National Republican., 1884-04-03
NAVAL APPROPRIATIONS.
The Building UP OF the Navy Ono OF the
Imperative Needs OF the Times.
Ncu liork Herald.

kcW York Htrdh.
Have not the democrats in the house OF repre-
sentaIves allowed Mr. Randall to lead them into
capital blunder in tho naval appropriation BILL
which he prepared and persuaded them TO vote
for2
Unless the democratic party means to commit
itself against navy there can be no doubt that
Mr. Randall has mised them. While the demo-
Gratis were In power-that is to soy, for many years
before the late war-they were the stanchest
friends the navy had, and it would surely never
have occurred to a leader of that party in those
days TO refuse an appropriation for guns to arm
ships nearly ready TO launch. We advise those
democrats who like to recall the old landmarks
TO think over this. The house Of representatives
is so much the creature of its committees and is
30 apt to take on trust the report of an important
committee that we ore not inclined to hold demo.
cratic members too rigidly to account for their
support Of Mr. Randalls navy bill; but as this bill
will return to the house from the senate with I'M
portant and. as we think, necessary amendments
we hope tho democratic members will then con
slider what seems to us mistaken and entirely
undemocratic vote.
If one should judge by Mr.. Randalls bill he,
would believe that wo have already n sufficient
navy. Yet the burden Of all democratic speeches
on this subject for years has been that we have no
navy at all, and that s the truth. But no one can
doubt that this country needs at least d dozen
actual modern war vessels. We are now building
four-the Chicago Boston, Atlanta. and Dolphin
the latter, however, of small size. Their hulls
and engines will be completed this year, but
without guns they will be useless. So it occurs to
Mr Randall to refuse the appropriation for guns.
Modern naval ordnance is not made in day or
even month Time is required to construct not
only modern heavy guns, but even the carriages
Tor them and all their accessories. When the ships
are ready the guns ought to be at hand to mount;
but Mr. Randall has persuaded the house demo.
Gratis TO refuse the money required for these guns
That is not democracy; it is not economy-it is
folly and unreason. Four hundred and forty-nine
thousand dollars are asked for by the ordnance
officers, who are men of the highest skill and, we
will add, of the highest character Can the demo-
Gratis afford, on Mr.. Randall's motion, to commit
themselves to refusal of this moderate sum,
which Is the whole remaining appropriation
needed for the ordnance Of these four new ships2
We advise those of them who hope for the coun-
try's confidence to think of this very seriously.
The naval advisory board-a body of the ablest
officers and civilians TO be obtained, and 10 whom
congress gave the entire and exclusive control Of
the construction Of new ships-asks congress to
make 20 per cent. Of the appropriation for com.
pletng them available at once in order to meet
payments on contracts falling due before the be-
ginning Of the fiscal year in July. This provision
has been put into the house bill by the senate
committee. We trust the democrats in the house
will accept it, for they cannot refuse II except on
the theory that, as Mr.. Randall refused TO give
money for the guns. there is no hurry about COM
pletng the ships. But we need these four ships
Every democratic speaker for years has told us
that we have no navy. The Chicago, Boston, At.
lanta and Dolphin will not make q navy, to be
sure, but they will at least make very modest
beginning of one. Why not do all we can TO
hasten the completion of these ships? The sum
needed to complete them, ordnance and all, is
s2l03,b27. Is it good policy In the democrats to
higgle about this tolerably moderate sum, which,
after all they will have to give next year II they
refuse It now. because the country will insist on
the completion OF these ships after while?
The naval advisory board-a body of officers
and civilians OF the highest skill and character,
we venture TO repeat-recommends the con-
struction ofeleven new additional vessels, namely,
three of the sizes Of the Chicago. the Boston, and
the Dolphin, two heavy gunboats. two light gun
boats, one steel RAM one cruising torpedo boat,
and two harbor torpedo boats. That proposition
seems TO have frightened Mr.. Randall as much az
though he were an Englishman or friend OF
Prince Bismarck. The total cost OF these moderate
additions to a navy which now has not, according
to tho highest democratic authorities, n single
good ship is to be under 5,0O0,000-Si, $4,000. OF
this sum Mr.. Randall was asked to lot congress
appropriate one-haf this year, namely, S2,426O0O,
but he answered in the navy bill, "Not cent"
Why not? The money cannot be spent over
night II the appropriation were made now, as in
our opinion II ought to be, the designs OF these
vessels could not be completed for six or eight
months or perhaps more the contracts could not
be let before the meeting of the next congress- the
ships would not be ready, however much we
might need them, under two years and O half
Admiral Simpson explained, in letter we printed
yesterday, that there is 10 intention TO follow In
these new vessels, slavlshly the plans Of those
now building. Nothing will be gained to the
navy pr the country by putting off the planning
Of these ships until the others are completed and
tried and, besides that. on Mr. Randalls plan Of
refusing the money for the ordnance of tho ships
now building, those will never be ready for trial
The more We look at Mr.. Randall's plan the
more we sec that he is ingeniously trying TO pre-
vent the creation Of even very moderate navy
Bnt that Is not democratic. 1t is not economy. 1t
ia undemocratic folly, and VIC advise democrats 10
reconsider their votes on the navy bill and give
the sums asked to put new navy under way
They cannot go before the country on the Randall
| policy. ..