San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-08-01
THE NEW NAVY.
AN ARRAY OF FORMIDABLE
WAR VESSELS.
count of Themselves in Case
of War.

cincinnati IOmmeTCldl UdLeIIe.
WASHINGTON, July 27.-In a very
interesting conversation to-day on the
bearings OF the Behring Sea contro.
versy upon our present naval prepar-
ations Representative Boutelle, the
chairman of the house committee on
naval affairs, said:
"While believe it would be the
crime of the century for the two fore
most Christian nations to drift into
the horrors of war over a dispute that
should be readily settled by reason
able people, the widespread interest
in the Behring Sea controversy serves
to show how easy it is for threat
enlng differences to arise between
our and other governments
even in these days of enlightened
public sen timent, and that the United
States cannot afford to remain de-
fenseless in blind reliance upon i'm
munity from the possibilities of war.
of course any outbreak OF hostilities
between this country and any foreign
power would devolve the first respon-
sibility upon our naval force, the in
adequacy of which would be made
conspicuous very early in such q con-
test. That our gallant naval officers
and men would be ready for any SER
vice or danger we know, and that
they would acguit themselves heroic
ally with the means at their disposal
no one will doubt. But the opening
of war with q foreign power would
very rapidly open the eyes of that
class of statesmen who have insisted
that few thin-sided gunboats are all
we need for a navy.
IF the publication of this CORES
pondence shall have the effect to COM
pei a realization of the fact that we
have not yet reached the millennium
period, and that we cannot afford to
altogether neglect the protective pre-.
cautions found necessary by other
nations it will have served one good
purpose.
old wooden ships of the navy, with
their old fashioned guns, which served
their day and generation so faithfully,
but would be of little utility now, the
available force of modern vessels in
our navy is not large enough to war.
rant Boosting, although we have
reason to be proud of the quality OF
both ships and guns.
"First, we have the five double
turreted monitors-Puritan, 5000 tons:
Miantonomah, Amplitude, Monad-
uock, and Terror of $500 tons-in adj
vanced stages Of completion. The
Puritan is to carry four 12-inch high
power rifles and six 4-inch rapid fire
guns. The other four monitors each
carry four 10 inch-high power rifles
and two 4-inch rapid fire guns, and
they all carry heavy side armor.'
1.-THE new armored ships Texas and
Maine, Of about 6, 900 tons each, under
construction at Norfork and New
York, are to carry six 6-inch high
power rifles and secondary battery.
"The armored coast defense shir
Monterey, under construction at the
Union Iron Works, San Francisco
about 1000 tons, will carry one 16.inch
and 12-inch high power rifle, one Is
inch dynamite gun and six 4-inct
fire guns.
"The Maine will be launched this
fall, the Texas some time later and
the Monterey is just begun.
.'Of modern steel ships already il
commission there are the John Roach
ships forming the famous Squadron
of Evolution, viz: Chicago, protected
cruiser, $500 tons, carrying eight 6
inch four S-inch, two 5-inch higt
power rifles and secondary battery
Atlanta and Boston, 1859 tons protect
ed cruisers, carrying each six 6-inch
two S-inch high power rifles and sec
ondalv batteries. Dolphin, 1885 tons
dispatch boat, one 6-inch high power
rifle and secondary battery. Of the
later steel ships there are in commits
sion the Charleston, $3.50 tons pro