The San Francisco call., 1896-11-14
This Country Noted fer Great
Shipbuilders and Seamen
of Valor.
IMPROVEMENT IN THE SERVICE
Officers of the American Navy Moi
Surpassed by Any Body OF Men
in the World.

NEW YORK, n. y, NoV.slo.-1ne an
nual dinner of the Society OF Naval Archi-
tects and Marine Engineers was held to-
night at Delmonico's. President Clement
A. Griscom presided, and covers were laid
for $50 guests. The guest OF the evening
was Secretary OF the Navy II. A. Herbert,
who spoke to the toast of 1.-The Navy of
the United States" He said:
1t is peculiarly appropriate that the naval
architects and marine engineers of the United
States and their guests should unite tonight
in toast to our navy. The American ship
builder is entitled to large share in whatever
glory that navy has achieved in the past, and
i think 1 am in position also to say he is per-
forming his full duty to it now and that he
may be trusted in the future. When we read
OF the glories that have SO often followed our
countrys flag on the high seas we are much
too apt to remember only the officers and men
whose skill and courage shone respondent in
the supreme hour of battle. The student of
history, searching for cause and effect, gives
credit also TO those who provided The means
with which battles were won, to the men who
built the ships that swung and were at the
captain S will, and brought to bear at the word
OF command the guns that decided the conflict.
The art of shipbuilding and civilization have
travelled hand in hand since history began
each has been essential TO the other in peace
anu III WIT. II was commerce carried III SHIPS
along the borders of the Mediterranean that
was the mother of the civilization OF Greece
and Rome. 1t was the superior ships in the
com bined navies of the Christian allies that
nabied them at the Lepanto, in the fifteenth
century, to annihilate the power of the i'm
perious Saracen, VINO then threatened oil the
Christian peoples of Southern Europe with the
tate of the unfortunate Armenians of to-day.
We are shipbui ders and sailors by inheri-
M n has n 10
understood the value of frst-class naval ships
and first-class guns than we. 1t has been our
traditional policy to have our ships and guns,
If possible. TO be just little better than those
of the same class belonging 10 our possible
enemies. So it was that we had slight ad-
vantage over the British in most of the famous
duels of ships at sea that made our flag so
glorious in the war of 1872, and we have
steadily aimed to pursue that policy from that
day to this.
Even while our Civil War was on the great
naval powers of Europe took up the lessons we
had taught and the days of the old-time man.
of-war soon passed away forever. For nearly
twenty years after our Civil War very little of
Tactical value was added to our navy. We
rested from ship-building, but other nations
made vast strides in the construction of armor
and ships and guns and torpedoes. Then
Secretary Chandler began our new navy by
laying down four vessels, all of which are
vessels to-day. Secretary Whitney followed
Secretary Chandler, and with larger appro-
pristions at hand there grew up under him
an armor plant, plants for the forgings OF
great guns, a plant at Connecticut for the
manufacture of rapid-fire guns, and during
his administration of the navy American
establishments turned out all the shapes and
angles and shaftings and other material that
go into q ship.
Secretary Tracey followed, and under him
another armor plant grew up. A torpedo
manufacturing plant was es tabEshed and i'm
provements were made in the form of armor
which have been adopted all over the world.
The present administration has endeavored to
follow in the same lines, and it is believed
that to-day our gunboats, our cruisers, our
harbor-defense ships, our battle-ships and our
torpedo boats just contracted for, our great
guns and small guns, our rorpedoes, our pow
der and high explosives are equal to any in
the world.
Preparations are complete for the continue
ton Of and hope we shall continue, the pro-
gramme OF increasing our navy. A frst-class
modern man-of-war, such as we are now con-
structing ana have constructed is the sum of
all human inventions. Nowhere in all the
wide range of industries of the world can be
found more splendid exemplifcations of en-
terprise and genius than in these exploits of
American mechanics.
Inc NSbtldLlS VI ludl great war are rdDlQly
passing into history, but there need be no fear
of those in whose hands they will leave the
honor of our flag. In culture, in capacity, in
character. the officers of the navy to-day are
not surpassed by any body of men in the
world. Their morals and discipline are
admirable
Our enlisted men body are being rapidly
more thoroughly Americanized; they are we'll
disciplined and can be implicitly relied on.
Let me assure you that whenever and wher-
ever our navy is called upon ii will be found
on the alert ready for its work whichever and
wherever that work may be.
Other speakers were: Hugh Kelly,
president OF the Maritime Exchange who
responded TO the toast, 1.-The Maritime
Exchange; Congressman elect Belfori c
1<oring, Captain ]. W. Miller, commander
OF the naval reserves of New ork; Chief
Constructor P ilip Hichborn and General
Thomas w. HYDE.