The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-26
THE NEW AMERICAN NAVY.
United States Making Rapid Strides
Toward First Rank.

During the past year the trials Of the great
cruisers Charleston and Baltimore, to say moth
ing OF the vesuvius, Yorktown and Petrol, have
tended TO keep the pubic ct large better ia
formed as 70 the doings and development Of th o
new navy. Prior to 1889 all that concerned the
navy was mere conjecture-treatment of designs
and likely results that were to be obtained.
From the result of the speed tests of the Balti-
more, Charleston, Yorktown and Vesnvius it is
evident that American ship-builders have rea-
son TO congratulate themselves on the showing
they have made. especially when these results
are brought in comparison with those obtained
In Europe. We are as yet unable to compete
with foreign ship-builders in point of cheapness,
bat there Is every reason TO believe that as soon
as the necessary plant has been fully secured
and is in running order our ship constructors
will be able to produce vessels &C q much lower
rate. while still receiving good profit
Were we to look to England for war ships in
times OF peace 1t would be equivalent TO estab-
fishing arsenals on foreign territory. The
breaking out OF war between England and this
country would place all our Grsenals and sta
tons of supplies In the hands of the enemy, and
since nation to be powerful from military
standpoint must possess the resources With n
herself for producing all the implements and
munitions necessary TO the carrying on of q
great war, the loss of such arsenals would be
ruinous If not fatal. For several years to come
the establishing OF ship arsenals in the United
States will be rather expensive undertaking.
but we will have the satisfaction OF knowing
that when occasion arises we can rely on the
private firms as being able to undertake the
work required by the government.
That the navy of the United States is making
rapid strides toward the front rank of armed
forces on the sea is undeniable, and there is no
better proof of this than the intense interest
aroused abroad in all things relating to the
American navy. Foreign newspapers which q
few years ago rarely referred to the naval force
OF this country without indulging in sarcasm,
now regard the advent of our new war ships
with feeling of mingled interest and surprise.
So far, however, we are unprovided with sea-
going armor-clad vessels, while England has 76
armored craft either built building or projected;
France, 81; Russia, 80; Germany, 40; Holland,
"a; Spain, II; Italy. 10; Turkey, 15; China, Z;
Sweden and Norway, 20, and Austria. IL. These
vessels are exclusive Of the mored cruisers,
ships corresponding to the type We have been
recently building.
Probably at no time during the past twenty
years has SO much interest been conferred in the
navy as during the past year. AT the outset
the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius astounded naval
critics by her performance. Following close on
her test came the trial of the cruiser Yorktown,
which, as demonstrating the ability of Ameri-
can ship-builders to build engines capable OF
standing the most severe of tests, was an i'm
cruiser Charleston was tested in the Pacific.
The vessel failed to develop all the horse power
demanded but considering that she was the
first production of the ean Francisco firm, ii
was thought there was sufficient cause for
showing leniency, especially SO when found
that the designs of the vessel, as furnished by
an English firm. were faulty in many respects.
The trial of the cruiser Baltimore during the
autumn months proved very gratifying in the
speed results obtain ed, though, in the case OF
the Charleston, there was found lacking the
required rse-power. In the case of both the
Charleston and Baltimore il appeared that the
superior. lines in the hull construction enabled
the cruisers TO attain speed not supposed poss-
ible on the horse power showing.
During the recent fall months the departure
of a modern American squadron for European
waters has furnished q universal topic of dis.
cussion, and the movements of the feet will be
watched with great interest hereafter. The
movements of the squadron of volution call at.
teLtion to the whereabouts of other war vessels
Of the United States.
For cruising purposes, duty as police. deep.
sea sounding and surveying, commercial devel-
opment, and strategic ana tactical instruc ton,
the navy is divided inc five squadrons, the
North Atlantic, the Pacific the European, the
Asiatic, Commonly called the China sQuadron)
and the South Atlantic The North Atlantic sta.
ton comprises all the waters of the Atlantic
toucnlng the United states, Including the Gulf
of Mexico and waters of the West Indies The
Pacific station comprises all the west coast OF
North and South America, including the waters
OF Samoa, Honolulu and Australia. The South
Atlantic station includes all the east coast OF
South America, the waters on the east coast OF
Africa as faE north as Madagascar, and on the
west coast as far north as st. Paul de Loando.
The European station comprises all European
waters also the west coast of Africa as far south
as st. Paul de Loando, and the east coast as far
south as Madagascar. The China station EN-.
braces all Asiatic waters, and includes the In.
dian ocean.
Each station is D command of rear admiral
though in some instances commodores are in
command In such cases they have the relative
rank OF rear admirals. Each station is entitled
to force OF a prescribed strength but in recent
years the sale and DISPOSAL of so many of ouI
wooden craft has caused the majority of the sta.
tons TO be seriously lacking in their established
quotas. The advent of the new war ships makes
IL possible to fill up the gaps on most of the sta
tons, though it will be some time before the
United States has wholly modern naval force
on all the foreign stations.