The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-04-02
OUR NAVY AND ARMY.

grand jury"
OUR NAVY AND ARMY.
What Could BE Done in the Event of War-No
Battle Ships Ready tor Action.
WASHINGTON. April Army and navy
officers talked O good deal this morning
about the action of the Italian government
yesterday. They did not apprehend war,
but nevertheless the chance of an unfayor-
able turn in the negotiations which might
lead to the unlimited appearance of the
italian fleet in our harbors was not lost
sight of. Commodore Ramsay. in charge
of the Navigation Bureau of the Navy. is
the officer by whose order our ships move
from port to port and are manned. His bu-
reau would, in case of war, be the one to out
line and direct plans of campaign on the
waters He was asked this morning what
was the condition of our naval defense.
Said he: How many battle ships do you
suppose we havei just one-the double tur-
reted monitor Miantonomah-now at the
New York navy-yard, and she is not COM
pleted. But one of her turrets is equipped
with guns However, by pressing forward
we might finish her in a month. The old
monitors which fought during the late war
would be of little value against the power
ful battle ships of European nayies.
The guns carried by these YES
sells could send q projectile through
o, side and out of the other side of any
-. ,et In the monitor feet, which now lies
below Richmond on the James river. We
are building two battle ships, but many
months will be required in which to COM
plete them, and many more to arm aud
plate them with armor. The armor has not
yet been rolled.
1T is idle to talk of building a navy in a
few months. The views set out by Senator
Ingalls, in his naval article are certainly
not believed by himself. 1t is ridiculous TO
naval experts to hear boasts of repeating
what we did during the war. Then we
were pitted against people without a navy,
and almost without the possibilities OF one.
We sweiled our naval list RAPIDLY to over
five hundred vessels. But what did they
amount tot Anything that would serve as
q gun platform or carry o gun was bought
or built. Our new cruisers about dozen
in number-wouid be of service, and would
be fought for all that they were worth.
But they were never intended to stand be-
fore armored battle ships, or against any
thing else than such unarmored vessels as
their own class. They would, however, be
useful to destroy the lines of water commu-
1 nication by which H.. foreign naval
their coal and supplies" In con-
clusion, Commodore Ramsay said he
did not feel that New York was in immi-
nent danger, even in the event of war.
The heavy draft italian war-ships could
not successfully lombard the city without
entering the harbor, and they were not
likely to enter the harbor, because, aside from
the perlls of navigation. certain prepare
tiOns could and would speedily be made to
render the water untenable for them. Sub
marine mines could be arranged. although
it did not follow that hostile vessel would
be obliging enough to pass over them. Tor
pedoes could be planted. but the his
tory OF naval operations ln'Jhe James river
showed that they did not render a river
impossible to fleet. But these devices
were all of use, and. supplemented by
| other defensive measures that could be
| adopted but which could not now be de-
scribed, they would probably make any
| city tolerably safe from a naval attack.
| An officer of the Bureau of Construction.
| however, said this afternoon that notwith-
| standing statements to the contrary, three
| or four of the old war monitors could be
| fitted up in short order, and in such for
| midable manner that they could be made
| very valuable in dealing with a hostile
| fleet.
| the army, secuted the idea of war ensuing
| from yesterdays events 1t was hard to
| imagine any reason for war or any substan-
tial result to accrue to either party from
it. Certainly the United States would not
| send Its navy over to attack Italy and Italy
could not land an army in the United States.
| The distance between the two countries pre-
| sented an almost insurmountable obstacle
to land operations. Even the Italian naval
vessels could not effectually operate so far
from a base of supply of fuel and stores.
| He did not hesitate TO say that New York
city will be safe in any event. Even
though the projected Notifications were
not yet In existence and the modern guns
were lacking he had faith in the ability of
our people to offer an effective resistance TO
hostile naval force. We were an in
ventive. energetic race. and could be de-
| pended on TO meet any emergency. A hos
| tile fleet could not lie within twenty miles
Of New York. There would be no lack OF
men Forthcoming who. like Cushing would
be willing and ready to be blown up with
their own torpedOes if they could have
| even q small chance of destroying the foe.
AS for the land forces of the United States
| the General was confident that they could
be depended on to prevent any hostile
army or naval force from getting foot on
| American soil.