Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1898 — COULDN’T FIGHT US. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COULDN’T FIGHT US.

SPANIARDS WOULDN’T HAVE A GHOST OF A SHOW. Viat Uncle Sam Could Do in Event of War—Ready to Fight on Short Notice —"Would Sweep Cuba and Speedily End the Struggle.

Military Campaign Outlined. Washington correspondence:

lIATEVER the Spanish populace may think, the Spanish rulers know that Spain would be powerless to conduct a successful war with the United States. This country has “got the men, got the ships and got the money, too.’A, Spain hasn’t. The JJnited States has a population of 70,000,000 and Spain, has a population of 17,500,000. The United States is one of the richest countries on earth; Spain is practically

bankrupt. One squadron of the United States navy (the North Atlantic) is superior in strength to the entire navy of Spain. By the Spanish system of naval nomenclature what is reckoned by the American and English system ns a first-class cruiser is called a battleship. Thus the iVizcaya and the other ships of its class ■re known to the Spaniards as battleships, il?ut by the British and American standard are only first-class cruisers. Spain has only one ship which would be reck-

aned as a battleship according to the British and American standards. That Is the antiquated Pelayo, not an effective vessel. In comparing the naval forces of the two-countries this difference in classification should be borne in mind. According to the Spariish system of rating

Spain has* eight battleships to our five, •while according to our higher standard we have six battleships to her one, and that one “no good.” With its regular nrmy and organized nilitiu the United States could put into the field immediately an army of 150,000 jnen, and the full lighting strength of the “enrolled'’ militia which might be called upon in case of need is over 10,000,000 men. The army of Spain on a war footing js about 200,000 men. In order to send to Cuba the 150,000 men with which she has been prosecuting her unsuccessful war there she has been obliged to resort to conscription and has sent out regiments composed of mere boys. Her legitimate military resources ■re exhausted, and In the event of a big war a levy “en masse” is all that is left her. This, she claims, would give her 1,000,000 men. But even if there were not such great discrepancies between the powers of the two nations Spain would ■till be at tremendous disadvantage in trying to carry on war across .'I,OOO miles •f ocean against an enemy fighting within easy distance of its base of supplies. The transportation and maintenance of troops in large numbers in a distant country is an undertaking fraught with dilficulty and involving a tremendous expense. To maintain a powerful fleet of warships 3,000 miles from home is also an ©lteration calculated to deplete oven a well-stocked treasury. The supplying of food, medicines and military Htores for the Spanish nrmy in Cuba hns been found so difficult nud ox* pensive from Spain that it hns been done to a considerable extent by purchase In this country. If there were war with the United States no further supplies could go from this country to the stranded army and to convey stores and supplies from Spain if it is difficult in times of pence, what would it be with armed merchant men and swift cruisers sweeping the oceau •n the lookout for prizes? Every supply ship would have to sail under convoy of cruisers aide to lieat off the cruisers of the United Stntes, Spnift’s uavy could never carry on a war and supply sufficient cruisers for convoy duty at the same tlhie. The United States could easily land an expeditionary force iu Cuba. The ease with whidh filibustering expeditious land there is proof of it. A strong pxpeditionnry force joined with the army of Maximo Gomez would soon sweep the island. Meantime the harbors of the United States are fnirly well defended with mod-

ern forts armed with modern ordnance. Even if the Spaniards did, at some undefended point, succeed in effecting a landing, any force which they could land from a fleet would be speedily overwhelmed. Then there is the United States fleet, which could both help in the defense of the coast and operate against the Spanish possessions in the West Indies. * If the Spanish fleet came to the coast the American fleet would meet it off the point if; aimed at and in all probability annihilate it. If the Spanish fleet concentrated in the West Indies, the North Atlantic squadron would meet it there and try the arbitrament of battle in those waters. If the Spanish fleet split up, part coming on the coast and part going to the West Indies, the American navy would be able to leave enough vessels to assist the forts and the land forces in the protection of the seaboard, and could Concentrate an overwhelming force against the part of the Spanish navy left in the West Indian waters. Here is a list of our available vessels in the Atlantic: The battleships Indiana, lowa and Massachusetts; armored cruisers New York and Brooklyn; second-class battleship Texas; the cruisers Detroit, Marblehdad, Montgomery, Essex, Alliance, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Columbia and Minneapolis; gunboats Nashville,

Wilmington, Newport, Vicksburg, Annapolis, Castlne, Bancroft and Helena; dynamite vessel Vesuvius; torpedo boats Porter, Foote, Dupont, Cushing, Ericsson and Winslow, and the monitors Ampbitrlte, Terror and Puritan. Meantime, in the Pacific ocean the United States has the battleship Oregon and the cruisers Olympia, Bostou, ltaleigh, Petrel, Baltimore and Bennington, the coast defense vessel Monterey and some old vessels. A portion of this force only would be necessary for a descent upon the Spanish possessions in the Philippines, where the insurgents are still in the field. All this is giving Spain the benefit of every doubt ns to her ability to make a fight. The probability is that there would be only one conflict, and that a short one, off the hnrbor of Havana. Then it would be all over. The most effective fleet that Spain could send over would consist of the armored

cruisers Empcrndor Carlos V, Infanta Maria Theresa, Vizcnyit, Almirante Oquedon, Catnlunn, Cardinal Cisneros nud Prlucessn de Asturias. It takes 8,400 tons of coal to give those seven ships their normal coal supply. The fleet would use up its first 8,400 tons iu getting across the Atlantic. To coal it three times • when operating on this side of the water would take 25,200 tons. Where is Spain going to get that amount of coal? The coni with which she supplies her blocknding fleet now In Cuban waters comes from Philadelphia and New York. She hns little coal stored in Havana and has encroached greatly upon the store she hnd iu Porto lUco Spain herself gets her

coal from England. She couhl not supply it to her transatlantic fleet. In case of war with the United States the coal to maintain her fleet on this side of the water would have to come from England. Now coal is a contraband of war, and a British ship carrying coal to the Spanish fleet would be liable to capture. That some coal would get to the fleet from England is undoubted, for there never was a blockade yet in the world which tvas absolutely effective. But it is also a fact that enough could not escape the vigilance of American cruisers to keep the Spanish fleet supplied, and what did get through would cost the Spanish Government enormously. , If war should come between Spain and the United States, this Government would be able to move in the field of naval and military operations with a celerity, a completeness of organization, an effectiveness which would astonish the world. The navy of the United States is now practically on a war footing. Not only have our fighting ships been equipped with ammunition and fully manned, but every possible preparation in the way of coaling and opening of lines of communication has been made. Our naval authorities know now, and have kuown for months, just how cable communication may be established to various parts of the West In.

dies, just what it will be necessary to do in ease certain cables are cut and to just what points dispatch boats must bo sent. They know, too, about coal supplies, dry docks, fortifications, guns, depth of water, etc., throughout Spanish America. In fact, the Nnvy Department gnd the War Department have together prepared a complete military campaign. Every detail is arranged. It is known just what the fleets are to do, just what the army is to do, in case of war. No precious days will be wasted in preparing the plan of campaign, in deciding what is to be done. All that hns been attended to. The plan is complete and perfect. Every ship, every regiment, every transport, vessel, every man will be sent to its or his proper place the instant the word of command is given by Congress. If there should be a wnr the militia of the various Stntes would play an important part in it. Months ago the War Department sent out secret agents to make reports upon the State militia—the number of men that could be put in the field, their drill, discipline, equipments, batteries, field outfit, etc. Having igausscd all possible information, thb authorities here know what they can depend upon. They know, for instance, that within 24 hours, in addition to a part of the regular or Federal nrmy, 20,000 militiamen can be on the railway trains en route for the seaboard. They know that within 48 hours 40,000 men can Ik? on the cars. They know that within ten days, counting regular troops and militia, 75,000 men can bo mobilized at the seaports. In nil 100,000 trained and equipped soldiers are available for the offensive or defensive operations of the Government. Without any excitement or haste, or nny pressure from the President or members of the cabinet, the various bureaus of the two military departments of tlie Government have for a long time been making preparations for active operations. It is a mntter of professional pride with the chiefs of these bureaus to get all the business under their charge as near ns possible to a state of perfection. The result is, that without wanting wnr, seeking it or expecting it, Uncle Sam is to-day prepared to nmazo the world with the rapidity and effectiveness of the blows which he will strike if It become necessary for him to move. Ills officials believe that if we became involved in trouble with Spain the war will be over In sixty days. They also believe that a state of preparedness is the best guarantee of peace.

PREPARING TO DROP SUBMARINE MINES.

AMERICAN WAR SHIPS IN THE HARBOR AT KEY WEST. The Court of Inquiry hold its sessions in Government Building in the foreground; Fort Try or is in the distance on the left.

DRILLING NAVAL CADETS IN COB DOCK.