The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-08-25

The Independent Ice Company HIS
Not ordered Its Fleet 20 Capture

The Independent Ice Company HAS.
Not ordered Its Fleet 20 Capturaf
or Sink the American Navy.
It Is now understood why our Legislators ant
other Government onlcials are 80 Indifferent
about increasing the efficiency OF our Na9y
and providing our coast with defenses against
attack in case OF war. Additional vessel siAre
rot needed. We have q reserve mar itimo fbrco
that is moro than q match for oil tho navtes OF
the world. Our Ice boats, our oyster pungles,
our melon schooners, our canal-bostg and
barges are far more formidable than any Old
World iron.clad. And 1t was to exhiblFt TO all
the world our vast resources on naval anairs
that the late SEQ encounter on Marth2's vine.
yard was had schooner employer In tho
coosting trade from the KennepecEhn the
Potomac sank the best and most forpidable OF
the vessels Of tho American Navy Instantly;
IL an American schooner couldteo quickly
destroy the most powerful vessel * the Amer
lean Navy, then heavily.built 2wltt,s,ailing
American canal boat would rs 4peodily DO
stroy tho best iron.clad In tho Forll; me
thIee-masted schooner James SLowell, COM
msnded ~ soT 9Tnsr p Se bottom 'i
ten minutes without any exira enort, was
chartered by the 1ndopendent4ce Company, of
tom with boats In the Ice tradb Is, after dellv-
turn trip a'carso Of coal. THe Lowell reached
city about July 25 with 1,2g1 tons OF ice from
tho Kennebec River, and auer discharglng her
cargo touched at Baltipgre for her return
cargo OF coal. on her waypacR to Portland she
ran into and sunk the Taflapoosa.
secretary Folger may learn by this little &C.
currence that IL is very phwlse for him TO light
eo con- iSs have for isot capable
destroying the entire navy OF the United
States In single engagement, It is recon-.
himself hereafter in Ms dealings with the ice
companies. What you'd have prevented the
Independent Ice CoIppany, for example, from
nd pnr GnnFAtnrV EOIVnr
when tho latter Wa on ono OF his pleasure
trips aboard tho Tailapoosa? Nothing but tho
magnani%ty OF he Ice ,SS aI@Ss Of r tha
Tallapoosa provae. This has certainly poem
an awful warninEto secretary Folger, aud we
imagine he Will Hereafter deal In an honest,
business-iike ms,,ner with our Ice companies
providing no really cares to preserve intact
tho poor remurnt OF our American Navy
sunday Gdsett6l
what President Church Says of the
Above.
'Mr. Chutch," said reporter to the
president ofthe Independent Ice Company,
Have yopSsee this article in the Sun
day Gaset$stating that you had ordered
the fleet oGthe Independent Ice Company
to attack the United States Navy, and sink
every vesstl Of 1t in sght?"
Eyes, Sd saw the statement"
Well, At has created considerable alarm
at the My Department, and want to in
quiro If y is true p
mot Htall, sir. The Navy Department
may calm their fears. l have given nc
such orders to our fleet, and under no cir
cumstahces would do so. l am too good a
citizensfor anything of the sort"
Thin the American Navy is safe and the
naval authorities may breathe freer?"
"For the present, certainly, from the fleet
of thd Independent Ice Company. SO faI
froms wishing to injure the American Navy
] viii gladly lend the authorities any OF
turAleet whenever they have need of {
swHr, safe and commodious vessel.'