Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-05

SENATOR FRYE, IN WHICH GEN. TRACY ADvO-
GATES THE PASSAGE OF THE MEASURE ANIL
TKLLs IFS ADVANTAGES.
The Secretary Of the Navy has written the
following letter:
To Mr.. wM. p FRYE, chairman of the Senate
committee ON commerce:
i have the honor to acknowledge the receip,
Of copy of House bill No. 1923. ITO encourage
American ship building" which you have re.
ferred to me, with a request for my views on
the subject
The purpose Of this bill is to grant an Amer
lean register to foreign steamships Of not less
than 5000 tons, capable Of speed of not less
than twenty knots, belonging to companies not
less than 80 per cent of whose stock is owned
in the United States, on condition that the
American owners obtain full title TO such
ships and that they shall, subsequent to the
passage of the law, have built in American
ship yards steamships of an aggregate tonnage
not less in amount than that Of the ships SO
admitted to register.
1t will be observed that this bill has two
cousequences-ita admits to an American regis
tratlon limited number of steamships of the
higest class, owned by American citizens, aud
IL secures the construction for the same Ameri-
OF additional steamers Of the same high class
and OF a tonnage equal to that admitted to reg
istration. From every point Of view in which
the United States or its citizens are interested
this bill Is advantageous. 1t will add certainly
two steamships of the highest type now
employed in ocean navigation to the American
merchant marine; it will enable tho American
owners OF these vessels to sail them under the
flag and papers and under the protection Of
their own country; it will stimulate American
II. i'll, 1Y,,.r Co. ttot aht
may avail themselves of its benefits, they are
compelled to order American-built vessels Of
an aggregate tonnage equal to that benefited
by the act. 1t IL without doubt one Of the most
beneficial measures for the encouragement of
American shipowning and American shipbuild-
ing that has been recently brought forward
ANOTHER ADVANTAGE.
There is another advantage of this bill, how
ever, upon which the Navy Department Is
especially called upon to speak, and that is its
connection with the national defense. Over
two years ago, in my first annual report, had
occasion to make the following statements,
which bear directly upon the present measure:
1T must be remembered, however, that
cruisers have another and equally important
function in the attack and defense of COM
merce. Any staunch vessel, with good coal
capacity and the highest rate OF speed, armed
with few rapid-fring guns though built and
used principally for commercial purposes, may
BY certain adaptations in her construction be
made readily available for this form of warfare
The fast transatlantic liners, nationalized in
foreign countries, but supported and main
tanned by American trade and American pas
sengers-many of them even owned BY Ameri-
can citizens-are powerful factor in the
naval force of the government whose flag they
bear and at whose disposal they must place
themselves in time of war.
1T is a matter for serious consideration
vvh ms no tax nd he
CT cation Of such fleet Of specially adapted
steamers Of American construction, owned by
American merchants, carrying the American
flag and capable, under well-defned conditions.
of temporary incorporation in the American
navy. The advantages of such an arrange
ment, which enlarges the merchant marine
and makes it at the same time self protecting,
are Overwhelmingly great. The difficulty 10
that American capital will not be drawn into
the enterprise unless it can be sure OF specific
compensation for the concessions which it
makes to the government, first, in the adapta-
ton of its vessels to the latters need, and. sec
ondly. in the surrender OF privilege to use
them when the exigency arises.
I'm the absence Of such an arrangement the
naval policy of the United States cannot ne
glect to take account of the fleets of fast
cruisers which foreign states maintain under
the guise Of passenger and merchant steamers
They constitute an auxiliary navy and must be
reckoned . part of the naval force OF the
governments maintaining them. 1t is difficult
to imagine more effective commerce de-
with battery of rapid firing guns. She
can steam over twenty-one knots an hour.
and can average 1873 knots from land to land
across the Atlantic. No man-of-war could over
take her; no merchantmen could escape her.
fleet of such cruisers would sweep an
enenIy's commerce from the ocean. This fact
Is well understood in Europe, and states that
are unprovided with q convertible merchant
fleet are preparing to meet the possible emer-
gency by partly protected cruisers that are
substantially as fast as the City of Paris
VIRTUALLY ADDED TO THE NAVY
The steamship City of Paris is referred to
above in my annual report for 1889, and her
sister ship, the City of New York, are among
the vessels that the United States might
acquire by the passage Of this bill When il is
considered that these two extraordinary ships
WILL by this Legislation, be virtually added to the
navy OF the United States without cost; that the
passage of the act is a guarantee that other
ships, equally fast and powerful, will be
built, which the government may likewise
take advantage of in emergencies. the great
Importance of the measure in connection with
the problem of naval defense in the United
States cannot be overestimsted. and / think it
proper to state that although this bill in
wolves the expenditure Of no money in the
treasury l consider 1t as second in import lance
only 10 The naval appropriation bill.
Instructed in the Law.
Earle Shaffer was given instructions in law by
Judge kimball this morning, and to make the
lasting the judge sent him down.
Shaffer Is an old soldier and has q claim
against the government For the purpose of
looking after the claim he has remained here
for some time. During his stay he has in
duiged in something stronger than water to
such an extent that he has had to be cared for
by the police more than once. He claimed
that he worked and paid for what he drank.
while he admitted that he had been drinking
because of depressed spirits.
Il worked last week, he said, "and how can
be vagrant?'
"A man may work every day and have
money In his pocket, and yet if he is all the
time getting drunk he is a vagrant," said
Judge kimbali. who imposed penalty Of If
teen days in default Of bonds.
He Rushed the GrOwler.
Policeman William Riley Of the sixth pre-
cinct rushed the growier" in Judge Miiiers
court this morning The ssprowlern UNA q