The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-12-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
THE UNITED STATES AT LAST
ALIVE TO A GOOD ARMY
AND NAVY.
1t Is now Planned to Have Race
Across the Ocean Between a War
ship and One of the Fast Passen-
ger Steamers.
Washington, Dec. 10.

been more talk about the fighting con-
dition Of the United States both on land
and sea than at any time since the late
war, The labor troubles at Chicago and
generally throughout the West during
the past summer very forcbly called
attention to the present status of our
army. The newspapers were full of it,
and everyone was made acquainted
with the strength of the regulars as
well as with the possible force of militia
that could be depended on in case of
serious internal outbreaks or troubles
with our ncighbors A number of army
officers of high rank, in their annual re-
port to the president, recommended that
the regular army be increased. and
numerous plans were: suggested through
editorials i'll the leading newspapers and
magazines to accomplish the same object
Thus it was that the condition of the
army was called to public attention.
On the other hand our navy has occu-
pied a prominent place in the public eye
since Secretary Whitney began to i'm
| press on congress the necessity for
building new warships and cruisers,
with the result that liberal appropria-
! tons were made for that purpose. The
work naugurated by Secretary Whit
ney was carried along in the same di-
rection by Secretary Tracy and is now
being as vigorously pushed by
secretary 1IefDefI, VINO, De1Ofe MS
elevation to his present position
had had much experience in naval mat
tiers through his membership on the COM
mittee of naval affairs in the house. At
the present time therefore under the lib
eral policy of three administrations the
American navy has been brought to Il
standard of excellence that places it in Il
class to compare favOrably with the ma
ves of the world. Much however yet
MAIDS tn hn 1ppn. Tho A Don1.iaonC n
progressive people and our new war
ships are the result of many innovations
and novel appliances of old principles of
naval architecture. That they are I'M
provements is contended by naval eX-
perts, yet in many respects, they are rs
yet untried experiments, having never
been applied to the tests of actual war.
1t is therefore the desire of naval au-
thOrities to test the new ships in every |
way possible, outside of sanguinary en-
gagemcnts, so as to see just how close |
they will come to what is expected of |
and claimed for them. In this connection |
is considered the recent suggestion of !
Rear Admiral Meade, now in command |
of the North Atlantic squadron, or the
home station as it is called. His idea is |
practically to have Il race across the |
ocean between one of our fast cruisers
and one of the ocean grey hOunds-the
City of Paris or the LuCania for in
stance. AS soon as this proposition
was preached it met with
a storm of opposition. 1t was cOntended
that the United States was not in the
racing business; that such Il race would |
not only be devoid of results, but that in
addition to the expense it would entail
on the government for coal, some acct
dent might possibly happen which would
the lives of hundreds of pas
1engers. Now, however, naval Officers
are beginning to view the proposal in Il
different light and to see some merits in
the plan. At present the warships on the
home station are cruising around the
coast consuming fuel and accomplishing
practically nothing. The main idea i'll con-
structing our fast cruisers was to have
ships that could Overtake and destroy the
commerce of the enemy. 1t was not the
50 much that they should he
fighters but that they should clude the
nnemy's vessels and destroy her merchant
marine. In other words they are TO eX-
amplify the old saying of being able to
run away and fight again some other
day" Now the question is, can they run
down the fastest ships aIloat, as is
the object of their construction. This
cannot be told by official trials and test
trips. The only way it can he proven
is by actual experiment. Will it not then
pay to have the race with one of the crack
liners? The chances of accident are
small. These ships are the fastest of
their class but at the same time faster
ships are even now on the way. Then by
all means let Admiral Meade try conclu-
sions. If the cruiser can overhaul the
merchantmen we'll and good. If not
then our naval engineers will have to con-
tinue the work of Improvement in the
making of boilers and machinery until
the United States cruiser can run down
and capture the fastest ships that pillow
the ocean.