The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1889-10-11

sU68Es1x0Nls1o1 Hl1s1xYE
Asservice tliespavy)s % contspllSdshy
the traditions OF conservatism n6odsa
constant stirring up from SOM .quaxter,
or in some way, to prevent tSSsnation:
This Civil War, when mot only the ship
were obsolete, as Wa shown by an hours!
experience in Hampton Roads, but the
Navy was controlled by ideas quite -
obsolete. Advance in rank does not
necessarily develop intelligence in cor
responding ratio, o do . mans brains
always grow with the increase Of his
longevity. 1t is absolutely necessary
that a military service should be con-
trolled by authority, but it would be
very fortunate il some way could be
devised by which this authority could be
confined to its legitimate sphere. and
not suffered to dominate in the region
Of ideas. Nor should professional pref
udices he allowed to intrude here. The
Services should cultivate in every way
an open-mindedness which would enable
them to turn to account valuable sug-
gestions, come from what quarter they
may. We do not yet realize-it Is inn
possible indeed rightly to estimate-the
enormous influence which mechanical
invention has had, and must continue
to have, upon naval warfare. Il is de.
stroying indeed, the very foundation Of
the structure upon which naval ideas
have been established. In the begin.
ming, before the era of machinery, there
was a distinct division between the
nautical and the fighting elements on
board vessels of war. The naval com.
mander was a soldier afloat upon an Sle-
ment strange to him, and dependent
entirely upon a sailing master for man.
oeuvering his floating citadel. In pro-
cess of time the character of the sea.
soldier and the sailor were merged, and
out of the combination was evolved the
naval officer.
Again arises the old division and the
old %antagonism. The modern naval
vessel is the product of engineering
skill rather than of strictly nautical
science. 1t requires, as John Ericsson,
the man most responsible for the change,
always contendcd, an engineers train
ing to understand it, and he was always
at war with the nautical ideas which
ignored or belittled engineering expert
ence. The necessity for the DONNA.
ton of engineering ideas has come to
be more and more understood, and has
been finally recognized in the organize
ton of the Academy from which our
naval service draws its inspiration. This
will no doubt result in the end in that
complete harmony between command
and a mastery of the conditions control-
ling the handling of fighting machines,
which bear no resemblance to the naval
vessels of old except in the fact that
they float upon the sea aud are con.
trolled by the conditions of this unstable
element. Pari passu with the develop.
ment of mechanical conditions dominat.
ing the Navy has been the growth Of
political conditions which have in.
fiuenced quite as largely the status Of
the naval officer, and the significance OF
which he does not yet fully understand.
Naval IDEAS and national ideas must be
fully harmonized, but the people
and the Services can only come to-
gether OH the platform of the absolute
subordination of the public officer to
those ideas of utility which are the
foundation of the American system.
There are mere ways in which
naval officers can make it clear =
popular intelligence that. they hold 4.
important place in peace as we'll as in
war. 1t is we'll that they should study
these, that they may contribute their
proper ii tiuence to a public sentiment
which has need of those high ideas Of
duty, honor and devotion to country for
which the Services are justly held in
honor, and which give them their high.
est title to confidence and respect
Asmy and Nauu Journal.
WORKING MS WAE
A writer in the Boston T~ranscriDl
tells of a young man who is likely to
L