The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-12-03
THAT WONDERFUL NAVY.

In one OF our paragraphs this morning
reference is made to Minister Hurlbut and
his conduct in Peru. The fact is, we have
been, and still perhaps, ARE on the eve ofsome
serious international complications with
Chill, and no nation was ever in worse
condition to settle them, with Justice to
itself and with the proper dignity, than
these same United States Of America. We
are aware of the fact that it is common for
the average American to swear that this
country can whip anything in the way of a
nation now known, and perhaps if the mat
ter had to be settled ON our soil, or even
ultimately on the high seas, this result
might possibly be accomplished. But in
all seriousness, if we should, by any
diplomatic blunder in the next six months
become involved in war with any known
power even little Chill or any other people
that the lordly American turns up his
nose at, what could we do? We would be
bound to settle the matter on the sea uu-
less with our neighbor the Mexican Repub-
lie, and our dependence under such circum-
stances is about score of old-fashioned
wooden vessels too weak to fight with, and
too slow to get away in, and that their own
officers are actually afraid to 90 to sea, in.
The same class who think we could conquer
the world in pinch, also assert most con-
ildently that there's no danger of our ever
getting into fight with anybody, as the
whole world loves us so and stands in such
awe of us. Thisis all encouraging talk. but
1t has neither the recommendation of wise
precaution, nor is it sustained by the logic
ofpast events, some of them ofmost recent
occurrence, indeed. Naval architecture has
outgrown all others and all other govern
ments but our own have kept up with the
times in this respect Nor is this fact I'M
known to the rest of the world The Eng
lish press within the last lew days have
been declaring that the navy of Chill, re-
Gently constructed on the most approved
patterns .in-England, and though small,
equal in efficiency to any other, could
could sweep rhulks from the seas in three
months and enter San Francisco or New
Orleans, or for that matter, most any of our
ports with flying colors. 1t is positively
humiliating to admit, which we are bound
to do, that such is about the truth. We
might, it is true, after commencement of
hostiities, build navy, but our flag is the
representative of too great a people to be
lowered, our commercial enterprises and
interests too worldwide to be jeopardised
and our claims as citizens too sacred
to be disregardcd when abroad. And
yet we are positively not in
condition at present to protect
either. Time and again has this criminal
administration of this arm Of the service
been referred to by the press, and inn
pressed upon Congress, but nothing has
been done. In view of these facts the re-
Communications in the report of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury Just made, are of UNI
usual import, and the wiscst thing Con-
grcss could do would be to remedy these
detects, live have to abandon the entire
army, by all means let us never neglect our
navy. We know of no more practical way Of
reaching the evil than the memoriaizing wi
this subject of every member of Congress,
from Maine to the Pacific, by the citizens of
their respective districts. We can conceive
ofno more practical way at present orcco-
nomically, really, wisely and Justly dispos-
ingofsomc of that $lOO,OOO,OoO surplus up in
Washington than by using it to build up n
power to protect the rest oft, to say moth
ing ofthc other uses to which the navy
might be put and the purposes for which
we now actually need it. 1t is time such
insults as the Virginius, and just lately the
Honduras outrage, and the bragadocio
ofChili and many other like intoerable
treatment to our flag and the people it
covers had II Quietus put on them.