BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-12-13

Iantic coast would, he thinks, be com.
paratively simple one. A fleet of German
transports would take on board picked
body of 60, 900 troops of which 10000 would
be used for minor expeditions intended to
bewilder us and to deceive us as to the real
point of attack, while the remaining 10000
men would be suddenly landed at some vul.
nerable point along the coast. These 10000
men, he thinks, would be sufficient to de-.
feat any body of American troops that might
be brought against them. He argues that
our regular army conld not muster in such
an emergency more than 10000 available
men, led by officers who have had no eXpe.
rence in serious warfare. The National
Guard, he thinks, would be negligible
factor; in the war first place because, as he
says, they did not all volunteer for service
in the war against Spain, and in the second
place because they are badly officered and
very Improperly armed. AS for volunteers,
he considers these to be of no importance
whatsoever-a mere mob, who would be
driven like chaff before the advance of the
German veterans. Therefore, he says, it
would be a simple matter to get possession
not enly of cities such as Portland, Char.
lcSLUu anu 0dFoAAonf Oub oloO OUobOus NOW
York, Philadelphia and Washington.
1t is a beautiful DEAN, which we trust
Herr Won Edelsheim will never have oe.
casion to test by actual experience. In the
first place, nations do not nowadays fall
upon one another In total disregard of the
usages which have become a law among
civilized nations. 1t is unlikely that the
world will ever again witness snch bandit
like proceeding as was Frederick the
Greats dash upon Silesia, when he began
his first campaign against Maria Theresa
without any formal declaration of war.
Moreover, there would be the time neces.
sary for the mobilization of the German
fleet and its despatch across the Atlantic.
Hence it is unlikely that We should ever
be caught SO far off our guard as not
TO have within easy call formidable array
of battleships and cruisers, which would,
besides, be supported by powerful land for.
tlfications at all of our great cities; for
while much remains to be done in strength
ening our coast deieDses, these are, at any
rate, even now in such condition as to make
it almost impossible for sny navy such as
Germany,s to force a passage underneath
their guns.
The notion OF foreign army of 10000
men taking possession of New York and
holding it reminds us very strongly of q
remark attributed to Lord Palmerston.
Lord Palmerston was once chatting with a
French general on the subject OF q possible
French invasion of England. The French.
man for time discussed the subject very
quietly as purely academic question; but
gradually he warmed up to his work, and,
forgetting his politeness, depicted the whole
thing as he saw it IN very graphic wsy.
He sketched out the sudden swoop upon the
English coast Of a great French feet, the
landing of5O,00O men, the dispersal OF the
hastily organized EuGlsh Lewis, a1d finally
the advance of the Gallo co ,querors upon
undefended London. sThen," be cried,
rising to climaI, 'swhen our brave troops
had enter,d your Iinndou what would you
do, you Euglist?" "Well,v returned Lord
Pslmerston, with meditaive air, 'sif they
didn't behave themselves 1 am afraid that
we should be obliged to have them run in
by the police