The Critic and record., 1891-05-14

THE DEVELOPMENTS on the past month
or more have emphasized the necessity
for an increase of the naval power Of the
United States. Even before the Italian
imbroglio and the ltata incident, the fact
that we We're engaged IN a diplomatic
struggle with Great Britain, in which lay
war as a potentiality, was urged in behalf
Of the proposition that our naval arma-
ment should be increased. But there
were plenty of easy.going souls who rid
iculod the idea that Uncle Sam and John
Bull were ever likely to do more in the
way of strife than handy terms of
cousinly disparagement.
The more or less serious developments
of the New orleans episode however, YER
iiied the judgment of those who main
tanned that not alone the probable and
the possible were to be feared in this con-
nection but that the unexpected was, if
anything still more worthy of consdera-
ton in estimating the chances of a foreign
war. For the time being, optimistic Chau-
vinism lost prestige, its chief mouthpiece
ex-senator INGALLS,, and sometime indie
fatigable source of opinion, maintaining
such an able and distinguished silence as
10 attract the attention OF the country,
and help along the steadily growing be-
lief in the generous expenditure of money
in building up the Navy. Since then the
Itata case, from whose complications
there is no otelling what results may spring,
has still further illustrated the soundncss
of the pro-nayal position.
Should the little difficulties in which
the country IS now involved blow over
without serious results, we shall no doubt
again hear the voice of the fatuous sophist
lifted up against the policy Of Navy build
ing although, fortunately, his following
will not be so large by many thousands
as it was before the development of the
episodes which have kept the State De
partment busy for some time past.
In this connection it would be well to
consider contingency which might ma
terially change the aspect of situation
like that growing ont of the New Orleans
affair or for that matter, an episode like
that of the Itata. In short, had Congress
been in session when RupING made his
bluff the possibility of war would have
been increased many fold. For better or
for worse-and for the latter, likely
enough-the occasion would have been
taken advantage of by rm-blooded pa
triots in both branches of the National
legislature, and we should have heard
such denunciations of Italy as would have
gone far in themselves toward arousing
the overwrought feelings of that country
to an actual war pitch. It is not at ali
improbable that resolutions to "hold up
the hands of the Administration or some
thing of that sort would have been passed
and that the "no uncertain sound" of their
echoes on the other side of the ocean
would have precipitated an armed con-
iiict Even the late evangelist of peace,
Mr.. INGALLS,, in the heat of the occasion
might have INDUCED in an explosion
fraught with patriotic wrath and the odor
of villainous saltpetre."
Take It for all and all the country, es-
pecially considering its defensive and of
fensive strength, may congratulate itself
that its foreign complications are not of q
more serious nature than they are, and il
it does not profit by its experience of thi,
spring we may conclude that thriftiness
and shrewdness in the Yankee character
are dying out.