Griggs courier., 1895-12-06
HERBERT'S HOBBY.
It Is the Further strengthening
OF Uncle Sans Navy.


OF Uncle Sans Navy.
The Secretary Tells Of the Operations of
Ais Department During the Year,
and Makes Some Important
Recommendation.
Washington, Dec. 2-Advocates OF con-
tinuing the increase in the new navy will
find satisfaction in the annual report of
Secretary Herbert to the president The
secretary recommends the construction of
two battleships and at least II torpedo
boats, and he prefaces his recommended
tion with the statement that IAN inspcc-
tion of the tables herein given, showing
the relative strength Of navies will fur
nish. 1t is believed, all the argument now
needed for the continuation of the building
programme heretofore indicated by the
action of congress. We are not in want OF
ordinary unarmored cruisers or gunboats,
but we are lamentably deficient in torpedo
boats. and we certainly need more battle
ships. An inspection Of the building pro-
gramme Of other nations will demonstrate
that the lessons taught at Yalu and Wei
Hui Wei have tended to confirm the be-
lief Of naval experts throughout the world
in the efficiency of these two classes of
vessels"
built cheaply, the secretary points out
briefly. The gratifying progress made by
our manufacturers Of steel and our ship
builders and the competition among them
has enabled the department during the
past two years, he says, to contract for
gunboats and torpedo boats at very
large reduction from former prices.
Toward this proposed increase OF the
navy Mr.. Herbert estimates that $9.6SS, ,3SS
is necessary, and. inclusive OF that amount.
his estimates for the complete expenses of
the naval establishment for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1897. aggregate $2s.3l1 .lG6
Out of the appropriation for the current
fiscal year, amounting to :l2.S0l. there
remains $942,2S6.
With the exception of the appeal for more
ships, the most important topic treated by
Secretary Herbert is that of a reserve sys
tenn. He prefaces his suggestion that such
a system be established with some com
ment on the necessity for having more en-
listed men, and recommends that the en-
listment of 1000 more men be authorized.
Giving figures to show how small our en-
listed force Is and how large those of ELL
ropean countries are, he makes a compar-
ison Of our l3, 400 bluejackets and marines
with Germany's 21.4S7 Germany's avail
able men, while not all at one time in actual
service on board ships, would, in case of
war, furnish no lack of trained and drilled
material for the imperial navy, land. :"
says the secretary, lin case OF naval
war. readiness, other conditions being
equal, means victory" In the emergency
Of war coming quickly, what should we do
for men? he asks Ali allowed by law are
enlisted, and all enlisted are already or
ships.
We have, he says, a magnificent squad
ron il armed and manned: but, he adds, we
have not man to put upon one of them
and no authority of law to accept the serv-
~ civ Vrr1n ,f fha tho, do hn
in case Of war, would volunteer to serve.
Mr.. Herbert says: "All this ought not to
be. 1t is the height of unreason to pay
heavy subventions to swift ships and call
them our auxiliary navy unless we have
the means of arming them; it is folly to
maintain these ships and procure arms
for them IL we are never to man them, and
certainly 1t is unwise and shortsighted to
defer making any provision by law for
procuring the men who are to utilize these
vessels until after the emergency of an
always possible war shall have arisen.
There is no other nation that has so
much of the material of war that is so
little prepared to utilize it; that has SO
much of personnel available and that is SO
utterly without authority of law to en-
ploy it. The department needs present
authority to enlist the thousand men
asked for, and this number will be sutti-
cient, If the policy herein outlined be ap-
cessities Of the government while we are
so fortunate as to be on peace footing;
it will certainly suffice for years to come. !"
The secretary follows these arguments
with q statement as to the necessity OF
keeping always a portion of our fleet in
reserve. He shows by tables that Of the
total number OF vessels belonging to Great
Britain, France, Germany and Italy 55.5
per cent. are in reserve and 43.5 in commits
sion, and says that as rule our battle
ships, coast defense vessels and torpedo
boats, after they have been broken in. y
should be kept largely in reserve. Policing
the seas could be done better and more
economically by cruisers of lighter draft
carrying smaller crews and by gunpoats.
The wonderful efficiency of the rapid-fire
gun was strikingly illustrated in the battle
off Yalu in 1894 between the Chinese and
Japanese fleets. and gradual conversion
OF the older siX-inch caliber guns to the
rapid-fire principle will be undertaken. The
secretary asks $5O0. 900 to carry out this and
other suggestions relating to ordnance
matters and emphasizes the necessity fol
furnishing armament for the auxiliary
cruisers Of the American line, the st. Pau
and st. Louis. The department. he says, Is
exercising every power vested in 1t by la "
to secure guns and ordnance material. but
It is much hampered by want of specific
authority and necessary appropriat ations
congress having failed to give $500. 600 asked
for the purpose last year.
In this connection he incorporates in his
report some extracts from his report last
year, one paragraph of which is so inter.
esting that 1t is herewith given: Under
treaty provisions neither the United States
nor the English can keep more than okls
small naval vessel upon our northern lakes
So far the two countries are matched. iE
case. however, a war should unfortunately
break out between them. Great Britain
could promptly furnish guns and gun
mounts to her merchant marine on the
lakes. and. though their marine is far in.
terior to ours In strength. the British
might master those waters and do incal.
culable damage to our lake cities. If We
had reserve of ordnance and ordnance
stores we could dominate those waters
without question"
OFFER OF AID WITHDRAWN.