The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-03-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
our Defsnseless Coast. lAdmitai Porterss
Torpedo Boat Aslmiralf Asnmsa's 5
Ram. The pangerd Delaying Befss-
From Our Regular Correspondent.)


'AShiNHiON, W IL W, EcU. 1COOs
Senator Baysrd, who was in Europe
last summer and saw some of the pow.
erful armored vessels of the European
nayies, recently made the remark that
ne knew Of no defense, nbIesss It might
be torpedoes, that would prevent the
ships of foreign powers from entering
any United States port and placing our
wealthiest cities under contribution
Notwithstanding. the millions that have
recently been expended on our navy, 1t
is Q fact well known that our entire naval
force would be powerless to meet a sin
gle ship Of the class which lis not un-
com mon IN naviss8 OF England,
France, Prussia and Russia. 81 5 y v y
Torpedoes may be very effective in
defensive maritime warfare, but thes
have not yet had the thorough testing
that will enable them to be relied upon
With assurance. The next war in, which
ships take part will show startling nov
elites in methods and. means. The elec,
tric light will play Appointment part, and
it will be very difficult for the iurtive
torpedo, to creep up to floating fortress,
with the sea for rods in every direction
almost, as light as day, and the ship pro
tected by an outwork of wire. -. .7 I.
The proposed inter-oceanic canal
makes it all the more important that we
should look in time to the protection oi
our coast. The canal completed-there
will always be on the Atlantic or the
Pacific side. q number OF those iron mon
aters with which nothing in our fimsy
navy can cope. -, 8 ;,,s,....T : -. -,
/ Admiral Porter, is the inventor OF 0
marine ram with q sub-marine beak to
which torpedoes are fixed 1t was sup.
posed that this would be. a, terribly de-
structive vessel, but she has no more
speed than q ferry boat, and one, sho,
from the heavier gums of q first class
English vessel would disable her. -,
Admiral Ammen appeared, last week,
before the naval committee of the House
and advocated the construction of q
number Of marine rams, the purpose. OF
which. shall be collision only; they are
to carry 70 guns or torpedoes, but to be
built with a view to irresistible strength,
speed, and facility. 10 manegyering, Il,
| is estimated that one of these vessels,
with its steel beak, will sink, any ship
with. which it can collide, and while il is
emiaeutly probable that the ram itself
will be sunk in the collision, still it feels
thatit can. afford it-for the ram is sup.
posed to be worth only half q million
of dollars, while the vessel that it has
sen, to Ocean bottom tas cost at least
90. .000, 900. The result of war, wheth.
er on sea OF land has ceased to be .
question, Of physical scourge, endurance,
or skill !; it. is becoming every day more
q question of science, of mathematical
and pecuniary forces, and if We can sue.
cessfully oppose $4,000, 900 with $500.
900 it will seem that we have an advan-
tage of four to one in defensive, mari
time warfare Admiral Ammen has
urged the adoption of this ram for the
last seven yesrs,v and the truth of bis
theories has since had conclusive and
tragic illustration in the instantaneous
sinking, of the Grosser. Kurfurst, the
most po owerful iron-clad Of the Prussiar
feet, from q collision ln the English
Channel. But whatever may be the
means, tits folly to delay the protection
preparation that will enable us, to sit in
security amid the great and increasing
wealth Of onr coast cities. We are so
strong on land that We have no fear o.
such armies as the combined world
might bring to attack US on our owr
tsoiI, pilL our weakness is at points where
we can be attacked from the ses--al
Boston. New York, Philadelphia, Balti,
more, Norfolk, Charleston, New Orleans
and San Francisco. At these points ",
are lamentsbly weak. e4ews has sas.e