Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-22
OUR kAVY'S GROWTH
Byron williams Praises American In
genuity and Construction.
Inc Country's Duty in Regard to
Coast Eefense-WOrk of Our
Naval Officers

Mr.. Byron Williams. one Of the leading
lights of the lecture platform. delivered
a most interesting illustrated lecture to an
intelligent and critical audience at Met
zeTott Hall last evening. Secretary Her
bert and many naval officers We're among
those who listened to the lecturers elo-
quently expressed story OF the transforna-
ton of the new navy of the. United States
MIR. Williams has wonderful power of
expression, and many of his more striking
passages were models Of iambic Rhetoric In
the course of his lecture Mr. Williams SAID:
1t is now hundred years since the
launching OF the quaint little Constellation
which has so strangely survived the muta-
tions OF the old and witnessed the dawn
or the new navy. In comparison of the
extremes We hnd and answer for an Oft
repeated, and sometimes petuiant question,
what does q naval officer do? He has
surveyed and charted more river and
coast line and sounded more harbors than
were known when Rome was mighty. He
has placed and watched the lamps in near
ly 5000 light houses. He has made and
recorded observations in every department
OF physics, and within ten years he has
ceslgned invented, created, directed and
established methods, processes formulaes
shops, yards ana ships that are the admira
ton of the world"
With less than $lo0.UW.CoO and without
single sustained charge Of malfeasance
he mas raised this country from :he least
and lowest to the sixth place among naval
Il Wers. And for all his extra service he
yond the regular duties of command. for
mnich other governments are paying their
inventors fabulous premiums, he has re-
celVed not dollar more than the regular
salary and his hardly earned and slowly
gotten rank.
Homage to Artillery.
Ten years ago our dnpracticed construc-
tors were Unfamiliar with late models and
new designs. The iesoiate yards were
without n-achines or skilled labor There
was little or no improvement on our war
tested apparatus, SO eagerly accepted and
extended by other nations The country
was 1.lIi % the praises Of arbitration out
that Is not t.e material of which navies
are made for so long as humanity retains
the stamp Of its creation arbitration uiul
artillery.
Those Responsible.
For eight years under President Cleye-
land and President Harrison the lazy has
retained and gained public favor. and
speak from an approved record in saying
that the splendid services of Secretar,,
Whitney and Secretary Tracy form aad
adorn the brightest pages OF both admin
lStrailons. There is no candid doubt of
Secretary Herbert's successful utanag en-. en- I
or our new bavy,of which he mas been from
the start an earnest student and a jealous
promoter.
The Next War.
In speaking Of the possibilities Of the rext
great naval war Mr. Williams said: THE
harmony OF nature is The infinite varia don
Of one theme. He Who has seen the cir
cling sweep of birds of prey as they meet
and quarrel in the fields Of Upper air has
the key 20 the plan of he next great naval
light.
Our coast-line would pu; girdle round
the earth, eemmed with cities and border
{ ed with plains whose ransom would exceed
the gathered spoil OF AL the eyes With
. chances SO ample or fatal is Ilfe sense OF
duly incurred equal The vanity OF the
claim that We are doias everything for our
security at home and Tor dignity abroad.
Are we collectively rbeyIag the strong in
dl|i1ual instinct cor an insurance AGAINST
trouble Or bllndly trusting to fortune that
tires in bestcwIng favors? The answer is
not IN the weight Of fleets alone, oct ia tie
mighty changes wrought in war by our IN
Ventors with steam and STEEL
Not Unhappy.
In closing his lecture Mr.. Williams said:
Much sad talk is heard OF Jacks hard lot
and wicked ways. / must record q some
what different opinion. lie Is more heat
ly clad and safely housed, better fed and
paid than his brother IN the merchant
marines. As things so in this old ressi-
mistlc world, he Is quite As decent as many
OF the pr2uEg people who dissort his ioi-
SlSs. a man must do something 10 pay Cor
his "trip through life, and ire Diue Jacket
swinging IN MS hammock, smiles 1t the
thought that his snare % me Meeting show
Is not worth the ticket. He seldom com
plains CT dry weather and there is 10 dust
AZ the storm busters he rs sorry Tor the
people at home who must dodge the break
ing trees or falling chimaeys. In peaceful
times his ship OF steel shuYs The insinLat-
ing frost and his cruise is one long holiday
hight in summer seas to sunny shores.
Mhcn the fight is on here is no more MT
ting place than where mis- duty calls