The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-02
THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

Secretary Herbert's report on the navy
will be read with interest. 1t shows how
Congress continues to steer a middle
course between an actual peace estab-
lishment. and an effective war standard.
We are not spending on our navy any
thing like the sums which are being laid
out by Great Britain or France yet with
the single exception of 1874. next years
appropriations for the navy exceed those
OF any year since the war, and nearly
double those of 1887. For this outlay we
have nineteen vessels building and nine
teen in service. Of these vessels only
few are able 10 cope with the powerful
vessals of the English and French navies.
Analysing the navy as it stands, the
United States has four first-class battle
ships. all building; two second-class battle
ships. both building; two armored cruis-
ers. one building, the other in service one
harbor defense ram building: one ar
mored coast defense vessel in service, and
four double-turret monitors building and
one in commission; also one torpedo-bo
five protected and two unprotected cruis-
ers building, and three light-draught gun
boats ordered. The unarmored feet avail
able for war purposes at the present time
SobSiSso VA Si6bs plOlCOtOQ CiulStISs Uuc
unprotected cruiser, six gunboats, one
dynamite gun vessel and two torpedo
boats. Besides these there are sixty-four
vessels which are classed as unserviceable
for war purposes, to wit, four iron cruis-
ers. thirteen wooden cruisers, one iron
gunboat, thirteen siDgle-turret monitors,
two dispatch-boats, twelve tugs. seven
sailing vessels, nine receiving ships and
three hulks.
The problem with which each successive
Secretary OF the Navy is confronted is
this: Ought the United States to place
its navy on such a footing that the
country could hold it's own at sea against
such power as England, or ought it
to place it on peace footing, and TO as
sumo the attitude of a maritime non-com-
Blatant? Instead of adopting either Con-
gress pursues course between the two.
1t authorizes the construction of ships
en- ugh and of a character 10 put the
country In the fourth or fifth rank Of naval
powers if the policy is maintained from
year to year. 1t builds commerce-destroy-
ers and few battle-ships.
Before censuring this policy the position
and progress of naval architecture and of
gunnery must be considered. The art of
shipbuilding is making such strides that
the availability of ship of war for offense
or defense depreciates rapidly. 1t is not
to be supposed that the science of naval
architecture and gunnery has reached
finality. On the contrary, reasoning by
analogy. it is fair to assume that by the
end of the century great improvements
and perhaps ra dical changes will be made
in the appliances of naval warfare. If
that is the case. it is not amiss to go little
slowly in the construction of an effective
navy. We may thus provide for the ordi-
nary and probable exIgencies of war with
out spending some hundreds of millions on
navy which may become obsolete before
it is wanted. By fortifying our ports and
encouraging the growth of our merchant
steam marine we will be In a position TO
stand off the frst-class navies of European
states and threaten their commerce until
our mechanical resources can be turned to
the work of effective offense. Meantime
the growth of our navy on the lines indi-
Gated by our present policy will enable us
TO make our flag respected abroad, es-
pecially in those countries where a show
offorce often goes further than the prin-
ciples of international law to secure justice.