The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-08
We WANT MORE TARS
The Law Only Allows the
Navy Nine Thousand
Enlisted Men.
A LITTLE KOREAN DIFFICULTY
1t Takes $4,000 Hands to Navigate
Our Ships-Few Vessels
Available.

WASHINGTON, August s, 1S94-lt Is SAID
In naval circles that the enthusiastic advo-
Gates of warlike demonstration by the
United States naval forces in Asiatic
waters, which would necessitate voyages
of over 5000 miles from San Francisco and
nearly $1,000 from New York, these ports
being the bases of American naval opera
tions, give little or no Intelligent
consideration to the problem constantly
vexing the officials of the Government
who are charged with caring for our
interests in various parts of the world.
Practically the entire navy of the United
States today is in home waters, the only
fleet abroad worthy of the name consisting
of the Baltimore and Monocacy in Corean
waters and the Concord and Petrol now
steaming to reinforce them from their sum-
mer in Behring Sea, $500 miles from Yoko-
hama. With four vessels already near the
scenes of hostilities the United States has
proportionately greater protection for the
interest of its citizens in China, Japan and
Corea than elsewhere in the world
WHERE OUR SHIPS ARE.
Notwithstanding the large interests this
government has in South America, there
IS but single vessel on that coast, the wood
en- cruiser Yantic, which has not left the
Rio de la Plata for many years. The flag
ship of the South Atlantic squadron is on
her wav to Cape Town to be docked, voyag
ing $500 miles from Montevidio for that
purpose. When she is again ready for sea
she will be 5000 miles from China, and in
case of emergency could reach Shanghai
before the end Of September. The Chicago
is the only vessel on the Euro
pean station, and she is i'll need
OF such extensive repairs as will necessltate
her return to this country in few months.
tn the ships on tiie home station, tne Phlla-
tseiii.ia i, 1riIIgiils Admiral Walker home
ir,tl la,ia0idiu. and Is TO be repaired
~ ,r Island, the Monterey is ex-
i far eoiss defense, the Alohlcan,
=; Ranger. Adams and Alert
st. -tains the seals ut Pribvloy
go bennington - huneward bound
- ~. IL wash Il disabled engine that
- ~. se...: Il month Ill repairs; the
.. tbs .!rs ioek mhere she will
"a - s.entY i've days more: the
q, .'e! ifes iifty-four days work to
80 a. !. Ter sea, and the new flyer
:. -. .5s,t commissioned, must stay near
:, ~. =. ~, ior six months to get her in
49, q, s-Ltt.e. The Charleston alone is
-. : .nf i.mne;liiate duty and she must
A.i ..,,a.l TO take care of American in
teie ili,n Eerilgi Sea to Patagonia
Il :..s r.i.er-ency should arise anywhere
IN that I..UG1 miles of coast line
:sile e.t,siid be rushed across the Pacific to
Los, IA III Lsgesty days. but with ex-
cceslin..fy doubtful iiropriety. If lmmedi
s.ie d, iitioas to the Asiatie squadron are
.onsideiel imI operative the Yorktown, which
/, now but 100 miles away, could in the
o,l.4oil vi ils. val officers best be spared. She
5 :Jt3 miles nearer to emma than anv other
American warship, and she is specially
adapted by her small size and comparative
conomy for the service. -Four ifths of the
fiective navy is OH the Atlantic coast, dis
iant about i5 00J miles from China.
@AslFNr GIfTI
The New V ork must remain near New
York. 1t cost several hundred thousand
dollars to send her to Rio, she is the most
expensive vessel to move about in the whole
navy The Miantonomah, Vesuvius,
Dolphin and the Maine when the latter is
completed are not intended to leave the
home coast. The Columbia and Marblehead
are at Blnefeds. The Marblehead might
be started on two months voyage to the
East if relieved by the Montgomery. The
latter vessel must remain near Norfolk for
six months awaiting high pressure cylin-
,ler to replace the one destroyed on her re-
cent bridal trip The Atlanta is in good
condition and might reach China in 100
days The Minneapolis must stay at home
five months longer. The San Francisco has
just gone to the Brooklyn navy yard for
forty-eight days repairs ana the
Detroit will not be ready to leave
Norfolk for the same time The
natl are to be retained at home, and the
only two vessels about which there is no
question as to future duty are the lachias
and Castine, which were designed especially
fol. such service as is required in Asiatic
ports. These vessels were recently cut in
half and heightened, and it is expected they
will be ready to leave the Brooklyn yard in
thirty days. which would enable item to
ioiu the Baltimore late in November.
NOT MEN ENOUGH.
One OF the most serious problems which
confronts the administration in sending
naval vessels abroad is the impossibility of
furnishing them with the necessary compile
nent of men to handle the ships. The law al
lows but 9. .030 enlisted men in the navy, which
is the same number as that. allowed when
the navy was half its present fighting
strength. 1t takes 1900 men to keep all
the present ships in cI&nission on strict
ly peace footing. ~ time of war the
navy would need $1,000 men to equip
it's vessels. The only possibly way of max
ing 90O0 men go around now is TO keep
about half the ships in navy yards, and If
will be impossible to commission the
Maine. Texas Olympia or large
number Of the latest vessels without putting
other ships out OF commission in order to
secure their men. Under the present law
and appropriations it is impossible to keep
more than half the ships at sea and while
the naval lists to the uninforned might ap-
near to warrant the United States in send
ing dozen ships to China, as matter oi
fact there are scarcely more than that num-
ber ready for sffective service outside OF the
navy yards.