Великий военный синдикат

           Inaveryshorttime,onehundredthousand,twohundredthousand,fivehundredthousandmen,ifnecessary,couldbemadereadyfortheinvasionofCanada.Fromplatform,pulpit,stump,andeditorialofficecamethecry:"OntoCanada!"AttheseatofGovernment,however,theplanofthewardidnotappearsoobvious,sosimple.ThrowingagreatarmyintoCanadawasallwellenough,andthatarmywouldprobablydowellenough;butthequestionwhichproducedhardbreathingintheexecutivebranchoftheGovernmentwastheimmediateprotectionofthesea-coast,Atlantic,Gulf,andevenPacific.Inastormofnationalindignationwarhadbeendeclaredagainstapowerwhichatthisperiodofherhistoryhadbroughtuphernavalforcestoapointdoubleinstrengthtothatofanyothercountryintheworld.Andthiswarhadbeendeclaredbyanationwhich,comparativelyspeaking,possessednonavalstrengthatall.ForsomeyearstheUnitedStatesnavyhadbeensteadilyimproving,butthisimprovementwasnotsufficienttomakeitworthyofrelianceatthiscrisis.Ashasbeensaid,therewasmoneyenough,andeveryship-yardinthecountrycouldbesettoworktobuildironcladmen-of-war:butittakesalongtimetobuildships,andEngland’snavywasafloat.ItwastheBritishkeelthatAmericahadtofear.BymeansofthecontinentalcablesitwasknownthatmanyofthelargestmailvesselsoftheBritishtransatlanticlines,whichhadbeenwithdrawnuponthedeclarationofwar,werepreparinginBritishportstotransporttroopstoCanada.