New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-20

none but German ships OF wdr. 1t will enable
coastdcfence fleets 10 pass from Inc Nor'h SEA
IN the Baltic within the mcrest traction OF the
time n hostile squadron would consume IN Vo!-
acing round The Skaw. There Is no cXaggera-
tion in saving It will double the efficiency OF the
German fleet and the security OF the German
coast
All other nations are likewise interested in IN"
celebration partly for the same and partly Tor
other reasons Nearly onethrd of the trainc
through the canal will be 10 or from British
norris Russian commerce will gain great al
vantage from the new highway. ana France VIII
see In II new security for Germany against her
noworful fleets in case Of war. Nor can any
maritime Power fail to be impressed by the spec
tocle Of the greatest gathering Of modern naves
the world has seen. Not even Great BTU
ain has had such a naval review as this. she
could not. without recalling her warships from
all norts Of the world But the most striking
feature of the supendous array will be this fact
that scarcely one of all the hundred and sixteen
ships has ever been in serious action or fired
shot at an enemy. Not one has ever pc'h
matched against q foe anything like its equal.
All these floating fortresses have been construct
oil at n cost of hundreds Of millions, merely In
preparation for possible contingencies which
never yet have been realized. Indeed, they are
all, in great measure, untried experiments NO
one can tell what would be the result of con-
fict between them. Would the steelcased battle
ships win? Or the swift. heavily armed cruisers:
Or yet the tiny, scarcely perceptible torp"do-
hoots? Engineers are not agreed. The result
Of the Chino-Japanese War was not conclusive.
So here we are, with all this mighty collection
of seagoing fighting machines. with little notion
and no assured knowledge Of what they are
worth or how they would work
To our own country the occasion Is by no
means void Of especial significance American
commerce may not at present be much benefited
by the opening of the canal. But 1t Is lihpoS-
slble 10 resist feeling Of cXutatloh III inc
knowledge that the American Navy Is wor'hiiy
represented in the great gathering In Niel Bay.
The ships Of some other Powers are more nulner-
ous and include some OF class we have nor
scnt thiihcr But Of their classes, the American
ships have no superors under any flag. Thcy
show the Powers Of Europe Of what TINS country
IS CAPABLE They are a promise. worth It's inll
face value. that America will hcnccforih hold
her own M sea as well as on land. and that not
oven the professional militarism Of Europe can
eurnass This peaceful non-miary Power in abil-
ity. when need may be. to defend It's rights ana
TO maintain the honor OF It's faa. No American
wishes for war. or for any gun "f the Nhl'
Squadron ever to he fired AT focian. But
every American must have deep satisfaction IN
knowing that, should such dcplorablc necessity
be forced upon Us. we are In the way OF meet
ing il. There IS no thought about \icl to-day
more worthy to be cherished than this. that Tour
Of the finest vessels in all the great review wcr"
built in American shipyarls and bear at their
peaks the American flas.