Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-02-21
THE NAVY.


do We Need One. and what Kindt
The paper read toy Commander Allan D.
Brown before the Professional club on Mon
day evening on the subject, The need of
"A navy aud the kind Of navy needed " WAS
one Of the most instructive and interesting
which the club has ever enjuved. Begin
nj with "a comprehensive glance at the
brilliant deeds Of our navy in the early
times, and it, important part in bringing
the war for the Union to a successful close
the essayist met and combated the argu-
ment so often used that in these later DAYS.
with our Policyo Of peace aud Of non interfer.
ence IA foreign affairs We have no need for
navy. This whole idea is falacious Our
very greatness makes us vulnerable Saw
nothing OF our whole chain Of rich cities
strung along the coast Boston. Portlat d
New York and San Francisco have proper
" within reach of an enemy's guns, the
yearly tire insurance on which alone is
enough 10 support navy that would pro-
tect them completely from danger of attack.
And the need is not only for the defence of
our sea coast as the great neutral power
of the world we must make ourselves
strong enough TO cause our neutrality TO be
respected. If we are to arbitrate DISPUTED
questions there must be force enough be
hind our demand for arbitration TO make
arbitration desirable. England was willing
to arbitrate the Alabama claims because
she knew failure to arbitrate meant the
loss of Canada
Granted the need of navy, the cues.
ton is, what kind of Il navy This mart
of his subject the Commander discussed
from the standpoint of man thoroughly
equipped IN his profession, and the conclu
SION was reached, in a way which carried
CONVICTION To his hearers, that our navy
should be of the first class, with battle ships
OF the most lmpregnable kind. sea worthy
and to be depended on ia any emergencv
aud IN the face of any foe. added as they
would be to our present and prospective
fleet of swift cruisers and smaller vessels
for coast and harbor service. OF torpedo
boats the essayist could not speak with so
much assurance, recent experience in Eng
land and elsewhere having shown that.
while handy to have in the house they are
as yet unreliable and besides this they
make an immense strain on the physical
and nervous endurance of the officers and
men. At the present time the real value
OF this arm of the navy is in their moral
force. Dynamite guns and gunboats are
yet too much in the experimental stage TO
allow an accurate estimate Of the part they
are ~ pay III future warfare.
In answer to the question how many of
each KIND shall We have of these several
essential vessels-battles ships, coast defend
ers, cruisers, gunboats, despatch vessels
and torpedo boats Commander Brown
quoted the recommendation of the present
secretary Of the navy. that there he con.
structed two fleets of battle ships 20 in ali
also ~ coast defenders, making with those
now built or building a navy of 100 YES.
sells IN all, and said that this was certainly
a moderate number, Nor, he added. should
the creation Of an auxiliary navy be neg.
lected We should follow the example of
other nations 10y paying a subsidy to mer-
chant vessels constructed so as 10 be capa-
hle OF use by the government in time of
war Tor transports, hospital ships, floating
batteries and coal carriers.
After ailudlng to the rapid advance
made during the last few wears toward the
construction OF navy. and the creditable
achievements of our people in this direc
ton, the essayist said In the DAYS of
kome's imperial power there was recog-
nlzed the strength Of her many legions w.
ing behind the man who said, 4 am Ro.
man. Today it is England's boast that the
power of mighty fleet, ready TO punish
or destroy, lies behind him who saws. II
am an Englishman So It should be with
us. All peoples, nations and languages
should fully understand that under the vel
vet glove of the great Republic there is
the iron hand OF a power strong to enforce
the rights of the meanest and humblest
who eNclaiins, i am an American. 8"
The discussion which followed was of I'M
usual interest aud animation, and in reply
ing at ITS close TO numerous questions asked
MN, Commander Brown happily and forci-
bly, illustrated the broad and indisputable
fact that the surest way TO assure a peace
able solution of disputed questions is TO be
strong enough to make our demand for
peace respected. Facts were also given in
regard 10 guns now in process of construc-
ton by the government, of caliber from
! inch to 10 inch, and their length, weight.
charge Of powder, weight of projectile,
aud range-which We should like 10 repro,
duce in a future issue.