All that could be prevented by having the proper defense always ready.
The other important cities on the coasts are as vulnerable to attack as New York.
Just think of the billions of property which in this way is at the mercy of an enemy.
We forget that English soldiers once destroyed our capitol.
They could do it now, and think of the vast amount of money in the treasury at Washington which would fall into their hands, and the value of the property that would be destroyed, and of the valuable papers that would be lost.
“There is no insurance against the great evils of war so certain and CHEAP as the preparations for defense and offense.”
We are less likely to be attacked if our great seaboard and lake cities are defended by heavy rifled guns, by ironclads and torpedoes, and if we have enough cruisers to threaten an enemy’s commerce, and can take the offensive at once.
Offense, with the proper weapons, is the best kind of defense.
We must have a suitable navy to attack our enemy before he can get to our coast, and before he can either destroy or blockade our ports.