The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-30

world knows, lies upon the seas. Her
position as land power Is sufficiently
shown by the fact that the present war
With the two little Dutch republics In
South Africa has forced her to put the
largest army into the field ever known
In her national history. But on the
ocean there is no one to dispute her SUI
premaey 1t is evident that to jeopardise
this Is to strike at the very foundation
OF her national glory. And to enbarrass
British commerce is to do something
more than that. Sinee-the navy is mere
ly g. safeguard for the merchant marine
from which the English derive their ma
tfenal prosperity, to injure British COM
meree severely is to strike at the very
foundation Of Great Britain's aationaI
existence.
AS is well known, Great Britain cid not
have at any time during the war of in
dependence an army of more than $1,000
men in North America, about half the
force the United States is now maintain
ing IN the Philippines. In the second
war, OF 1872, there were few, if any, more.
Moreover, IN the first war many Of these
soldiers were Hessian mercenarfes, in
whom England had a somewhat remote
personal interest. The worst blow the
United States could possibly inf1ict upon
England on the land would be the cap
ture of this entire force, AMI yet it is
apparent that this would not greatly
weigh upon the national fortunes of the
British, provided the war were to limit
itself to this continent, as it must of
necessity.
AS matter of fact, WASHINGTON did
capture about ECO men from the enemy
at Trenton, Gates gained 5000 mole by
Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, and
Washington and Lafayette added about
1900 more by Corvallis surrender at
Yorktown. Of the taking of these 5000
British and Hessians all the world
Knows; but who has reflected upon the
fact that in the same time our naval
vessels and privateers had taken not
fewer than $1,000 British or the ocean!
Nor were these soldiers not unessential
for her home defenses they were for the
most part Sailors who could not be
spared unless England was prepared to
yield her naval and commercial su,
prenacy at a single turn of the wheel
Of fate. And in 1S12-1S14 American ships
made 10000 captives, to the 5000 made
on land!
TO those who obtain their knowledge Of
American history from the school books
this appears incredible, but it is absolute
ly true. Without taking into account the
capture of ammunition from British ships
which made Washington's occupation
of Boston possible, or the naval opera
lions which made Gates maneuvers sue
cessful, at the close of the war of in.
dependence the United States had on the
high seas no fewer than $50 war ships
carrying 5,043 cannon. During the entire
duration of the war we put into the
water 1862 vessels of all descriptions, car.
rying more than 1900 guns and sW;vels
In this time not fewer than 500 British
ships were destroyed or captured by our
naval forces. al a total estimated loss to
the enemy of $2S,SSe,0 00 1t is to be borne
in mind that this was double loss to
Great Britain, fnasmuch as it deprived
her Of this amount on one hand, while it
added as much to the resources Of her
foe on the other.
In the War of 1872, the second struggle
for independence, the figures will be even
more astounding to those who have
faEcled the few naval duels won by our
fr1gates the extent of our naval achieve
ments For IN this war only twenty
three ships belonged to the navy, nav.
ing 500 guns, while the privateers num-
bered 517, with 2,993 guns. The govern.
ment prizes in that conflict were valued
at $6,6D, OO0, the priva teers taking $50 co.,.
pOO more, a grand total of Sic, 500, 900 dam
age inflicted upon Great Britains most
vulnerable spot.