The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-05-25

CTch'e enLlTclY from our own resources
every modern implement of war of the
highest character, including war vessels
OF the highest types, with their guns
and armor.
WHAT WE HAD TO START WITH.
"Upon the accession of President
Cleveland TO power neither armor nor
high powered guns of calibre above
eight inches nor secondary batteries
could be had in the United States, and
III the previous twenty years there had
not been built altogether ten new war
vessels"
Were not large appropriations made
from time to time for the navyP"
"Yes, but the money appropriated
from year to year had been spent in re-
pairs upon old wooden ships which
were really worthless"
"Who was responsible for thatp'
swell, hardly care to go into that
subject now In fact our people differ
regarding the responsibility for such a
state OF things. However, there is no
one among us who does not at the
present time condemn it. 1t arose quite
naturally from the fact that at the close
OF the war we had a navy larger than
we required-the largest in the world
at that time, l think.
THE CUTTING DOWN HABIT HELD ON.
For many a year there was reason
for reducing rather than increasing our
navy. Naturally the habit of repairing
old ships instead of building new ones
became fixed upon US, and so, after a
series OF years, we practically
had no serviceable navy, and there was
general lack of confidence In the navy
department.
"President Cleveland reversed the
policy which had been for a long time
pursued, and the old navy has been al
lowed to die natural death. During
his administration we have had in the
course of construction war vessels,
modern III character, of over $4,000
tons. About half this tonnage is in
arinored ships, and of unarmored ships
those of the class known as protected
cruisers-we are building seven, of an
average OF 1000 tons each and with a
guaranteed speed OF nineteen knots
and upward. In this class of vessels
we Will soon rank second only to Eng
land"
HEAVY GUN FOUNDRIES ALSO.
az believe you referred to having in
creased construction facilities2'
"Yes. We have nearly finished at
Washington an ordnance factory for
| finishing heavy naval ordnance and
cranes and the necessary machinery tor
handling gun forgings up to l20 tons,
which covers the largest guns afloat
| upon any war vessel i'm the world.
think upon this the government has
| expended or has in the course OF ex-
penditure total sum of about ST.
100000.
"The department also entered into a
! contract with one of our largest and
best steel manufactures (the Bethlehem
Iron Company, under which plant is
being erected for the production of
armor and gun forgings. This plant
is to cost something over $3,000,0 900.
rhe contract was entered into about
two and half years ago, and the plant
will be completed this year."
CONGRESS MORE LIBERAL THAN FORM
ERLY.
''Is congress disposed to appropriate
money more freely now for the navy
than tormerly?"
eyes, notably SO. The feeling has
changed very perceptibly, and the dis
position now is in fact to give the navy
department money more rapidly than
it can be judiciouly used. In each of
he two last sessions of congress more
money was voted for new naval coll
struction that the department asked
for"
"Do you think that the United States
will continue the policy of increaing
the size and completeness of it's navy2"
II know no reason why it should not
do SO. The necessity-or at least the
sdvantage-is apparent. There is plen.
ty of money, and public sentiment, as
it now exists, will indorse such a
policy.
"Of course, with the completion of the
new plants the present secretary of the
navy will be able to lay out q much
large programme OF expenditure than
was possible under the last administra.
ton.
ASoLID FOUNDATION LAID.
"Under President Cleveland the
foundation was thoroughly laid for a
navy adequate TO the needs of the
United States and commensurate with
her dignity and position among the ma
tions, and 1t is to be hoped and ex-
pected that this foun lation will be built
upon.
"a few evenings ago a nephew OF
Charles Reade, the novelist in lee
ture here i'll London said it had been
reported that the United States had
dynamite gun which, it was claimed,
could blow into smithereens any war
ship NOW afloat. AS he made the
statement man in the audience shout
ed out that he didn't believe it. Are
You willing to throw little light OH
that polntY'
WE HAVE SUCH GUN.
81 hardly think l would do wisely
In going into that matter in DETAIL"
replied Mr.. Whitney, laughing, "for |
might be drawn into discussion with
some one
''lt Is true, however, that the United
States appropriated money for the con-
structiom of a pneumatic dynamite
cruiser, and a considerable amount
1900, 900 or 300, ,0O0-fur Ii coast Ge-
fence ship of a dynamite character.
IL is certain that tn" dynamite gun has
passed beyond the experimental stage.
throw an ;erial torpedo containing 600
pounds of nitro glycerine to distance
OF one mile, aud one containing 200
pounds to IL distance of two miles.
THE GUN WILL SPEAK FOR ITSELF.
81 do not care now to express myself
as to the amount of destruction which
the dynamite gun will cause over and
above that of the guns now in use, and
it remains to be s.,own yet to what ex.
tent the dynamite gun can be utilized
Oh shipboard -
"Do You think the dynamite gun
likely to revolutionize naval warfare?"
al am not prepared to make public
my opinion on that point yet. | simply
say that unless the navy department
bad great expectations from the dyna-
mite gun it would not have expended
80 much money in finding out what il
could accomplish