The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-09
ENVIOUS BRlTONS.
Uncle Sans Naval Improvements
Open Their Eyes.
The New American Navy 10 Regarded n
England a. an Unpecessary Expense
WHIT They Think Of Oar
BIG Warslips.

How far the naval renaissance Of the
United Statesrcsults,f from any convic-
ton on the part of the people that
warslsips are required, or appeals to
national sentiment promoted by the
shipbuilding interest, is not worth in
quiry, says the London Standard. The
Americans know their own business
best. Nevertheless, to an outsider,
the great republic seemefo have begun
to build war vessels when they are
least requisite. Her seaboard is of
enormous extent, but is in little peril
from any enemy, and science within
the past ten. or fifteenfyears has ena-
bled harborS to be defended By mines,
torpedoes and Other deadly means
which were unknown in The days be
fore the war" One cannot we'll imag-
inc the circumstances under which the
United States need, upless by the
most deplorabls follyor Intentional
aggressiveness, drift into hostilities
with any other great power. The re-
public is in the happy position of hav-
inR-eXcept in one instance, and as
that instance is our Canadian fellow
subjects we decline to discuss any such
possibilities as An Anglo-American
war-no neighbors at all fit TO cope
with her. The nearest are, indeed, ma
vyless, and all the rest know their own
resources too we'll to think. even IL
there was the least chance for quar-
rel, of trying conclusions with her.
Chilli. it was at one time believed,
might perhaps give passing trouble.
But even at that period the United
States feet in the Pacific was quite
equal to that Of the smaller powers.
The good fortune of the country
which recently made so creditab BILE a
display of sea-going fighting machines
is that she can concentrate all her
fleets along her home coasts. She does
not possess colonies scattered all over
the world and requires none. She has
no fleets of corn ships to convoy
from the other side of the globe, as
power like England must when by any
evil accident we are threatened with
difficulties by one of the huge armed
states of Europe. The southern cruisers
almost ruined the merchant feet, but
it was not the absenoeFof navy that
for twenty years subsequently pre-
vented the Americans from recovering
their carrying trade. II. therefore,
the republic is preparedto continue a
pacific career, neither TO annex nor
protect" and TO rcfuse--in accord
anco With the early and it seemed. the
Fixed policy of the republic-to form
any ''entangling alliances or acquire
any territory beyond the sea-" a
much smaller navy than that she is so
feverishly building might serve all the
wants of the country. At present, in
Guiding gunboats and other small
craft, the United States navy numbers
eighty vessels, mounting moro than
eleven hundred guns, and including
among this generally indifferent roll
of ships some very fine specimens Of
the modern floating battery. The Chi
cage, Phiia0eiphia, Newark, San Fran
cisco, Atlanta and Yorktown arc all
craft of q Formidable description In
addition there is the dynarnite--rIn
vessel Vesuvius, the efficiency of which
has still TO be proved; and, as II Is not
unlikely 70 be quite as destructive %
friends as TO foes. the most since-e d.
sire of every weIl-wisher Including her
inventory lis that this ostcoIpe of |
American ingenuity may forever ro-
main speculative curiosity for sueh |
friendly exhibitions as that OF the Co |
luIn bisn naval review.