Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-27
A NAVAL RESERVE.
1t Is lmperatiyely Needed for
= Efficient Coast Defense.
THE DANGER OF LONGER DELAY
An Able Argument by Lieut.. Edward
II. Qualtrongh--A Matter of
Vital Interest.


The following valuable article on the
Naval Reserve question was contributed,
at the request Of the San Francisco Ala,
by Lieutenant Edward F. Qualtrough,
Ordnance Officer Mare Island Navy
Yard:
MARE ISLAND NAVY YARD,
May IL. 1881
Atthe recent annual banquet OF the
Chamber OF Commerce of San Francisco,
one Of the toasts was "Wanted; A New
Navy" That this want is pretty well I'M
derstood by the majority OF the people
and by our representatives in Congress,
is evidenced by the fact that some meas
tires have already been inaugurated to
secure in the near future navy OF mod
ern vessels and an appropriate armament
Of modern high-power breech-loading
steelEritie guns. But there is another want,
and very pressing one at that, which
might advantageously be considered and
provided for at the same time. We want
naval reserve. In fact, the sentiment
Of the evening referred to, to be exhaus-
tive should be amended SO as to read:
"Wanted: A New Navy and a Naval
Reserve"
a naval reserve comprises both ships
and men. AS in time of peace the
United States will probably maintain but
comparatively small force Of officers
| and men in the regular naval service, 80
will it be, to a.great extent, with the
vessels. We shall probably never have
sufficient number OF ships in the navy
in time Of peace for all our reeds in time
of war.
Ii properly utilized as auxiliary to
the navy, the mercantile marine will
afford not only school for the instruc-
ton and training OF seamen, but also
reserve OF cruisers and supply vessels
while the private ship-building establish
ments, IL fostered and encouraged, will
be available as so many supple
mentary navy yards. In pursuing
such a policy the country will
only be- following the saga
cious example of all the great maritime
nations OF the world, while by neglecting
TO do SO we, will continue to make enor-
nous contributions to foreign CONNER
cial marines, and thereby aid in nourish-
ing and developing naval reserve OF
ships and sailors for the war fleets Of
| those nations, which possibly will be
used against US in the future.
There is no doubt that steamers OF ex-
ceptional speed will be employed as
auxiliaries in future wars on the ocean,
and we should therefore adopt prompt
measures to secure an adequate supply
Of such vessels. In modern sea-going
squadrons the fighting ships will have to
be accompanied by store ships, anmu-
milton TRANSPORTS, colliers, scouts, torpedo
vessels, etc.3 while in our system of coast
defenses an essential feature will be
heavily arm6fed coast guard ships and
batteries, each supported by swarm oil
light vesselss torpedo boats and powerful
Tugs. We shall, therefore, have abun-
dant need ofaiil the various classes and
| types OF vessels which are comprised in
the mercantile marine, as auxiliaries to
the. regular naval force upon the out.
break OF waf.9h
In the days Of sailing shipa and
smooth bore sguns, it might, perhaps
have been ssufficiently safe policy tt
defer the tinaeof preparation for war te
the threatened outbreak Of hostili
ties, but in dthese days Of steam and
electricity, when an enemy's war shiI
can be throwi& upoa several portions oi
our coast within a few days Of the declara-
ton Of war, ouf National defenses must
be kept in complete readiness, and due
provision made for manning them at 9
moments notice.
A proper anfpunt of preparation for wal
develops the Mechanical and industrial
resources OF the Nation, and also cult
Yates the manly and essential qualities o.
courage and 'Patriotism. Men who are
trained to fight for their country, are
taught to endure hardships cheerfully, tc
| al .,l -
subordinate tfSir own wills and inclina
must at times be held at the disposal o
others. What better school could be de
sired for cultiyating all the nobler attri
butes OF manhdbd and making good citi
zens.
Captain A.a.'P. Cooke, United Statel
Navy, in an address delivered in Nov
y York, remarked: "The vague suspicion
that men trained to arms are responsible,
for war is as groundless as to conside
: physicians responsible for disease, Of
clergymen for violations of moral law
1t is not those regularly commissioned
who stir up strife, but the spirit Of none,
making and greed is what chiefly bring
it about. The triumphs Of commerce
far from being peaceful, have almost in
variably been seither preceded or follow
!, ed by the use Of arms. The highways o
commerce, both by sea and land, hav'
been opened up by fighting"
Not only are regular naval forces no
the cause Of war, but they serve to regu
late it and reduce its horrors to mini
mum. Neither are armed citizen
drones in the hive nor mass of non-pro
, lucers. Much valuable labor Is neces
sary in this world which does not tent
directly toward the production of wealth
its projection, for instance, is matter O
no slight importance, and force has al
ways been found necessary in the organ
: izaiion OF society.
Notwithstanding the fact that tn
methods upon which we have hithert
, relied for the national protection
: are now OF no avail, We have dom
: hardly anything towards providing 70
:, new defenses, although the way has fire.
quently been pointed out, and the mean
lie ready at hand.
J A strong public sentiment calls for tn
establishment OF Naval Reserve, and
: bill to provide for the creation of such
: force has been introduced in the Hous
of Representatives by Mr.. Whitthorne Q
Tennessee.
It is admitted that the defense of ou
large seaport cities by means of shor
forts and submarine mines is not suffi
cient, and that there must be an activ
force afloat. The material to create Ger
tain important sdjuncts to such forc
is at hand in the various crafts whicl
are to be found along our coasts. Thes
S vessels, manned by trained naval reserv
men and armed with long-range, rapid
firing and machine guns, and torpedoei
would make an excellent auxiliary de
tense.
:. Our. present small navy could spar
but few men, in. case Of hostilities, I
d man the movable defenses OF our hal
hofs, as their services would be requires
y on the open sea, aud it is, therefore, i'm
peratiyely necessary that we should PR