The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-08
INGALLS, ON THE NAVY.

The comments of ex-senator ingalls, on
the inconsistency Of spending large sums of
money on the construction of a navy which
would probably be useless in time of war
contain nothing that is absolutely new.
But he puts his views in so sharp and
striking way that they are likely to COM
mand more attention than has hitherto been
bestowed on the subject His theme is
important. Ii he is right it is well that the
people should understand it before the
naval appropriations of the Fifty-second
Congress are voted in committee.
One thing is certain. The nations of
Europe have been for ten or fifteen years
building men-of-war, which have cost un-
told sums, and which are declared by COM
petent authority to be of little use for the
purpose for which they were constructed.
The 10,1O0-tOn frst-class battle-shipS, OF
which Great Britain proposes to have thirty
in commission by 1894, and the Amiral
Baudin, Formidable. Amral Duperre,
Terrible, Brennus and Magenta, of the
French Navy, cost each a fortune. But a
single shot from the Zalinski gun, fired
at distance of two miles, would sink any
one OF them, and a little torpedo boat ike
the Vesuyius, creeping under them. would
blow any one of them into the air. II is
impossible to protect the big ships against
the gun or the torpedo. The former are
apparently built for the purpose Of being
destroyed. That being the case. the money
spent in their construction appears to be
wasted.
This is so prosperous a country that it can
indulge in freaks of eXtravagance. But eve
cannot expect that it will always be so. a
time will come when Americans, like other
nations, will have to look sharply after the
expenditures of their Government lest the
exactions of the tax-gatherer should ex-
haust public patience. When that time does
come the connection between a powerful
navy and oppressive taxation will be more
apparent than it is at present. An illustra-
ton is at hand. The other day the admin
istration of Signor Crispi, the Italian Prime
Minister, was overthrown. mainly in conse-
quence of the widespread discomfort caused
by intolerable taxation and the consequent
increased cost of living. When we search
for the causes of this intolerable taxation
we find that Italy has afioat, or near compile
ton on the stocks, five battle-ships, to wit:
The Italia, Lepanto, Re Umberto, Stella
and Lardegna, each of them with a dis
placement exceeding Il, go tons-a floating
citadel. To man such a ship requires nearly
a thousand men, 10 fact, Italy supports in
ideness a force of 5000 sailors, who are
drawn from productive industry, and are
fed and clothed at the cost of the wretchedly
poor Italian people. 1t does not take much
study TO trace the connection between big
ships and pc Mar starvation.
War is progressive science, and each
war inyents the machinery with which it is
waged. The duel between the Monitor and
the Merrimac put an end to the usefulness
Of unarmored vessels. If new war of
great magnitude shorld break out fresh dis
coyeries of methods of offensive naval war
fare would have to be made, or the navies
of the beliigeTents would be as idle as they
were in the FraucO-German war. Nothing
is more certain than that there is nOta navy
in the world that would be likely to achieve
decisive results in the case of a great war.
The highest authority of the British Ad-
miralty has declared that the only prudent
course to pursue. if England should 20 TO
war with France or Germany. would be TO
gather the fleets carefully under the protec-
ton of shore batteries. Yet nation after
nation goes on building costly ships-really
for the purpose of affordng employment to
labor. but nominaly for the protection of
its coast The United States are committed
at the present time to an expenditure of
10000 for this purpose. Mr.. ingalls,
says that after the money has been spent
the vessels to show for it will be as useless
as Roman galleys. He is not sailor and
cannot speak as an expert. But the reports
of the Admiral of the navy show that in the
profession there is pretty geneEal acqui-
essence in his views.