The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-08-04
The Commerce Destroyer Columbia.

When protected cruiser No. 12-now
known as the Columbia-was laid down in
the moulding loft of the William Cramp
& Sons Ship and Engine Building Com
pany in Philadelphia one of the members
of the Cramp family loosely called her
''the Pirate,'' because the avowed duty
for which she was designed was the cap
ture or destruction of the merchant yes
sells of any Power with which the United
States might go to war.
1t will be remembered that no country
has suffered more from vessels of similar
character than has the United States. Our
merchant ships which prior to 1861 whit
ened every sea were swept away by the la
bama, the Florida the Shenandoah, the
Tallahassee and other Confederate crus-
ers. Although the government had hun
bred times the naval strength of the Con-
federacy, the latter's specially fitted
steamers We're able to keep the sea for
months, and to destroy or paralyze nine
tenthS Of our commerce.
Such an object lesson was not likely to
be lost on a people SO practical as ours.
While our navy for defensive purposes was
growing satisfactorily, it was only to be
expected that we should also develop the
means Of offence pointed out to us by the
career of the Alabama type of cruiser.
Nations having the most powerful navies
are precisely those having the largest mer-
chant marine. To destroy these merchant
vessels would intiict great pecuniary loss
or even perhaps curtail their food supply.
With this object in view we first laid
down such cruisers as the Newark. the
Baltimore, the Philadelphia, the san
Francisco and the Charleston. They have
a maximum speed of nearly twenty knots
and a radius of action at ten knots OF
about ten thousand miles. But as mer-
chant steamers having a sustained sea
speed of twenty knots became common
it was evident that first class com
merce destroyer must exceed that speed.
Moreover she must have such a coal
capacity as would enable her to cover
great distances without the need of re
coaling.
The Columbia, launched in Philadel-
phia yesterday is the outcome of this de-
mand. maximum speed of twenty-five
knots an hour, sea speed OF twenty one
knots and coal capacity that enables her
to steam 26, 240 knots at the usual cruis-
ing speed of ten knots are the chief feat
ures of this vessel Her battery is ample
for fighting anything of her class, but
ngntlnS is not her forte.
Private property on land is not taken
or destroyed by an enemy except in an
emergency, but private property on sea
has always been the victor 5 prize. To
capture or destroy unarmed ships at sea
is permissible if they fly an enemy's nag,
and on that mission is the Columbia bent.
In all its essential characteristics, except
making the captured crews ''walk the
plank" it is piracy legalized piracy. it
is true, but of the same moral complex
ion as the work OF the freebootels of the
Spanish main.
1t is also true that the right to make
war on private property at sea is one of
great value to this country just now. our
commerce, not yet recovered from the
Alabama work, is far smaller than that
of several European countries-our posi-
bic foes. But it is probable that the day
is near when the American flag will again
| cover the finest ships FOL trade as we'll as
for war. in numbers equal to those of our
greatest commercial rival.
While. therefore, il is well to have the
Columbia and her twin sister. Cruiser No.
IS, for immediate piracy according to ex-
| listing international customs. it is worthy
of question whether it would not be wise
as we'll as right for this nation to take a
step toward international recognition of
private property at sea. With such a law
universally recognized the Columbia , DC
cupation would be gone. but perhaps we
should be better off than before. New
York Herald