Morning journal and courier., 1885-10-27
Tuesday, october 27, 1885.
WHAT SHALL THE NAVY BE?

There is no doubt that this great, glorious and free country needs a navy, but what kind of navy it ought to have is very seri- ous and complicated question. Naval Con- structor Philip Hichborn, of the United States navy, who was sent last year to visit the principal dockyards of Europe, throws some light on this important matter.
 For the last twenty years there has been a struggle between the effectiveness of guns and the power of resistance of armored ships. War vessels have been built of larger and larger tonnage. This struggle has cost much money. In the last fifteen years the British government has expended s217, 100000 upon it's navy: and Germany, since 1871, has ex- pended $40, ,000,0 900. Italy has spent large sums, relatively very large sums, upon her navy within a few years, and Russia has done the same. In the navies of Europe there are gigantic iron vessels, but just now torpedo boats are receiving much attention These vessels are now considered so essential that no European navy of note has aotilla of less than fifty, while the stronger powers have fleets of hundred or more. Coasts have been divided into torpedo districts of a hundred or more, each with it's complement of boats, and the crews, thoroughly organ ized are kept continually exercised in the management of the vessels. Of the seaworthi- ness of such boats MT. Hichborn says there can no longer be any doubt, their long voy ages-in some cases under steam and in oth- CTS under sail-to Rio Janeiro, Buenos Ayres and the Black Sea having conclusively de-
 oI,; were weather. Lately, during evolutiona- " cruise of the French Mediterranean squad ron, the torpedo boats were able to keep to sea- while the Tonnerre and Vengeur, large ships, were compelled to seek shelter from the violence of the gale. The defensive value of fleet of cruising torpedo boats, he says, can hardly be overrated. No blockade can be maintained in their presence, yet, if properly supported by tenders with coal and supplies, they form of themselves an eff cient blockading force. The cost of one such boat completely equipped is from S60,- 900 to $s5, ,000, and they require from ten to fifteen men.
 It is becoming apparent that the great iron war ships which have cost the people of Europe much will not be as useful as they were expected to be. MT. Hichborn says on this point: A naval war would doubtless demonstrate that the elaborate schemes of fleet tactics which have been the theme of many essays by naval officers have been chiefly valuable as a mental exercise, and though importance may attach to 8 skillful disposition of forces in the begin ming of an engagement, yet in view of the rapidity with which vessels would be dis abled by the tremendous means of offence antagonized and the inability to see or obey signals amid the confusion and obst1ucting smoke, it is evident that such engagement must presently become a pell nell scrim- mage. Such war or one such battle would prove what has long been the apprehension of intelligent officers-that the war ship of our day has become far too complicated for the people who may be called to work her, and that balance of advantage, unsus- pected by many, rests with that vessel which has comparative simplicity, even though it be concomitant with greater apparent ex- posture of life, a lower and reduced power of offence.
 This seems sensible. Perhaps the delay in providing this country with navy may not be a bad thing in the end, for we shall have the experience of other countries to profit by. Still, it will not do to wait too long,