The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-01-15


civilized world. Tho universal reign of sr-
bitrston and international peace is vet long
way of; and il will not do for the wealthest
country Of the world 70 leave her great de-
positories Of wealth opo 10 sudden incur~
sions from less peacefully inclined. Besidoi
the consciousness Of insecurity inseparable
from lack Of meana Ct doiens, may cost in
comfort ii not in cash mora than the rgeild
deienscs would.
We may take it for granted, thersfor5,
that Lbe nmencan people, now that they are
comparatively frSe from pressing demands
upon their thought and means arising from
internal complications and now tbat they
have becoHe pretty generally aroused to
sense of their MARITIME weakness, win pay 10
naval affairs hencaforLh that attention which
caa raeaa nothing les, than alLimata supram
aoy in this direction. When the American
people make up their minds TO q thing it is
done, and usually on q scale shat is not mig
gArdly or mean.
AT this juucturo II is timely, 10 say the
least to inquire what the Itst OF the world
has been doing in naval matters during tho
period Of our naval quiescence. We shnl
find, as will DO shown elsewhere, that other
nations haYa not been idle; indead, thc pa,l
ten or fiieen years hsyc covered period Of
greater activity in naval affairs than any cor
responding period in the history of naviss.
Within this period, as has bsan 30 forcioly
expressed by Chief Engineer King in bis
splendid work on the war ships nrd nsvies Of
tho world, call the nnviss Of Europe have
been undergoing reconsruction, while those
Of Asia and South America have been in
great measure created. Ncvor has there b,sn
perloa III llmo OF pehco When such large
expenditures were bang mace fer navSl pur-
poses AZ 81 present, ana mover period IN The
history OF steam screw navigation when such
radlcaI cntnge3 wcre beng chected IN ;ha
construction OF Phlps OF war, IN the mo
chAhlsm OF stahm propulsion, snd in the sp-
pUGauen Of machinery 10 yarious purposes
on board ship hitherto Sccomplshed by hand.
Never before have such Tast strides boon
maae IN 80 short umo III the fabric tioa Of
great guns for naval wariWa, uects'ilGtiEg
oil coutie, lhe introduction OF new achGlical
app'lanoes Tor working themi while the
development OF torpedo warfare ani tho
newly invented methods eff operating those
dangerous weapons pram''e to n4d 10 future
nlS''''ihe contests an eiam' hitherto almost
unknown"
so 80 %" ~ "Si''sJ Vu.'u AH9 NNou u lNihO
measure OF progress; chiefly hoWover, slouE
lines Of Improvement Irat rlarksd cut by
American inventors; fact clearly recogn.
lIaa by MIR, h'uE In hA closing caaptsr on
the needs OF our navy The beautiful OUT
llAes OF American lost sailing vessels were
copied III Europe. Tho lrst war Vessel pre-
polled 0y INC screw was built in Phiadol-
phl'' nnelt IRE md subsequently heavy
guns We irst nsrSaueed here. Tho torpedo
Is an American invention, ard 50 is the 70
Volvlng turret Tor vessels OF WAR. 1t remsiRs
adds Mr.. King, for European naval powers,
hsving large appropriations ut commend, to
develop md expand American Inventions
Inc ldess FOR the present powerful m's'ls@
sea-song armored ships Of the Eig,i5h
grew out OF the visits OF our turrel vessel
Mantonomoh to British ports; AVID Sue uonr-
mored fleet Of fast sh.pr Of which tae incoa-
slant was the first IN Europe, owe tnrir do.
volopment to tho building of the Wan.
panosS.
IL IS not to be presuaOd that an approach
has been mSde to the limit cf poYibl. IN,
proVemeht In war vessels ana their equip
mont. And their is every rsNssn to antici.
patio that whom American shipbuiiers again
turn their attention TO naval problems, lhe
radica and daring novelties which INSIDE
America the pioneer in the creation mad de-.
Vgluppnapt nf Ian =
war vessels and their esuip uSnl in una TO- Inv
will be more than parSllelei in the evolution
or the wsr vessel of tho Inturo In any case