The San Francisco call., 1895-12-02

new navy will find satisfaction in the an
nual report of Secretary Herbert to the
President, from which the injunction of
secrecy is to-day removed. The Secretary
recommends the construction of two
battle-ships and at least twelve torpedo
boats and prefaces his recommendation
with the statement that San inspection of
the tables herein given, showing the rela-
tive strength of navies, will furnish, it is
believed, all the argument now needed for
the continuation OF the building pro-
gramme heretofore indicated by the ac-
ton of Congress. We are not in want of
ordinary armored cruisers or gunboats,
but We are lamentably deficient in torpedo
boats, and we certainly need more battle
ships. An inspection of the building pro-
grammes of other nations will demon
strate that the lessons taught at Yalu and
Wei-hai-wei have tended to confirm the
belief of naval experts throughout the
world in the efficiency of these two classes
of vessels
That gunboats and torpedo-boats may
be 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 a very large
reduction from former prices.
The price per ton for the gunboats
Machias and Castine, contracted for in
April, 1890, was 1902 Sc, the average price
of the three boats contracted for in jan
uarf, 1894, and of the six others Just let
out to contract is 1922 81 per ton. a saving
OF $50 so per ton, or 26 per cent of the price
of the ships. The price OF the Ericsson,
contracted for in October, 1891, was 1854 SO
per ton. The average price of the six tor
pedo-boats contracted for in 1895 is $766 5S
per ton, a reduction of $179 25 per ton, or
about 20 per cent in the price of the boats.
These prices compare very favorably with
the prices of similar work done abroad.
Tow ard this proposed increase of the
navy Mr.. Herbert estimates that So, 638, 3s3
is necessary, and inclusive of that amount
his estimates for the complete expenses of
the naval establishment for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1897, aggregate 500, 81 ,166.
Out of the appropriation for the cure mt
fiscal year amounting to s14, 4,212, sol there
remains $942, ,286.
With the exception of the appeal for
more ships, the most important topic
treated by Secretary Herbert is that of q
reserve system. He prefaces his suggestion
that such system be established, with
some comment on the necessity for having
more enlisted men, and recommends
that the enlistment of 1000 more men be
authorized. Giving figures to show how
small our enlisted force is and how large
those of European countries are, he makes
a comparative statement of our 13, 800 blue
jackets and marines with Germany's 21,-
4S7. Germany's available 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 i'm
perial navy, land, " says the Secretary, ''in
case of naval war, readiness, other condi-
tions being equal, means victory"
SIN the emergency of war coming
quickly what should we do for men?'' he
asks. Cali allowed by law are enlisted
and all enlisted are already on ships. We
have a magnificent squadron, if armed
and manned, but we have not a man to
put on one OF them and no authority to
accept the services of single one of the
thousands who, in case of war, would vol
unteer to serve.
Cali this ought not to be. 1t is the
height of unreason to pay heavy subven-
tions 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 if
we are never to man them, and certainly
it is unwise and short-sighted to defer
making any provision by law for procur
ing the men who are to utilize these ves-
sells 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 prese Mt