Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-12-02
HIS NAME IS MUD.
OUR NEW NAVY.
When 1t Is Completed 1t VIII Only BE
WeaklInQ,

When It Is Completed IL Will Only BE \
Weakling.
WASHINGTON, D. c., December 1.-The
report of the Secretary Of the Navy is
made public to-day. 1t says the effective
force of the United States navy, when all
the ships now authorized are completed,
excluding those which by the process of
decay and the operation of Law will by
that date have been condemned, will COM
prise II armored vessels, of which only
three are designed for fighting at sea, and
81 unarmored vessels, making total of
AZ. The effective force of England is rs
armored vessels and 291 unarmored.
France mas 81 armored and 200 unarmor-
ed, and other European nations in proper
ton. Even when the present building
programme is completed, the United
States can not take rank as a
naval power. The purposes for which
tia United States demands a navy are
those of defense, but with coast line Of
SO, 900 miles to defend, it will be seen that
even the Improvements now under way
will leave the navy entirely inadequate.
Any one of q number OF Powers could
without serious difficulty, even after the
completion of our fleet as now authorized,
secure in single raid upon. our coast an
amount of money sufficient to meet the eX-
penses of a naval war; an amount, one
half of which, if iudiciously expended over
series of years, would be sufficient to af
ford this country guaranty of perpetual
peace.
THE NEW CRUISERS.
The new cruisers are eight in number
the Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, and Dolphin,
contracted for in 1888, and the Baltimore,
Charleston, Yorktown, and Petrel, con-
tracted for in 1856 and 1887.
In looking back at the work of naval re
construction, begun seven years ago, the
country has reason ID be congratulated on
the success of the undertaking. The
building of the frat four ships was on ex-
pertinent in a field hitherto untried in
this country, but they have ful-
ly sustained the high reputation
of American mechanics. The report
thus gives numerous figures and statistics
to show that these vessels are equal to any
in their class, and are thoroughly trust
worthy.
TWO BATTLE FLEETS.
The necessities of our vulnerable posi-
tion demsnd the immediate crea-
ton of two fleets OF battle ships, Of
which eight should be assigned to the
Pacific and twelve to the Atlantic and
Gulf. They must be the best Of their
class in four leading characteristics;
armament, armor, structural strength and
speed. In addition to the battle-ships,
the situation of the country requires
at least twenty vessels for coast and har-
Dor defense. These vessels, although re-
stricted in their range Of effectiveness, are
necessary compOnents Of naval force
which has q sea-cosst 70 defend. The
one problem now before the before the
Government, in the matter Of naval
policy, is to get these forty vessels built
at the earliest possible moment. The
steps necessary to their completion, name
ly, legislation, design, and construction,
can not take less than five years
in the cass of each one. 1t
is therefore recommended tnst
the consuction of eight srmorsd
vessels be authorized at the coming ses-
sion, and that they be Of the type OF bat
tle.ships rather than coast-defense sblpsi
the former being more generally service
able. and there being only three OF them
now in process Of construction as against
eight of the latter.
The report then gives in detail the pro-
gress on the torpedo boats, and recon-
mends the construction Of an addl-
tional force. The necessity for naval re-
serve of merchant sbips. The remainder
of the report is devoted to the routine OF
the department.