Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-19
OUR MAIL POUCH.
Facts for Jingoes to Digest.

/ Facts for Jingoes to Digest.
! To the Editor of The Dispatch:
| Noticing the question of "Our Naval
| Strength in The DISPATCH of the 18th inst,
see the strength of the United States navy
| is mentioned as 'e2 vessels ready to put to
sea tomorrow" Certainly not Of the new
| iron built, fast steaming vessels, with mod
ern breech-loading rifleguns, as that is what
| pears to be meant by the information
| given. There are only 1eof these anything
like ready to put to sea; nor have these even
supply OF the proper ammunition for mod
| ern war, although well armed with breech-
| loading guns of fine type. the only steel
| works In the United States making modern
steel shells for use against even light arinor
| on such ships as Chile has, which had just
begun to I'LL contracts for the United States
Government, was destroyed by fire few
| weeks ago, and very few shells had been
| supplied them. The Stirling Steel Works is
about to supply number of shells, 1t Is
| true, but their samples of 6-inch shells have
testing ground. (See Iron Age January ~
! None of these 6inch shells are on board the
ships THAT are out at sea now.
The Secretary of the Navy states that
neither the common steel shells nor the
steel. shells for the siX-pounder and three
FOUNDER Hotchkiss guns have been satisfac-
tory, and full supply of these Is not on
hand as yet. There are very few automobile
torpedoes on hand either, many failures hav-
ing taken place in testing the new ones now
betn. made in this country. The total num-
Der Of guns, from one pounder upward, on
these 15 ships is l93 and IS of these are small
caliber, one, three and six Founders, al
though quick firing, still mostly close quar-
tiers guns. Tire whole number of cannon of
the new type OF lOng-range, accurate and
formidable artillery of modern war, fit to
cope with the ships OF Chile, that the United
states possesses with which to arm its navy,
Is loo (See Iron Age January 7. 1892, page 2l.)
n "a mt Qtral. a
The number of men, all told, in the United
States Navy on paper is only $500. The
United States Navy no doubt will be, i'll the
course of time, "a magnificent one, but Is
ships, aggresating 1888 tons and 1913 guns, is
not magnificent Except as to its quality as
navy, and Is utterly Inadequate to defend
the cities on the coast of this country, us the
Secretary of the Navy states in the last
years report, pages 3S to 40. He SAYS: 1.-THE
present statement is revealing no secret; at
least, no secret to foreign States 1t is ony
our otcn people tOho ignore it," The first move
of any foreign power which has as little to
lose on its own shores as Chile has would
probably be to attack, at long range. some
one of the coast cities of this country
There are two ships belonging to Chile now
in Europe. about ready for sea, that could
be at New York about eight days after the
declaration of war. which ships have moth
ing whatever to fear from any United States
vessel afoat or ready for sea except the
Miantonomoh. These two ships have the
newest 40 and so caliber longest range
French cannon, with q firing velocity of
nearly $500 feet per second at the muzzie,
range 10 to IL miles, calibers 4 inches to 9
inches. BY the United States Navy report
for 1890, the tonnage of the new ships now
built, and 70 be built as contracted for, is,
all told 60 l03 The British Government
added to It's navy in 1880 60, $50 tons. (See
Engineeriag.) Its ironclad and inst cruiser
navy previous to 1890 aggregs ted over 800 600
tons, and it's strength in men is II 200, with
pay roll of Sl7, ,3A, SO.
The 1900 nlan of the United States Navy
require s., ,561.742 to pay them, and the Secre-
tary of the Navy reports (plge 2S) "there are
ordinary working purposes" "The en-
gines OF the new ships require the high
est kind of expert treatment" and that
neither these engineers nor the proper kind
of seamen to work the new high class type
of cannon, are to be got, nor are they to be
made efficient in Il short time either. Out OF
1850 men in the Marine Corps, there were 520
desertionS in 1890 1t is not heaven on board
a modern cruiser. even for engineer officers
(page 6G7, navy report). Then who are good
enough for modern navy men. Can earn more
money much easier ashore, and the officers
make the lives OF men who are not 50 good,
not worth the living; so they desert Three
thousand nine hundred and nfnety-seven out
OF 1915 men were foreigners (page 124 re-
port).
If it kept clear OF the Chilean ironclad
ships, or. beat them, the only damage the
navy could do to Chile would be to lombard
Valparaiso. where large number of En-
aged, and TO take possession of the nitrate
beds. This last would be anything but u pop
ular performance with the marines or army
landed for the purpose. 1t is in a waterless
country, dry as desert and hot. (See let
tiers in THE DISPATCH Of late) The English
interests there run high into the millions,
them long to do their objectins, and they |
would do it at Boston and New York. |
All the muslet cartridges for the whole |
United States are made in the cities close to |
the coast. The whole powder supply of the |
United states is within two days march of |
1t also and the chief mills for making the |
powder. And the English know it, and u /
few millions for more ships, more cannon, |
better equipment of militia infantry, and |
especially militia artillery would have en- |
tirely removed even the danger OF war, but |
economy" was better than eternal Wig |
ilance" in the eyes of Congress.
The United States has two torpedo boats |
the British had 206 in 1890. None of the new i
nickel steel armor fine it is, has so far been
placed upon any of these l6 ships of the new !
navy for it has just only passed the tests re-
quired by the Navy Department. II war |
could be postponed for q year there is no |
doubt that verything could be prepared |
for successful resistance, but as things !
now actually exist there is a doubt. 1t is |
true that people do not know this, although |
the facts have been published by the Navy |
Department, ETC., but the gen eral public has /
taken no interest in anything Of the kind |
whatever. W. L.
PITrsBURG, January IS.