The record-union., 1892-03-07

This is to be an armored cruiser of the
same type as the New York, which was
launched III Philadelphia in November
last, Ihls is good as far as it goes, but in
the opinion of naval officers it does not
go far enough. If the appropriations
were for three instead of one vessel of
this type, the naval officers and other
friends or the navy would be reasonably
well satisfied.
The New York, in Secretary Tracy's
opinion, will be the most magnificent
vessel OF her class. She has a displace-
ment of $50 tons. She will be able to
steam twenty knots an hour, a speed
equaled by but few of the great transat-
lantic liners. She will carry in her main
battery SIX nine-iflch guns, and she will
possess defensive qualities that will place
her on fairly even terms, so far as her
hghtlng qualities are concerned, with
most OF the second-rate battle-ships.
The new vessel provided by the COM
mlttee is expected to be, SO far as possi-
Die, an improvement on the New York,
but neither Secretary Tracy nor the
people of the country generally. who ap-
precIate the fact that a formidable navy is
one OF the strongest guarantees Of peace,
are likely TO be Contented with but one
addition to the navy this session, no mat
ter how superior that single addition may
be.
Boutelle of Maine, Lodge of Massa-
chusettS and Cummings of y ew Yorlx, all
OF whom have an intelligent appreciation
OF what the committee ought TO recon-
mend III the pending bill, make no secret
OF their disappointment at the commit
tees action. 1t is Boutelle's purpose,
when the bill comes before the House, to
amend IL. If possible, by the addition of
another armored cruiser, two battle ships
Of the type now building, and possibly a
fDFDpdO heats iS foir
that Amos Cummings OF New York and
possibly one other Democratic member
OF the committee Will support his amend
ment, and he is hopeful that the House
may adopt it. AT all events, he thinks it
IS worth trying, and those who know him
best say that he will put forth his best
efforts to secure whatever action the
House may take.
The item for new ships will certainly
be largely increased when the bill
reaches the Senate. The Senate is pro-
verbally more reliable than the House
and, fortunately for the navy, the Senate
at the present time contains a majority of
gentlemen who believe that the splendid
work OF building up the navy ought not
to be allowed to flag for several years at
least.
Senator Hale of Maine, who is both an
intelligent and jealous advocate of new
ships, proposes amending The bill when
III reaches the Senate in a fashion so lib
eral that it will probably give Mr.. Hol-
mans economic ideas the worst shock
they have received for many days.
About month ago Mr.. Hale introduced
a biH to further increase naval estab-
llShnent,o which was referred to the
Committee on Naval Affairs, of which he
is member. This innocent-looking
measure provides for the construction Of
three battlc-ships of from $500 TO 10000
fgAgt sth ,l,,..,A a,.r,% 4,
coast defense vessels, five gunboats of
from 5000 to l2,000 tons displacement
each and eight tirst-class torpedo boats.
Mr.. Hale said regarding this bill: Il
cannot candidly say that / believe this
bill of mine will be adopted as a substi-
tate for the provision which the House
Will make for new ships. / shall, how
ever, and SO, too, will a majority of the
Senate, insist that at least some Of these
vessels Shall be provided for at this ses~
sion. believe that the people of the
country, not only upon the sea coast, but
to some extent in the interior, feel par
donable pride in the splendid new ships
which we now have in the service. Our
cruisers are the finest OF their class in the
world. They have developed extraordi-
nary sea-going qualities, and every
American IS justly proud of them.
Where would we have been," contin-
ned Mr.. Hale, growing enthusiastic upon
the subject, lin our recent contention
with Chile, had we not possessed a navy
superior TO that of the little South Ameri-
can Republic? Had we been in the same
defenseleSS position we were in three
years ago she could have bullied us and
insulted us with impunity, and we would
not have dared to lit hand lest several
of her warships should steam into our
harbors and lay our great commercial
cities in ashes, and they could have done
so with ease. AS it was, we were enabled
not only to maintain our dignity, but to
secure that reparation from Chile which
she might otherwise have denied us. We
ought to have at times number of good
fighting ships in the Pacific Ocean. We
ought TO dominate those waters abso
Iutely, and we can dominate them when
we are able to make a proper naval show
ing.
THE Hawaiian Islands, Samoan ISL
andS and all other islands in those lati-
tudes ought never to be allowed to pass
under control of a foreign power. 1t NAV
not be our policy to annex them or to as
Sume protectorate over them, but we GER
tainly don't want, and ought not to per-
NIT, any other country to take control of
them, and no nation, however strong
will dare attempt this when we are in
position to successfully prevent them.
But TO do this we must have ships that
are capable of holding their own with
those Of Great Britain and the continental
Powers, and we cannot reach this STAGE
OF naval perfection unless we continue
the work ofincreasing the number of our
cruising and fighting ships.D