Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-12

Congress will be derelict If the work at the
Washington naval gun foundry shall be al
lowed to lapse because of the theory that
the government has manufactured enough
guns to equip the war vessels now built or
authorized. 1t would be profitable for the
government to go on making guns long
after all actual present needs of the navy
have been supplied, If only to keep In its
service the men whose brains and skill
have made possible the great success that
has come to this establishment. The exist
ing plant comprises more than the mere
machinery that has been assembled here
as such great cost. Many of the men who
run these machines. to be sure belong to
the navy. and are therefore always at the
disposal OF the government, provided they
do not find more profitable employment
elsewhere. But the great majority of the
men who have wrought 50 well at the
Washington yard, and have done so much
to establish the fame of the United States
as a successful manufacturer of great
guns, are beyond the control of the Navy
Department. and, as surely as the foundry
should be shut down or its output reduced,
they would go elsewhere and probably be
paid more thar at present, and so establish
themselves that they would hardly be
available in case of an emergency. But
there is another and more important ques-
ton to be considered. The government has.
by act of Congress, declared that certain
merchant ships now In commission as pas
senger vessels shall at all times be avail
able as an accessory navy. Two of these.
as Secretary Herbert points out In his an
nua] report, are now receiving large sums
of money from the United States on condi-
hot hold
for such service. They gave up large sub
sides from the British government in order
that they might hoist the American flag.
For months these ships, the Paris and the
New York. have been receiving these large
amounts. and yet no step has been taken
to equip them or to provide the equipment
that will be necessary before they can be
used for naval cervIce. This neglect is the
SheereSt folly. Not only should the navy
proper be built up and completely provided
with guns and other armament, but there
should also be prepared a sufficient supply
of materials to enable the government to
put these merchant ships in commission
within few hours after they have reported
for such service. IL is now known by the
officers OF this government that when there
was apparently possibility of war be-
tween this country and Chile, some years
ago, over the Baltimore riot, Chile had not
only its regular navy in readiness for serv-
ice, but also every pound of equipment for
use on board it's auxiliary feet, which is
composed of just such merchant vessels as
the Paris and the New York. though. of
course. not so large or powerful. Every
gun, every bolt, every bit of metal or of
wood. and every ounce of ammunition was
ready to be placed on board at the shortest
notice. 1t is estimated that the vessels
could have been fully equipped for sea
within twenty-four hours after tying up at
the governments wharf. There is valu-
able lesson to be learned from this record.
In modern warfare, especially on the sea.
rapid preparation is more valuable than
heavier guns.