Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-08
WE COULD WHIP SPAIN.
But She Has Little Rank as a
 Naval Power.
MORE ToRPEco BOATS ARE NEEDED

MORE TORPEc0 BOATS ARE NEEDED We Have Only Six, While England Has
 One Hundred and Eighty Built or Build
 ing-secrctary Herbert Says More Ships
 Are Necessary For the Defense of Cities
 on the Seacoast.
 In these days of almost innumcrable foreign complications it is a source of satis- faction to members of tho government that tho United States arc gradually taking higher rank among the naval powers Where thure is so much smoke thero must bo a little fire, and no ono can tell when this country will need every warship we can stpd to sea-
 Spain is one of the few countries which tho United States could fairly be expected to whip in sea fight. Until recently Spain. lilo this country, had TO navy at all Of late. however, she has purchased some fine cruisers, among them being tho Reina Rcgenta, which sunk tho other day drowning moro than 400 men. Tho Sranlsh n;:vy comprises 1 1 armnTcd ships, carrying 233 guns, and g unarmorcd vcs- sells carrying 300 guns. Tho American navy has 23 armorcd mcn.of-war, with 3sS guns, and 35 unarmorcd vessels, with 40 guns But while America has but six torpedo boats Spain numbers Sl in her fleet. In her entire navy Spain has 1, 129 guns and 24, l5S mun, larger numbers than tho United States possess. But many of tho Spanish guns arc of ancient make and would prove Of little vauo iu actual warfare.
 In tho army tho total peace strength of Spain is 143, l97, comprising 59, 200 in- fantry, 16, GSO cavalry, F, 3S0 artillery and 5 2l9 engineers Tho WIT strength is 505, 197 The population of Spain capable of bearing arms amounts to 1, 200, 000. This population ia tho United States amounts to l6. 500, eco. On the whole, this coun- try would have little to fear in war with Spain except for her seacoast cities during the first few months.
 The ships authorized by the late con gress will, when completed, lift us above Spain and place us very nearly on a par with Germany In naval strength In fact, in tho judgment of some experts, WIG should be able to hold our own against the German fleets in case of war. It Is also a
 
 reached point in tho art of shipbuilding which enables us to turn out ships Of tho first rate in period of threo years from the laying of tho keel. It is confidently expected by Secretary Herbert and his as sistants at the navy department that the two mammoth battlcships authorized by the late congress, at cost of $4, 900, 900 each will bo finished and ready for sea by the 1st of January, 1898.
 Secretary Herbert is much disappointed because congress failed to give authority for the construction of l2 torpedo boats, au thorizing only three such boats in order to make room for tho six gunboats favored by Mir German and other influential sen ators- Secretary Hcrbcrt's contention is that our navy has already reached satis-- factory condition so far ns sea police duty is concerned, and that our great aim from this forward should be to. create navy with fighting quality for the defense of our coast. .ari4
 'Unarmored cruisers the secretary says, 'are not fighting vessels. They can destroy merchant ships, they can fight vessels of their own class, but they cannot meet armored vessels with any reasonable hope of success. If all our actual fighting ships were concentrated in a single fleet,
  version for a great naval foe, and if scat tered could not furnish a battleship or even a torpedo boat for the defense of each coast city As said in my first annual report, If we carried outsuch programme during war an enemy with fleet could wreck cities while we wero robbing schoon CTS
 Our immediate need is means of do- lending our rich seacoast cities in case of war We do not want New York, Boston, San Francisco, Now Orleans and our other great cities bombarded by an enemy. For defending ports torpedo boats are more effective, according to cost, than any other class of vessels. They arc quickly built, and if we were to enter upon liberal pol icy of torpedo boat construction we could soon feel secure, so far as the destruction of our cities is concerned by any feet now in existence. Wherever thero is a flotilla of torpedo boats the enomy is chary about approaching port with it's armored ships. The value of the torpedo boat is recognized by all naval powers, and these little craft are now being built abroad in great num- bers. Battleships accompanied by tor pedo boats is the principal fighting line aimed by foreign powers, and it is only the part of prudence for us to meet them on this ground.
 Taking the F nations which have rank as naval powers, excepting the United States late statistics show that they have now in service about 1, 300 torpedo boats, and that 200 more are under construction. England has 105 of these boats and is building 75 more France has 215 and is building 40 more. Italy has 180 and is building 10 or 15 more. Russia has ITO and is huilding Is more Germany has