The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-12
REVIVING OUR NAVY.
Tx SECRETARY WHITNEY TELLS
HOW LIFE WAS GIVEN
TO Corpse Only a Skeleton to Start
with-At Present Many Fine and
serviceabie Ships Afioat and On the
ways-Increase shipping Facilities.
rondon cohle 10 The New York Hernld.


as Secretary Of the Navy in the matter OF
Improving It's navy. AT first he was
rather disinclined to talk upon the subject,
but finally he said;
"This is rather an uncongenial atmos-
phere, am afraid, in which to talk on
that subject, for il you drop into the
House OF Commons, as / did yesterday
YOU will find the subject under discussion
as TO n bill for the expenditure OF $50, 0O0,-
600 or S00,O0000O upon new naval con-
struction. To be sure the bill covers the
contemplated construction for the next
four years, yet the provision and plans at
first thought appear excessive.
"What strikes an American most forci-
bly, in listening to that debate is not the
large sum OF money asked for, as we
Americans are not lacking in that regard
and We are not now lacking in the dispo-
sition to spend II on naval construction
But il Is the ability to spend that sum at
once, involving such enormous shipbuild-
ing facilities. You see the naval ship
building has TO 20 along in addition 70 the
ordinary construction for commercial pur-
poses, and II indicates great resources to
draw upon. The fact really Is that the
United States has now only made begin
ming toward building up It's navy.
''rhe administration OF President Clevo-
land was notable, so far as naval affairs
are concerned, more especially in the very
line to which | have alludeG as existing
here 1t developed In our country the
facilities for the creation OF n navy modern
In character"
"You do not mean tina, no ship building
has yet been done, do your
"Oh, 10; we are building good many
ships now; but referred 10 the most not.
able result OF the administration from u
naval point OF view. As / look NJ It,
President Clcyoland's administration
should be credited not merely with what
has thus far been actually done in the way
OF construction. but with the fact that We
can now create entirely from our own re-
sources every modern implement OF war OF
the highest character, including war YES
sells Of the highest types, with their gums
and armor
Upon the accession Of President Clcyc-
land 10 power neither urmor nor high
powered guns OF culber above eight
Inches nor secondary batteries could be
had In the United States, and In the pre-
yious twenty years there had not been
built altogether ten new war vessels.
'Werc not large appropriations made
from time 10 time tJr the nayy2'
Yea but the money appropriated from
year 10 year had been spent In repairs
upon old wooden ships which were really
worthless"
"Who wes responsible for that2"
well, hardly care 10 go into that sub.
feet now. In fact our people differ re-
garding the responsibility ior such state
Of ihingA However. there Ia no one
among ma who does not ut tho present
time condemn IT, II arose quite naturally
from the TACT that at the close OF the wal
-wo had a navy larger than We required
the largest la tao world at thai time.
think.
"for many year There was rrason ior
reducing rather tlan increasing our navy,
Naturally the habit Of repairing old 'tips
Instead Of building new ONES became fixed
upon rs, and so. after a series ui ycar, We
practically had no soryiccablc navy aud
ihcrr was u general lack vi confidence IN
the Navy Department
president Cleveland reversed the pol
Icy which bad been Tor a long time pnr
sued. and the old navy has been allowed
90 dc natural death. During his Adj
mnisira,ion We have had Ia course 70
construction war vessels, modern la char
acicr, OF over 5000 toas. About halt tai
tonnage is In armorcd ships, aud OF un
armorcd Ships-thosc OF tho class know
ns protected cruistn-No are buildin
seven, Of an average Oi 1000 tons each AN
with guaranteed speed OF nineteen knot
and upward. In this class Of vessels VI
will soon rank second only 10 England"
II believe YOU rclcrrrd 10 having in
creased construction iaciiiticsY'
"Ycs We have neatly finished a
Washington an ordnance factory Tor finish
Ing heavy naval ordnance and cranes nn
the necessary machinery for handling gu
iounngs up 10 100 tons, which covcrs th
largest guns ail1li upon any war vessel /
the world think upon this the Go,
eminent bias expended or hasin the vour.
Of expenditure total sum VI about {.
t0Ul0.
"Ihc department also entered into
contract With ono Of our largest aud be-
steel manufactures 1.-THE Bethlehem lrJ
Company, nndcf which plant u bcii
erected COT the production OF armor a.
qua iorgugs This plani h 10 cost som
thing over sl.Ol0.O0l Tho contract vi
entered into about two aud a half yea
ago, aud the plant will be completed u
year"
Is Congress disposed TO appropria
money more freely nov iJr the navy th
iormchyT
"Ica, notably %. The feeling
changed very pctcopubly, and the disl
tiion nov b. Ia lci 20 give the Navy
paumrni money more rapidly that Il &
b. lglici0usy used. ln each of the q
last sessions Of Congress moro money "
voted ior new naval construction than {
department asked ior"
DO YOU think that the United Sta
will continue the policy Of increasing /
Gi1c aud completeness OF its nayyg'
u know no reason Why u should not
~. The necessity or nt least the adv
tago-is apparent There ~ plenty
money. aud public sentiment. as II n
cxisis, viii indorsc such policy.
''ol course, with lhc completion Of I
new plants the present Secretary Of /
Navy will be able ~ las ont a mr.
larger program Of expenditure than
possible under the last administration.
"Undcr President Cleveland the io
dalton was thoroughly laid Tor a navy o.
quaio 10 tho needs Of the United stl
aud commensurate with her dignity
position among the nations. aud Il b Ia
hopcd and expected that this iOundal
will be built upon"
- few evenings ago nephew Of Cha
Rcade the novelist, In lecture here
ISpdon said IL had been reported that
- States had dynamite gun VII
%as claimed, could blow into Hmill
~. H. a