Year: 1873

shorter than was the last.


The Notes OF Preparation for War.


The country will be rejoiced to notice thai
tho government are practically acting on the
assumption that the prospect of force being
necessary to settle our account with the Span
ish butchers and robbers in Cuba Is very
great. With that pleasant fiction OF diplO-
macy they do not proclaim that they are pre-
pairing for war but if they do prepare ear
nestly, promptly and completely the people
will not trouble themselves what character the
administration gives the making ready. The
alacrity with which the Navy Department has
entered on this work and the result achieved
in short space of time reflect great credit on
Secretary Robson. We should be greatly
gratifed if we could pass the same ecomium
on the military branch Of the service; but wa
fear that the same promptitude and wise
precaution have not been exhibited by the de-
partment under the control of the Secretary Of
War.


AT Washington, Brooklyn. Charlestown.
Chester, Wilmington, Newport and Norfolk
the greatest activity is displayed, and before
the troubles are another week older the coun-
try will doubtless be astonished at the rapidity
with which the low peace footing of our navy
has been changed for footing OF war. The
noiselessness with which the governments
torpedo system has been organized promises
well for other portions of the naval prepara-
ton. What is greatly to the point is, that az
fast as the vessels are got ready they are de-
spatched either to Cuba itself or to q general
naval rendezvous whence they will be ready
to swoop down on the Spaniards in the event
of war; All preparations, indeed, should be
proceeded with as if war were absolutely GER
tain. The regular army should be concen-
trated. as for as available, in military
camps, ready to be transported to Cuba
However important part the navy
would take in a war with Spain.
the great business will be performed
on land. 1t will be necessary to throw force
of from forty thousand to fifty thousand men
on the Cuban coast, and as there appears to
be no preparation with such an end in view in
the War Department we would point out the
instant necessity therefor. 1t is argued that
the regular army should be left to its duty Of
watching the frontier and guarding tho peace
among the Indian tribes but it can hardly be
urged that the entire thirty thousand are ne
cessary for these works. A certain contingent
could be spared to organize military CAMPS at
Key West Savannah, Charleston and New
Orleans. If war were declared we know that
the call for volunteers would be heartily re-
sponded to, and that from the war veterans
on both sides of the late civil conflict Offering
their services a sufficient invading force could
be recruited in q week. No better fighters
could be found in the world. If camps were
previously formed at the points indicated the
volunteers for Cuba could be ready to wipe
out Spanish rule in Cuba within fortnight
from their recruitment if sea transportation
were provided.


The unanimity of public sentiment as seen
in the press of the entire country; the majestic
force of the great meeting at Steinway Hall;
the strong but dispassionate, vivid but ac-
curate words of the learned legist, William M.
Evarts, whose natural prudent conservatism
and fresh studies of international law in con-
nection with the greatest peaceful arbitration
of modern times did not prevent him from
claiming the fullest measure of satisfaction for
the wrongs we have endured, all point out to
the government their justification for the
strongest measures they can take. The
military and naval departments should at
least run abreast in their preparations. At
present, owing to Secretary Robson s activity
and foresight the Navy Department is far
ahead of its sister service.