The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-08-19
By JULIUS ". MULLER
CopyTaEas SgM hT J. w. Nuglsr.
An Tagh&s reserved.

though tine earth OF their market places
was trembling under their feet
That spiritual self defense with
which men aTmor themselves against
inevitable fates had not given way IN
til the administration announced the
surrender OF the city Of New York and
It's two great forts, with the statement:
'0The president assumes fun respon-
nbf1fty. After a careful examination
of the situation In person he issued or
ders, as commander in chief of the
armed forces of the Omitted States, that
the army in the field should offer no
opposition"
Then the west began to fear with a
great fear that its Pacific coast was
not safe after all 1t thought, ap-
paned, that an enemy 80 formidable
and successful, confronting opposition
so futile, might succeed in breaking
the defenses OF the Panama canal as
easily as he had broken the defenses
of the Atlantic.
But the Panama canal was being
held. The United States feet, having
failed to prevent the hostile landing on
the New England coast, had turned at
once to defend the one vital spot that
it could protect even against superior
numbers. That was the Caribbean en-
trance to the canal.
It raced there under forced draft.
It surprised and destroyed an inferior
force Of cruisers and battleships that
the enemy had stationed there for
blockade. Again it was mathematics.
The foe. forced to assure himself
against attack on his transports of
the New England coast, had held all
his powerful ships north Of the Amer
lean feet The weaker blockaders in
the south, facing guns OF superior
range, ships Of superior speed and SUI
perior volume OF gun fire, went down
TO destruction without even the salts
faction Of biting hard as they died.
The Panama defenses were perfect
This precious possession was one
| American possession at least that could
be held TO the last. It's guns were
| fully installed. It had ammunition.
| It's range finding systems and its sys-
TENS of fire control were complete.
Without the navy It, too, would have
been sorely weak In men and would
have been open, like Americas CONT
mental defenses, to attack from the
land. But with the naval forces II was
able to hold out.
The navy was ready to throw men
ashore to meet any attempt at land
ings along the coast. The navy's tor
pedO boats and destroyers crept to sea
in the night and guarded all weak
| places. The American submarines,
with a safe 'harbor for base, worked
under ideal submarine conditions.
When the hostile navy, freed from the
task of protecting it's army, at last
appeared In force of the isthmus it
dared not institute anything like a
close blockade
It dared not even venture IN to bonn
bard There were sixteen inch guns
| at Panama It was an object lesson
for the United States. Exactly thus,
had there been an army to protect
them the Atlantic coast defenses could
have defed any attempt from the sea
to force harbor.
The enemy navy, overwhelming az
It was, could do nothing except to wait
and watch
The news OF Panama's safety was
the first and only good news that had
been given to the country since the
declaration Of war. The relief that it
gave was so great that the people re-
eeived almost with equanimity the
news which foflowed-that word had
come from spies Of the arrival Of more
transports In Boston harbor and Mar
ragansett bay. bringing forces estimat-
ed at figures varying from $4,000 to
100000 more men.
Soon after this landing had been &C
complished cavalry and light artillery
moved northward through Vermont
They seized and occupied in force Bel
lows Fails and the White River, Wells
River and St Johnsbury functions of
the Vermont railroads. This cut the
last communication Of New England
with the United States. 1t gave the
invader absolute command Of the st.
Johnsbury and Lake Champ4sin rail.
road, the Central Vermont, the Maine
Central, the Boston and Maine and
the Rutland branch railroads. Maine
New Hampshire and Vermont were In
his power like the rest of New Eng
land. BIockaded from the sea and cut
or from railroad connection with the
interior, they were subjugated even
without the unfolding Of forces that
now began through their area.
!. The few big cities Of the three states
could offer no resistance. Within q
few days the conquest Of al New
England was complete. Not a worc
came out Of it to the rest of the Unit
ed States. The cftv of New York wa,