The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-08-20
THE WAR IN THE SOUTH.
Colombia Will Have 70 Fight the Allied
Armies of -Four Countries.
SHE ALSO HAS A REVOLUTION ON HAND
Not Probable that the internecine Strife
y VIII Be Stopped When War Is Or
ficiay Declared.

New York. August 10.-If IL ere did not
exist a compact between Venezuela and
her liberal neighbors, Ecuador, Nicaragua
and Costa Rica, to help el,h other in the
event of war with the conservative gov
ernment of Colombia, the latter would have
a decided advantage both as to army and
navy. But with all these countries to reck-
on with it is quite another story Yene-
zuela. whose proud boast it is that Bolivia,
Sucre and Flors the three greatest fight
ing generals that South America has ever
prod6eed, were natives of that country, has
at present an army OF 30NpO and MS that
republic Ia time If peace has standing
army OF not mere than 1000, it is presumed
that IL is now practically on war footing
should there be declaration oV war; the
$1,000 now under arms could, II Is as
serted, he doubled. All male natives over
l6 wears of age viii be drafted into the
service
I'd snml day with the present situation
or merely prepared himself against a pos
slblc lnSurrecuon is not known but the
faet IL that President Castro has In the
pas, year purchased In Germany 10000
MHuser rifles Besides these, the Nene-
2ueial' government has provided itself with
NeneZueh's weak point Is her navy. Seven
vessels none of which is as large as ]. p.
Mlsgan's steam yacht Corsair, constitute
thai branch Of her lighting force. 'rnc
latest acquisition was George j Gould's
yacht Atalanta, which has been rechristeu-
Ell - Restaurador. She, like the rest Of
the fleet, is equipped with guns of small
cahhIt. Nenezucans, however, do not all
deplecate this poor showing on the sea
for lhey assert chat In a war with Co
lUiuhia the lighting would be mostly on land
AMI here they claim to he superior to the
Colcpllans, If not In numbers In fighting
abil'y. This Is what Colombia viii have
t. tHcC so far as Venezuela goes.
BUT Nicaragua, Ecuador and Costa Rica
give her much concern Colombia Is com
Rletely surrounded hy these hostile repub-
mcs on the three, Nicaragua has the
easily put 10000 men in the Acld Ecla-
dor can tur.$ih not more than 10000, and
costa Rica about the same number The
toual force with which Colombia will he
compelled u cope, therefore. must he hgur.
ed close ON to 10O0pO.
Colombia, on the other hand, has two
advantages over her enemies She nos
sesses a superior navy. and her army has
NAG the benefit of nealy two years Of
active campaigning against the reyou-
tlGnlSgS But these are outweiChed by
tue disadvantages, namely internal strife
iack Of funds and difficulty tn movi G
her armies because of the numerous gre n
mountain ranges and poor transpo ,tatinl
faculties. The Colombian gnyernment
seems to believe that In vast war with
a foreign Zoe the liberals viii abln Ion
their rebellion and help IL. mis- is barj.
p Hkely' II IS said, as the liberia S------FAtf-
l ,n mat case be hghing against the GOV
eiImcnts that represent the principles for
hattling. ~ az ~"
That political faith goes before nation
alty was demonstrated by General Rnfoel
tribe brihe, the Colombian rebel chief
yWlho recently led the liberal forces OF
venezuela against the conservative Colon.
blan army that invade. Venezuela In
case or war the scat Of government would
nave 10 he moved TO the coast. probably
10 tartagena, which Is now the center If
military operations. This step would he
apsoutely necessary. as the telegram sys
tenn mas been crippled by the Insurgents
VINO nave cut the wires ana the time con
Sulned In "trip from RarranuuiITa and
colon 10 Rogota is about sixteen days. Al
present colombia has in the Geld about
tu'UVo troops. who are kept exceedingly
nnsy by the Insurgents BY conscrIption
W s 9umber could he increased to S60D
unhe colombian army is we'll supplied NTH
bennington rif"s. Her navy consists of
elght vessels, which are of greater tonnage
man those of Venezuela OF thesn tha
1urdova' which was purchased here n fsw
3els ago S tn" large T.. fer tonnage g.
zh" The most recent addition to the navy
vas JaL~Got,ion Bennett's steam vncht
SSSa CIV Fought In Europe for 100000
~ ~ u nov, the General Pnzon While
,4ese statistics may not give a verv clear
Ven Ven as to which country, Colombia or
NtueAuela VIII come out victoaious -hev
ase Surfcent to show that I'm tho event
81 q conflict between them II will no Inc
fa,es war that has ever taken place in
South America. p'"Ne III