The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-05-26
Present Situation of Our Navy

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that of sne small vessel on the west
coast of North America our deep
sea soundings are few and far be-
tween, dotted along the tracks pur-
sued by our ships while going to and
returning from distant stations our
commerce is protected but we are
unable to support any positive poll
| cy that the government might de-
eide to declare in reference to, for
example, the Monroe doctrine. To
say nothing OF European naval ar
maments, it is only necessary to
point to some of the smaller powers
in our own hemisphere that possess
ships of war with which we have
nothing fit to cope.
Our people cannot desire to as
sumo a position in the society of ma
val powers without supporting the
position with dignity; they cannot
wish their navy to be cited as a
standard of inefficiency they can
not wish to force their representa-
tives (the officers of the navy into
a position of humility and NORTH
cation such as is imposed by being
called on to deprecate criticism by
labored explanations. Better abol-
ish the navy and lower our preten-
sions.
But the fact seems to be that the
rapidity of naval development has
not been appreciated, and it is after
long interval of indifference that,
attention being at last centered on
the subject, 1t is seen how rapid its
strides have been, and how utterly
We are distanced in the race. There
is evidently now in the country a
growing desire to repair the effects
of the past, oversight, and We see
Congress moving in the matter. As
all political parties now unite in the
necessity of effort in this direction.
the hope is inspired that the subject
is to be separated from those Of a
partisan character, and that the re-
habilitation of the navy will be put
on its proper level, and accepted as
a national question in which all are
alike interested.
| Possessed as we are now of na-
w such as has been indicated, the
change that is about to be instituted
involves most violent transition.
In reviewing our work of construc-
] tion for the past thirty years we see
no new type of cruiser. The only
types of ships that We have are
those that date before the war; since
which we have but reproduced the
same in classes of differing dimen-
sions From the sailing ship with
auxiliary steam power We have pass
ed 10 the steamer with auxiliary sail
power; but We have no full-powered
steamers, with or without sails. AS
long as it is considered necessary TO
spread as much canvass as is now
used, the space assigned to boilers
and engines is limited, and we fail
to achieve full power; a reduction
to the minimum of sail power must
be accepted before we can present a
type OF a full-powered steamer.
With the exception of two vessels
Of the AIert class built of iron. we
have nothing but wooden hnlls.
We have continued to build in per-
ishable material. requiring large
sums to be spent in repairs, and ig-
noring the manufactures of the coun-
try which could have been aided in
their development by the contrary
course. We have permitted the age
of steel to reach its zenith without
indicating that we were aware Of its
presence.
With the exception of few Pal
liser converted rifles OF vIII-inch cal
ibTe, our armaments consist of
smooth-bore cast-iroE guns which
have composed our batteries for
thirty years. These are now to be
discarded, and their places to be fill
ed with modern steel cannon.
Torpedoes, movable torpedoes. of
which we know nothing practically,
are to be brought to the front, and
are to form part of eur equipment.
Torpedo boats are to be brought in
to use, and details innumerable are
now to be studied and worked out.
Conceive, then, hIgh-powered
steamer with minimum of canvas,
built of steel, armed with modern
steel artillery and secondary battery
of Hotchkiss guns, fitted for launch
ing movable torpedoes, with prOtee-
tive deck over boilers and engines,
divided into many water tight com
partments, giving protection TO buoy
ancy, and compare such ship with
the type of the United States cruiser
which we now possess, and All idea
may be formed of the violence of
the transition through which We are
to pass. And there is nothing inter-
mediate to break the suddenness of
this change; there is no connecting
link. The structure of to-day is
placed in direct contrast with that
of twenty FIVE years ago. This is
the position in which we stand, and
We can but accept the situation,
from which there is no escape.
From all appearances the navy is
to be given an opportunity of assert
ing itself, and the steps already tax
en- to remedy the existing state of
things can be stated in a few words
The origin of the effort dates from
June, 1881, when the first Advisory
Beard was appointed to consider
and to report on the need of appro-
pirate vessels for the navy. This |
board in its report of November Z, |
1881, decided that the United States
navy should consist of 20 unarmor-
ed cruisers of steel; it reported that
there were 80 vessels in the navy fit I
for service as cruisers, and it indicat-
ed the character of the new vessel to
be built. This board confined it.
self to the consideration of unarmor-
ed vessels, as it did not consider that |
the orders under which it acted re-
quired that it should discuss the 1
subject of armored ships, though it
expressed the opinion that such ves-
sells were indispensable in time of
war.
/ Some time elapsed before any 1
rasnlfs followed from 4ha