The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1915-02-09
DEFENDING
England's Shores As Never
Before
All The Details Are Closely
Guarded

ibleS nave Cdhcn vi all aspect OIL ser
ious determination never before
known in the history of England. AL
though details are closely guarded,
emergency measures are known to
exist this winter for the protection of
all strategic coast lines. The British
faith in her naval force to keep away
any landing force is still intact, but
every emergency has been provided
for.
Never since 1898 has the govern.
ment paid so great an attention to the
possibility Of invasion. Her big
fleets and her comamnd of the sea
has been the assurance of England
against her enemies.
Discussion of the possibility of an
invasion Is bringing out good deal
of history that is irrelevant to condi-
tons of the present day, and some
history that Is not historical What
happened in the Middle Ages does
not count, nor will German strategists
lay much weight on the success of
William Of Orange In landing an army
in England in 1883. For IT, was by the
connivance of some leading British
politicians and not few officers of
the army and navy, who were in the
secret that the landing was effected
But when an English writer Of con.
siderable standing declares that there
has been no foreign force landed in
Great Britain since the abortive
French expedition in 1897 he is wrong.
That was the so-called "Fishguard
Invasion" which was led by Colonel
Tate, an American in the French
service. 1t was soon over, and caused
more laughter than bloodshed.
The next year, however, General
Humbert landed in Ireland with about
1900 French veterans under his or
ders. For few weeks Humbert made
things lively in parts of Ireland, and
small as was his force, he defeated a
larger body of loyalists. Though ul-
timately forced to surrender, Hum
bert gave the British public conf
dence a severe shock. Humbert has
an interest for Americans, because,
going to America after his Irish ex-
plot, he cast his lot with Andrew
jackson and was one of the latter's
most efficient lieutenants at the bat
tie of New Orleans. Humbert mad the
experience, therefore, of being pres
ent at two defeats of the British, in
one OF which he commanded in per-
son.
The exploit of Humbert il, ireland
created a scare far more alarming
than that of the Zeppelin and flying
naval maneuvres of the Germans in
the present war. So alarmed was the
government that the Bank of England
on February 6, 1898, subscribed ST.
100000 to assist the government to re-
pei the threatened invasion. BY the
assistance OF manufacturers and coast
cities, the sum was raised to $780,
600, which was a large sum in those
days. Old prints Of that period show
that the English then discussed the
most fantastic projects of invasion,
just as they are doing today. An in
genious print published in 1898 shows
a huge French raft propelled by wind
mills conveying thousands of French
soldiers. Another print shows NapOl
cons army marching to Dover
} through submarine tunnel, which
they had constructed unknown to the
English. Today the imagination OF
that artist of olden time is becoming
construction, and if 1t were completed
il would be of immense value, and not
OF immense danger, in under-channel
communication with France.
The ordinary Englishman thinks OF
two possible methods of invading mis-
country, Zeppelin raids not being
ranked as an invasion. These two
methods are: the seizure of one OF
more English ports by tremendous
German feet and the landing o
troops, and the second is the landing
of troops from transports in small
boats at some open, unprotected par
of the coast. They have been assured
that these methods are practically
hopeless; first, because the attack OF
port would give the English plent,
of time to concentrate troops in tha
direction, and, second, because thu
placing of troops in small boats woult
expose them to destruction by com
paratively smaller forces ashore. 4
third, and more plausible method
would be to land soldiers from shal
low lighter. csrrying 500 to 1000 mel
each. That such lighters could b'
hauled from Germany while the Ger