The Delta independent., 1889-07-09
our ARMY AND NAVY.
What q British Military Offloer
Found to Praise in Thorn.

Maj. G. 8. Clarke, @. NJ. G., royal
engineers, spent tho Autumn Of last
year In tour OF inspection in the
United States, and on his return to
England embodied his observations in
. report which was afterward printed
1t the war office in London, and
limited number was distributed with
the injunction that they were to be
considered strictly confidential. A
copy Of this report has found its way
10 this country, and it contains much
that is interesting to the United States
army and navy officers, allowing them
to see the estimate that is put on
American military and naval resour-
oes by a professional expert in the
English army. The first feeling OF
an officer in reading the report is one
Of satisfaction that Maj. Clarke found
30 much In this country to approve.
He seemed to take very fair view of
everything he saw, and when he
could not praise his criticisms seem to
be without prejudice or bias.
At the very outset Of his report, in
the letter Of transmittal to the direc-
tor OF military intelligence, Maj.
Clarke says: 'rhe general impress
sion derived was that, thanks to the
high technical training provided at
Annapolis and West Point, the United
States possesses, both in the naval an d
military service, q quite exceptional |
number Of experts. The results of the
knowledge thus diffused would with
out doubt be very marked in the event
Of war, and with the vast end highly
organized manufacturing resources of
which the states dispose the coast de-
lenses, which have so long been allowed
to fall behind the age, would in COM
paratively short time be raised to
an unexpected standard of practical
efficiency"
He then takes up the naval estab-
lishment, beginning with an account
of his visit to the Annapolis academy
and sketch OF the work done there.
summing up as follows: 1.-The effect
Of the high standard OF training en-
forced at Annapolis academy is to be
clearly seen in the number of Ameri-
can naval officers who become experts
In steel manufacture and are fully able
to carry out elaborate tests in connec-
ton with the supply Of steel for ships
and guns. The great intelligence and
success with which the problem Of
gun manufacture has been handled is
also unquestionably due to the same
cause. The diffus ion OF knowledge OF
this class would unquestionably make
itself felt in the event OF war, when
the manufacture Of large quantities of
material Of all kinds would have to be
undertaken"
Newport was visited, where Mai.
Clarke attended lectures at the naval
war college and witnessed experiments
at the torpedo station rs the guest of
Commander Goodrich. He was struck
with the ability with which the lee
turers handled their subjects. and
some Of the torpedo experiments he
suggests might be profitably repeated
in England.
At Washington tho naval ordnance
foundry gave promise Of good results
in the future, but Maj. Clarke seems to
have been most impressed with the
naval intelligence Office under the
charge.of Lieut.. Rogers and with the
great amount Of useful information
stored up there and its accessibility to
the officers OF the service. He seems to
have been SO mewhat surprised by the
amount Of information he found there
Of what was going on abroad. and says:
1T is actually easier under some cir
cumstanoe for British officer to obtain
information as to military and naval
progress in England from the Ameri-
can intelligence department publi-
cations than at home. In this
connection the reports annually
made by the American naval and
war department to congress may
also be mentioned. These reports
may contain matter to the publication
Of which we in England are not ac-
customed, but they have the dou BILE
advantage Of placing members Of con-
gress and the nation at large in pos
session OF the direct expression OF the
views of their professional experts and
Of conveying statement Of the work
carried out during the year, while,
further. they tend to disseminate wide
ly that information as to contemporary
progress, tho absence Of which is much
felt by British officers at home and
abroad"
At West Point Maj. Clarke found
that the cadets were required to do
some useless work. and the instruction
in fortifcation did not seem to be OF a
very high order, and the course Of in.
struction In field work was hardly
abreast Of the times. The result OF
the system Of recitations in use gave
to each young officer good command
OF language and clear explanation,
and sit was quite surprising to hear
tho lucid, unhesitating manner In
| which each cadet delivered himself ol
his task"
The process Of making the service
rife at the Springfield armory is de.
scribed in detail, and the arrangement
Of the back sight is criticised as toe
| cnmnlax for n seryice ygenDon The