Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-24
THEY'RE NOT AFRAID
Naval Officers Anxious to Go on
japanese and Chinese Ships.
ANGERED BY SECRETARY HERBERT.
Valuable information to Be Oh.
tanned From Such Observation.
N OLD S A Its VIEW S

Naval officers are getting angrier the
longer they ponder over the statement re-
Gently attributed to Secretary Herbert, in
which he gave as the reason why he did
not send naval officers aboard japanese
and Chinese ships to watch the manner in
which they were conducted during the pres
ent war, because their lives might be en-
dangered by such detail. Little atten-
tion was paid to the Secretary's remarks
at first, but slowly the navy began to real
ize that there was something in them en-
tirely novel in an exasperating way
Bright civilians began to congratulate
tary who was so solicitous of their skins
naval officers upon having Secre-
and suggested that perhaps MIR. Herbert
might let botns and top captains run the
United States cruisers in future and keep
all of the men of the line on shore duty for
fear the precious darlings might be injured
in storm something or other equally
dangerous. This sort of thing stirred up
the men of the quarter deck TO a proper
conception of things. and up at the Army
and Navy Club there are SO many individu-
ais hot under the collar that the steward
has ordered a big supply from Troy to
make members respectable when they GO
out.
Seriously speaking, however, naval Off
GERS are a unit IN condemning Secretary
Herbert for placing them, If he was report
ed correctly, in what they consider false
light. OF course, discipline will not allow
them to talk publicly, but they are any
thing but averse to giving their views On
the subject in an imperSonal way. one Old
sait,who lodged she'll fragments a Charles
ton. and saw service OF the hot sort in
many other sea fights, was eloquent on
the subject.
iS be ri lla,
thing L ever heard Of" he remarked, aliud-
ing TO Mr.. Herbert's reasons for not sending
cincers to the orient. Il would like very
much to know what a man enters the navy
for ii not to risk, and, If need be, 10 willing
ly sacrifice, his life in behalf of the country
or the service. 1t makes no difference
where the danger may lie; whether aboard
one of ours or some other nations vessel
The detail that would have something more
vital about it than leading a monotonoUs
life aboard one of our boats would be eager
~ welcomed by reariy every man in the
navy. If the departn should call for
volunteers to go to the Pacific ami serve
aboard of the ships of the nations now at
war. III wager my honor that hundred
would offer themselves in two minutes.
But leaving the puerile fear of causing
an officer to risk his life entirely out of the
question, there is another side.' ne went on.
If Secretary Herbert persists in his inten-
tion net to send any of us to the east, he
will be guilty of nothing less than gross
negligence of duty. Now, I'll tell you why
In the present war the worli is given the
first opportunity afforded to discover lust
what may be expected Of modern sea going
fighting r,achines. Today every naval OIL
Ger in existence who cares anything for his
profession Is nervous from anxiety to hear
the details of the recent battle off Yalu.
such meetings of the new type of war vcs-
sells now favored by maritime nations will
determine whether or not they will fulfill
the expectations of their designers and
builders, and 1t will be of the utmost i'm
portance that the manner in which they are
nandied while In active engagements Should
be thoroughly understood. or course there
Will be official reports from both sides, but
II can readily be seen that such REPORTS
written by actual participants are pretty
apt 20 be partial, and then again, many
small incidents that may have great i'm
portance on the final result may escape the
notice OF a man plunged IN the excitement
Of battle.
"A non-combatant aboard of a ship at such
a time would be able to study the maneuver-
ing and follow the details of the fight with
clearness of mind and vision ard for this
reason no time should have been lost i'm
sending some of our men adapted for such
duty to China and Japan Immediately upon
the declaration of war. We are missing a
n agnihcent chance to study the real results
of the thought and money that have been
expended on the rehabilitation and modern
lzing OF our own navy well as those of
ether countries, and the lesson that could
De learned by cool and observing men in
the orient jrSt now would be of inestimable
advantage TO us, not only in acquainting us
with the good qualities or defects of modern
war vessels, but in giving valuable hints
regarding the best way to fight them
1t is believed by many naval officers here
that Secretary Herbert will decide to send
naval officers to the eastern war in view of
the general demand of the men in the SER
vice as well as the pressure from outside
that Is being brought to bear upon him.