The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1914-03-26
UNCLE SAM
PREPARED
TO BATTLE
MExICANS
tsy United Pres. correspondenu. .

Galveston. Texas. March 1s.-Just
at this time when so many fresh Diff
heulties are springing up in the Mexi-
can situation. there are perhaps few
citizens OF the nation who do not
wonder how well our army is pre-
pared for actual warfare-for 1t would
be actual warfareto try Intervention
in Mexico. The United States army
is composed OF approximately $1,000
officers and enlisted men. Of which
number 10000 are on duty outside OF
the United States. while the remain.
ing $4,000 are at home stations, most
ly on border duty and at the large
government posts. one-third of the
quickly available standing army =
now mobilized at Galveston and
Texas City. while there are scattered
along the Texas border many compa-
nies OF infantry and cavalry. Al Fort
Sam Houston. the second largest
army post in the United States. there
is a brigade OF the Texas national
guard. ready at moments notice.
numbers $4,000. men. Theentire sec
ond division Is mcbili1ed there and
has been under canvas for one year.
In Fighting Trim.
In case Of actual warfare approx
maieiy 10000 men can he Immediate
ly thrown into action In the field. ae-
cording to hgures obtained here. The
militia furnishes better fighters than
volunteers. but the miIi,lamen can
rot be counted regulars. for II would
require perhaps three months to ses
them In proper hghiing trim. That
section Of the regular army mustered
at Galveston nov Is In the finest Kind
Of nghting condition. Living in the
open. under canvas for one year the
officers and meu have faced summer
heat and winter cold alike. and arc
hardened 20 the maximum point.
while tedious and brilliant mancg-
vers that are constantly being held
have kept all Of the batiaIions on
their toes until they are up TO the
latest war tactics. Every effort OF the
generals and commanders here dur
ing those msneuyers has been direct
I'd toward simhllhcation. efficiency
and effectiveness aud perhaps there Is
nowhere In the world todaya better
trained and more alert army division
thAh that now here.
Fine Equipment.
Great advances have been made by
army officials For instance. the rife
now in use has a range of 2.s5e yards.
more than one and one-half miles.
and 1t has the necessary wind ranges
for various winds The militia. reEu.
lar infantrymen and the navy have
the same style and model guns.
whereas during the Spanish-Ameri-
can war the navy had one kind. the
army another and the miiitiamen
We're supplied with half dozen diff
ferent model and calIbrc guns. varl.
Gus size cartridges had TO be sup
piled with a half dozen different mo-
del and caiibre guns and one depart
mont could not use the same ammu-
milton as the other. resulting In u
great amount OF confusion. which ia
now completely done away with
Our navy now has twenty mine
modern bsttleships and nine old bat
tleshlps. fifteen first class cruisers.
three second class cruisers, fourteen
third class cruisers. twcnty-one bat
tleships. forty-nine destroyers. thirty
two torpedo boats and thirty-ive sub
marines. The best part OF this force
could be quickly mobIlized to effect
lively blockode all Mexican ports Sol
diers OF the regular army and the mi
iitia have been given thorough prae-
tice In handling and firing their RI
fes. the amount OF rifle practice now