
with a country having a formidable navy.
1t is certain that we cannot have a
strong foreign policy as long as our sea
coast cities are in a defenseless condition
Even navy much greater than we now
have would not afford our coast cities
the protection which the projected forti-
fications would give them.
Another thing that should be taken into
consideration in considering the question
of Notifications is that the reports rela-
tive to the condition of our navy are moi
encouraging. In the recent drill off Hamp-
ton Roads the vessels, it is said, behaved
badly, and numerous defects in them were
discovered. One of the statements is thai
the turrets in which the heavy guns are
mounted, worked so unsa tisfaetorily that
alarm is felt that in actual battle the guns
would not be of much, if any, value. We
do not know how much truth there is in
these statements but 1t is fact that MIR
Roosevelt, the Assistant Secretary of the
Navy, said recently, that the navy was
in need of many things to bring it UP tc
hefstandard of the navies of even second
class naval powers. If this is the condi.
ton of our navy there ought to be no de.
lay in the coast defense work. While wal
is not apprehended If it should come il
would come quickly and without warning