The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-06-30
NO CAUSE FOR PRIDE ri D
YET IF WE KEEP ON WE WILL SOON
HAVE A NAVY.
Our War Vessels Contrastcd with Those Of
Other Great Powers-Some Curious Facts.
Strange Fluctuations In American Ship
ping-A Remarkable Decline.
[Special Corrcspondcnce.l

Strange Fluctuations In American Ship
ping-A Remarkable Decline.
Especial Correspondcnce.l
WASHINGTON, June 2S.-When the az
erage American citizen walks through
the beautiful halls of the naval depart
ment and sees the fine models of our war
vessels, when he notes the activity there
and at tho navy yards, or even when he
reads of the magnificent record for speed
made by our new ships, his heart swells
with pride, and he anticipates speedy
return of the glorious days of our navy
tho days of Paul Jones, Hull and Law
renee, Of Perry, Decatur and the heroes
of our civil war. National pride is n good
thing, but lest it becomes excessive let
us look at the actual facts and contrast
our navy with that of other nations,
at the close of the fiscal year. In his
first message to congress, December,
1885, President Cleveland says: "All
must admit tho Importance of an effect
i've navy to u nation like ours having
such an extended seacoast to protect.
And yet we have not single vessel of
war that could keep the seas against q
first class vessel of any important DOW
or.
n Contrast With Other Nations.
AT the opening of the present congress
Secretary Herbert quoted that statement
and said that we had not even vet in
commission Il "single vessel of war that
could keep the seas against first class
vessel OF any important power" but that
four such were i'll process of construc-
ton. In 1885 there was no establish
ment i'll this country that could turn out
armor for modern vessels, none that
could forge modern gun of more than
six inch caliber, none that could make
automobile torpedoes, modern rapid fire
guns or powder for the highest power
guns. Secretary Whitney ut once began
the work for these and many other need
ed things, and we are just beginning to
realize the results. Some of the con-
trasts are astonishing. We still have
but three torpedo boats proper, while
England has 227, France 223, Italy 179,
Russia 16G, and so on down to little
Portugal, the lowest in the list, which
has 9. Even China has 80 and japan
30, and in all foreign countries there are
now 1871 i'll process of construction, all of
greatly increased size and speed. These
should not be COMPOUNDED with the tor
pedo cruisers to be named hereafter.
we have completed, approved and in
commission 10 full armored vessels of
which we are justly proud, beginning
with the famous Puritan, built by John
Roach 1t is IL pity that no general sys-
TEN was adopted in naming our vessels,
as Is shown by such a list as the Man
tonomoh, Amphitrite, Monterey, Katah-
din, Ajax, and SO on, five languages be-
ing laid under contribution and the gods
and heroes of every age from Agamem-
non to Ericsson. Striking IL balance on
those soon to be completed and the old
ones barely fit for use, it may be said
we have IL single turret monitors. 30
unarmored steel vessels of every class.
iron steam vessels, 16 wooden steam
vessels, u wooden sailing vessels and 12
steel, iron and wooden steam tugs. Of the
10 war vessels of every kind in process of
construction at the beginning of this
congress six have been completed, and
the secretary says that all will be in ac-
tive service by the close of the fiscal year
1876. The total appropriation for the
naval department for the year now end
ing was So, 104 ,0G1 49, while that for tho
coming year-at least, as it passed the
house-is $25, 2S0, 06G27
What 1t Costs to Let Navy Rot.
a glance over the figures since the
foundation of our government presents
some very curious contrasts and enpha-
sizes some points which have been the
subject of much scandal, but have never
been explained. a satisfactory history
OF the naval department for the 10 years
succeeding the war has never been writ
ten, and 1t Is too soon to write it. The
government in 1865 owned over 600 YES
sells of all kinds, and naval movements
necessarily ceased at once, and vet the
naval appropriation for the fiscal wear
1866 was $l3, 2S5, 6G2, and for the four
years ending with 1869 the aggregate
was Sl20,00O,000 Much of this is of
course accounted for by the payment of
retiring sailors and officers and back
claims. 1t was therefore promised and
confidently expected that naval expenses
would be rapidly reduced In fact, they
rapidly increased until the appropria
ton for the fiscal year 1874 was S3O. 932,
6S7. All this time the navy was run
ming down so rapidly that it became q
subject for jeers and laughter, and to
the enormous appropriations should in
justice be added the amount realized bv
the sale of old material. To realize the
contrast take notice that for the fiscal
year 1892, when the Harrison admins
tration was straining every nerve to