New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-24

sixteen 6-inch guns and l0-inch armor on belt
and turrets.
A single battle cruiser like this with its quar-
tet o. attendant destroyers would give short
shrift to our combined Pschc fleets. If they
were massed in the open ocean-unless, indeeo'
one OF our destroyers submarines got in
lucky hit. which experience shows is more
than a hundred 10 one chance. Out OF range
herself he cruiser could sink each zoe at
leisure. That our ships would be fought
gau-ely and skilfully goes without sayins-tor
that is the immemorial way OF American naval
men. But that brief action would be a masss-
cre-like a tiger turned loose on flock OF
sheep And yet this is our naval Strength
on the Pacific!
SOME PROBABLE IFS" OF THE FU-
TURE.
With regard 70 timely reinforcements from
the Atlantic Coast there are several things
worth considering In the first place. meet
starting from Guantanamo, passing through
the canal and steaming at twelve knots an
hour would take fourteen days to reach San
Francisco. nineteen days 10 Honolulu and
thirty-hve to Manila. The last period, If not
the two latter gives ample time tor decisive
action to be fought-and lost by our weak
naval force.
Again. there is no assurance that the canal
would be open throughout at critical time
OWING 10 slides in the cuts it will be an uneer-
tain waterway for years-perhaps always. Re
cent press reports state that owing to side
the canal will be closed to traffic until Novem-
Der at the rliest
Further, nothing during the present war has
been more startling than the effective work OF
the spies. who made possible the building o.
concrete emplacements FOR great German guns
in France before war broke, and who. If cur
rent rumor be credible, blew up the British
battleship Bulwark and the auxiliary cruiser
Princess Irene in their home harbors. Would
men capable Of these things find great diftculty
in blocking the Panama Canal at critical time
by exploding land mine to make slide, b,
sinking one OF their own merchantmen with
cockwork bomb hidden in her coal bunkers.
or by wrecking pair of locks by explosives
dropped from the air?
If the canal were thus blocked for consd-
cradle period it would Understanding to Cap
tain ]. S. Mexican, u. S. NJ, late of the Naval
War College-sixty days to get feet OF for
weight battleships from Culebra, Porto Rico.
around South America TO Panama the voyage
would cost 100000 in fuel, and for the car
rage of fuel and stores it would require 100
merchant vessels OF 5000 tons each, costing
900 total. With our present self-sacri-
fetal policy toward our transooeanic merchant
marine 1t would be interesting to know Just
& ettch
fleet of transports could be found.
Finally the closure of the European war un-
questionably will bring new groupings OF the
great powers. Japan, in her present aim for
leadership in the Far East, will find Great Brit
ain ssvast interests there opposing he5 at every
step. For many years there has been in Japan
an influential pro- German and anti-British fac
ton, said to have been led by the late Prince
Ito and composed mainly of men educated in
Germany. This party seems to be gaining,
and some observers already find indications
that Japan is coquetting with Germany in
preparation for eventualities. Ii the German
battle feet shall pursue to the end its present
course Of Jet us say, strict neutrality the
close OF the war will find that great feet in
tact. Is it impossible to imagine that then, or
soon after, Germany and Japan as allies might
make a simultaneous attack on the United
States-one on the east coast, the other on
the west2 From what source then will come
those vital Pacific renforcements'
Less for defensive conflict than to avert war
by the presence Of superior force. it seems
clear that the United States should maintain
in, or within easy steaming range OF, the Car
ibbean Sea feet equal at least to that OF any
probable European enemy except England.
Less than this would be inadequate for the full
protection OF our eastern coast and Of the
Panama Canal and to meet the demands which,
more and more, the Monroe Doctrine will i'm
pose for the display or OF strong naval
force.
Similarly, if there were no Panama Canal.
we should keep always in the North Pacific
Ocean feet not of obsolete or obsolescent
vessels, but OF modern battleships equal to
that OF any Oriental nation. The opening OF
the canal may have lessened the urgency for
this somewhat AS to this naval authorities
differ. But, owing TO the great distances, the
possibility that the canal may be blocked and
the further possibility OF simultaneous attack
on both coasts, it is evident that full security
can be assured only BY Pacific feet able, un-
aided, to meet any probable foe there. This
does not mean that the Panama Canal has not
increased the effectiveness OF our navy. On
the contrary an overwhelming force swung
swiftly Through that short cut NAV some day