Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-06-15

Rousing Speech BY Secretary Chandler ct
Dinner of the New Hampshire
Cub ct Boston.
He Urges the Necessity of q Larger
Navy and Merchant Marine.

BOsTOS, June IA.
At meeting OF the New Hampshire Club.
held in this city tonight, Secretary of the
Navy Chandler. Senator Frye, Collector
Wo-thington and Gen. n. P. Bangs were
among the guests. Secretary Chandler was
introduced, and after expressing gratitude
for the invitation extended to him to be pres
ent. and alluding to the generous treatment
he had always received from the people of
New Hampshire, he passed TO the considera-
ton of matters connected with the navy. He
said it would hardly be expected of men to
speak of the navy of the United States Off
cially, as find it has been spoken of by the
committees of Congress. The secretary then
read from the report of the committee on
naval affairs, and continuing, said, now if
these official utterances of the committees of
the Congress of the United States be true this
country, today, with all its wealth and intel
ligence, with all its sea coast, with all its sea-
men. with all its seaports. is in no condition
to enter into any international controversy
with any one of the great powers of the earth.
| have here a comparison of the naval vessels
| of England, France, Germany, Italy and the
Uuited States, which will not read at this
time, but will call your attention to the fact
that while we were once rivals of Great Brit
ian upon the ocean, and while we once had a
navy which in the war of 1912 compelled the
British naval officers to haul down the cross
of ST. George before the stars and stripes.
Great Britain today has 400 vessels in its
navy, 65 of which are iron clads and 434 gen.
eral service vessels, while the United States
has only Ill vessels in all, "a iron clads and
| 81 general service vessels, the wretched con-
/, dition of which you have heard described by
| the committee of Congress in the language
of which read. Now l ask you, gentlemen,
is this country in any condition to enter into
war, which God forbid may come, but which
in the providence of God NAV come in the
future with Great Britain? France. Ger
many and Russia each have iron clad navies
superior to our own, and even Italy, although
it has superior tonnage of naval vessels to
ours, has two ships which are equals of any
| iron clads in the world now.
The question is what will America do in
view of her naval inferiority No one expects
| the United States to build navy today or
tomorrow to compete with the great powers
of the earth. We are nation of peace and
expect to remain at peace with the great
powers of the earth, and l do not advocate,
neither will any person advocate, that the
| United States should expend money neces-
sary to construct a great naval armament
equal, either this year or next year. to a con-
| test with the great naval powers for the mas
| terry of the ocean.
We have more than 20 live oak ships. They
are wooden ships, to be sure, but are good
ships. They are good cruising vessels they
are exhibiting the flag of our country in all
the waters OF the earth. and have been sufi-
cient to secure for our country, in all the
seaports and waters of the world, that re.
spect which the stars and stripes at the mast
head of naval vessel of the United States
ought always to command.
| do not advocate. therefore, the expensive
| construction of naval vessels. We want a
few modern steam cruisers. Is there any
reason under heaven, gentlemen of the
House of Representatives and Senators. WHY
the United States should not own one cruis-
ing vessel of the navy that is faster than any
vessel that can be built on the face of the
earth. We can build her in this country.
We want not IL or 20, but cannot we afford
TO exhibit on the ocean the fastest and best
cruising vessel that human ingenuity can
construct? [Applause.] believe so, and
believe we can afford to build four or five
iron clads for harbor defense, 50 we
need not buster and threaten any
the of smaller powers of earth and run the risk
| OF having two or three of their iron clads
enter the harbor Of San Francisco or Boston
or New York and destroy the commerce of
| those harbors and those harbors themselves.
while we are getting ready to finish half a
dozen iron clads, which when finished, will
| be the equal of any in the world, but which
we have let lie unfinished with three or four
million dollars invested in them for the last
| seven years.
In 1860 our tonnage had risen to ), $50, 900
| n N r
| you, it had gone down to 2,643 200, a de-
crease between 1860 and 1880 of 2,7O7. 900
tons. Other statistics were given, and he
| continued in the case of South America
find the balance of the trade against us of
| about lO2, OO0.0 900 while England and France
| sent lO2, 600, 900 of manufactured goods to
South America to pay our debts when under
wise and courageous policy we should sent
lO2 900, 900 in American manufactured goods.
We can beat them, gentlemen, in manufact-
uring goods. We can manufacture in Man
chester. Dover, Nashua and Great Falls ex-
actly the kiad Of goods they want in Brazil
and in all South America. Why don't we
send them there? Because we have sur
rendered the carrying trade to Great Britain
md men who own stage routes q take an
illustration which hopewill be comprehend
ed even in New Hampshire) can tell you
what passengers shall ride in coaches and
what trunks shall be put on the racks be-
hind Now, Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen,
1t is impossible that this state Of things should
much longer continue
1t is impossible that this great American
nation, which was contended successfully
with England upon the ocean, i. to lie dow
and allow England to control the ocean while
we are contented with simply controlling so
many acres of land which constitute our
heritage.
Senator Frye was then introduced and
! made a brief speech which was chiefly de-
voted to the praise of Secretary Chandler
and his work.
Brief speeches were made by other gen
| tleman present