New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-07

police guard which should have suppressed them no
charge suspicion OF misconduct attaches TO the
men who, on the night OF the 10Th OF octooer.
endeavonng without weapons to defend themselves
against armed attack were driven by the ponce
10 ChIian PRISON because they wore the UNIFORM
OF American sailors. 1,
The old wooden ships OF the Navy have now practl-
caly passed out Of existence. They no longer count
reliance of the United states to-day for the pT0tecton
of its exposed seaboard Is the new hect. ms ma mas
advanced slowly, but its development pas been SURE,
1t Is novel branch OF Industry but there nave Deen
no failures thus far and the outlook oT The snip, sun
for work OF reconstruction In the future That IL VIII
not fall behind the measure OF success attained up W
the present time.
The course Of events during the last year has shown
anew the necessity Of continuing The development Oh
and they are constantly growing. The rapid extension
OF commercial relations mas doubled the Importance OF
few years ago by keen foreign Observer some day
other there Will be great rivalry OF three or Tour
nations in the Pacific for the commerce OF those seas
and the country which has cultivated its stength Win
view to that contingency VIII carry on chel par. Oh
the prize" The rivalry has already begun ana the
signs are evident every hand OF sharp competton
If that most important agency in the commercial
development Of the United States, the Nicaragua Canal
were completed The strategic situation would be largely
modified. At the present time the two seaboards are
naval defence. Each has It's vulnerable points, and
each bs nesbors that e well PTepHrsd for oae9sSe
facing Atlantic seaboard, the sole object OF whSe
existence is 70 maintain naval ontp3ss az lou. our ss
either whose fleets more powerful than any force
that could readily bring 70 meet them 10 po,ee,
is completed will involve stripping the Other Sta at
d deSs to ee this e0%n pSvdcd With an efficient
naval projection The press which represents the best
Of e@ s it on nS e
believes with it, that this protection is an obligation
ap s e te Ni Ike San seattle a%
should DC open 10 the attacks Ut thhd-rate rover
trb1toas that would pay in advance the expense Of
Wa If ay one believes that SUCH rapidS OF move,
under which the Eserada appeared In April last with
out warning close 70 the Californian coast sending on
beeve that The commercial sesports of the Gulf and
the Atlantic should be unprotected from attack by any
docl-yarts are within forty eight hours steaming.
But it is not the seacOast States alone that have
Whole ncroc depends upon tie supply
of the demands OF foreign market. II, when war
tStion OF our food prodacts the foreign market win be
closed BY the Ocka1e OF sgch great outlets a. calves
peake and Delaware and NewYork, the Atlantic the
great industry Of the interior will be paralyEed .
been hitherto made to the Navy and its future necfss
ties, tie department has reached The conclusion that
up to this time Of building large arored vessels: ships
OF TIE type OF the Indiana now under construction are
undoubtedly the most powerful element Of protection
that this country possess The efficiency Of the
type is beyond question me cost Of the shp' al.
render ii would certainly poor economy to build
In their place secondclas a1noed vessels OF the type
OF the Maine ard Texas, for example which, though
excellent ships for their size, not large enough 70
accomplish tie true object of heavily armored ye ssel
one flst-class ship wOud cost certainly oneith less
than two of the smaller type ana yet have compare
tive force much greater that id an ensagement It
would destroy them both without receiving material
injury 1t probable also that the cost of the larger
ship Win be BY ob the S aGd
BY smplfed methods IN the manufacture Of armor and
the Department therefore recommends that authority
be given at the coming session TO build two new vessels
The Department also recommends the early const-uc-
design to the New-Iork. This magnificent vessel,
whose functions cover a far wider range thon those OF
ordinary cruiser, presents az extraordinary com
bnation of great coal endurance high speed and eff
added main battery of six Sinch Iines and twelve
heavy rapdhre guns she becomes one OF the most for
that be brought into use for any rd OF service
With The exception Of the three ships Of the Indiana
strength which thi, country now possesses.
There IS, however. class OF small vessels capable
of performing successfully many Of the duties now re-
cruisers; The characteristics of the torpedo cruiser
are well defined small size a6o"t r 500 to oo tOns
capacity, raPd-fTe guns and a powerful lon1ed9
the gun1Oa with the speed ami formidable armament
d the first class torpedo Loaf 1t has many functions
Acdng independently IL is seagoing torpedo boat a
destroy eneniy's torpedo boats and In blockadcs
It's presence is indispensable; In action its duty Is to
port Of tOfpedoboat notilla and to act n torpedo
boat itself This Is the type of vessel that the Depart
ment would propose to build should Congress adopt
It's recommendation to increase the limit Of cost in the
vessel authorized by the act OF June 30, 1oD0 and
such vessel would lie valuable addition to the
naval force Un'l recently The Department could not
urge the necessity OF torpedo boats being without any
ipedoes with which to them. As stated else
where, this defect is now remedled, and with the
domestication of The manufacture Of the Whitehead
:sS e # 81 Wy ri;
sixteen principal States in the matter II torpedo boats
and the position occupied 10y the United States I'm the
list calls attention torcbly to the impoSanee Of provd
ing this economical and effective means Of defence:
Number nj Increase