Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-03-04


We have had occasion heretofore to
speak in words of praise of Congressman
Lore and have always gladly embraced
the opportunity TO do 80. And, indeed,
his career in the House of Representatives
has hitherto been comprehension faithful
attention TO the interests Of his constitu-
ents and for liberal and judicial con-
cepton OF public duty which did not
s.rink from conflict with members of his
o,.n party when, after comprehensive
aud discriminating review of the ground,
he felt that he had the right on his side.
notable instance of this highly honor
able traitin Mr.. Lore's character was given
in his vote against the acceptance of the
majority report in the English Peale con-
test. Mr.. Lore had submitted the claims
of young English to the impartial test
Judge sitting on the bench in the trial
of contested election case would have
used-he weighed the evidence pro and
con, throwing aside all partisan feeling
and intent on reaching simply an answer
to the question IT'S this mans claim
sound or unsound 2n-and, when he had
satisfied himself on that point, he stood
forth in the courage of his knowledge
that he was right and voted, against the
majority of his Democratic fellow-mem-
bers, in favor of seating the Republican
contestant. II was an act that honored
himself and his native state and the
GAzETrE proudly said SO OF the time aud
will always say SO.
In other matters, as the GAZETTE
has pointed out from time to time, Con-
gresham Lore has excellently served
his constituents; among others in his
sSertions TO secure an appropriation for
new Federal building in Wilmington /;
In his advocacy of tariff reform; his
interest in the improvement of Delaware
rivers and harbors, and his exertions in
furthering the proper private business of
Delawareans which came within the pur-
view of his work.
It is, therefore, with regret that we
bring ourselves to the duty of criticising
the course of Mr.. Lore in supporting Mr..
Hewitt's proposition to import from
England the engines for one of our pro
posed new naval vessels. That PROPOSE
ton was adopted in the naval committee
of the House by one majority, and Mr..
Lore voted in favor of it. Why he did
SO, we cannot imagine but we should be
derelict in our duty to one of the most
important manufacturing interests Of oul
own city were we to shut our eyer
to the fact that he did do so and K
the injustice, we can not consistently
characterize it by milder term, of thi
: vote to the American people at large ant
his fellow-townsmen in particular.
The United States government has III
call to go abroad for any of the essential
of national defencs. Especially is thi
true of steam engines. We build NOR
steam engines than any other nation il
the world, and we build them better.
We prefer, in lieu of further common
on this matter at this time, to quote til
following from the Washington Post, a
administration Democratic organ
1t is not pertinent from this point OF vie
to debate the question raised by MIR. Hewi
of the superiority of British-built engine
As matter of tact, that superiority is
this moment merely an affair Of size The
have built, and are building, larger an
more powerful machines than have thus fl
been constructed In this country; bl
that is simply because both the naval polio
and the mercantile conditions of Gre
Britain offer a market for such engine
which has not hitherto been the case her
So far as the ship-building trade in tn
country has afforded a market for mari
engines, the work of American builder
size for size, weight for weight and pow
for power, is not in any degree or respe
inferior to British work. Thus far
marine engines OF the compound tyl
larger than 5000 indicated horse pow
have been built in this country while Il
English have powered few ships rs hil
rs 10000 or $4,000.
But the question Of size is not fund
mental. The same principles are involy
and the same application OF skill is requir
in q 5000 as in 10000 horsepower ngil
and any constructing engineer or sh,
capable of designing and building the o
successfully is equally capable of designi
and building the other.
Mr.. Hewitt's statement that the engines
the Chicago do not embody the maximu
development of the art at this time is tru
but that fact Is the fault of the Naval A
vlsory Board. 1t Is not In the slightest {
gree due to the conditions of the Americ
shipbuilding industry II Mr.. Roach b
been given simply general scheme
weights and dimensions, his experts wou
have designed and built much better IL
chine than that designed by the Advise
board. The same statement would be I'll
of any other ship and engine builder. Il
not only unjust, but absurd, TO hold I
American shipbullding industry at large
sponslble for the errors of the Advise
Board or the blunders of Messrs. Henders
and Coryell. However, this is not the p
tieular phase of the subject we set out
discuss. Our main point is that the pol
lar demand for tariff reform or for i
ships must not be confounded with pr,
lens Of national defense. The Post is
favor of what is commonly known as
free-ship doctine. But that doctr
viewed properly relates only to mercan
shipping for peaceful uses-the right of
American citizen to buy merchant yes
wherever he can get 1t to the best adv
tage. 1t cannot be made to relate to the
quirements of the government for its APP
ances of warfare. We think it may sal
be asserted that the Secretary OF the Nj
does not favor the policy proposed by
Hewitt.
And, instead of blowing our own no
about Wilmington's claims, we will
the Washington National Republican
it for us, as follows
Besides all this. many OF our steams
builders are doing fair business for
eign account. A Delaware company
built upward of one hundred steel and i
steam vessels for South and Central Al
RIGA, Mexico and the West indies. Th
seven OF the steamers on the Amazon
all of those in use on the Orinoco W
built by the same company, which also 8
not long since, two ocean steamers Il
English firm In London.
Within the past seven years the 81
Delaware shtp-building company has
gun-boats and steam engines 10 the gov,
ments of Brazil, United States Of Colon
and Venezuela.
The gun-boat Boyoca, built two years
for the United States of Colombia, sta
from its builders yard at Wilmington,
on a trial trip of $4,000 miles down
Atlantic coast Of North and South Amer
touching at Para and Rio de Janeiro, til,
down through the Straits of Magellan
up the Pacific, touching at Valparaiso,
thence north TO the port of Buenaventu
short distance below Panama, where it
delivered to the government authoritie
per contract.
A Philadelphia steamship builder
sold q number of large and swift steams
to the Russian government.
A Rhode Island builder has sold his
pedo boats to the governments of Engl
France, Russia and Spain. Their supe
lty was shown by repeated trials in En-
TIM nf tho icb