The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1896-03-12

entrance to the Golden Gate and San
Francisco, comprises our entire coast
defense on the Pacific. Even the
mouth of the Columbia river and the
Puget sound cities of Seattle and
Tacoma being barren of adequate de-
fenSe.
The auxiliary force of coast defense
are armored ships of war. OF these we
have in commission, one first -class line
-battle-ship, the Indiana, one second
class, the Texas, her sister ship, the
Maine, though often spoken of as a
battle-ship, is really d first-class ar
mored cruiser. In armored cruisers
we have one in commission, the New
York, and one building, the Brooklyn,
of coast defense vessels one, the Mon
terey. The armored ram Kathadin
though ready for service, has not yet
been accepted. OF harbor defense YES
sells we have the fine double-turreted
monitors, Puritan, Miantonomah, Mo-
nadnock, Terror and Amphrite, all of
which could be made ready for service
at short notice. Added to these are
about dozen single turreted monitors
poorly armed and of dubious strength,
and four coast-line and one seagoing
battle ships building and authorized.
This poor naval showing, utterly un-
able to defend the interests and uphold
the honor and dignity of the nation,
and in nOwise commensurate with its
greatness and Importance, reflects the
careless disregard of national defense
exhibited by legislators of recent years.
The active interest which the country
is beginning to manifest in foreign
affairs and the radical views rampant
in connection with the Monroe doc
trine, render the creation of a fOrmida-
BILE navy an indispensable necessity to
stiffen and add force to our diplomacy,
give respect to our opinions, enforce
our demands and look after the well
fare of travelling Americans in all parts
of the globe. In this, money should be
a secondary consideration, as the trib-
ute that could be exacted from the cap
ture of one or two of our large cities
would pay for every vessel built by the
U. S. since the civil war. Nor can a
navy in these days be inprOvised, as
the time required to construct built
up gun is sufficient to end war in this
age of quick action. OF the naval ele-
ments, commerce acts as the great
peacemaker. America, while consti-
tuting but four per cent. of the pOpu'
lation of the earth, consumes twenty
two per cent. of its products. The
mere stoppage of it's trade would throw
every manufacturing city of Europe
into a panic. The failure to receive
our breadstuffs and raw materials, with
the cessation of their own agencies OF
production, would quickly stamp wal
with this country as a monumental
crime against mankind and compel al
interests to combine to avert it's con
tinuance. The fear of revenge acts a.
danger signal tc all possible enemies
The vast creative genius and adapt
, bility of it's application in America i:
understood and appreciated abroad
, Even if we were worsted in a conflic
| with any power, and forced to submit
) to humiliation and payment of in
7 demnity. the lesson taught would b'
accepted, directing the entire mechani
: cal skill of the country in producing
and perfecting new engines of destruc
7 tion to wipe out the insult. But few
: years would elapse before the creates
1 aggregation of naval and militar
/ strength ever marshalled for wa
: would be in readiness to await the sig
2 nal to move on to the power marke
: out for vengeance.
e The last, but most potent element
E defense, rests on the intense feeling o
0 patriotism and strong nationality pei
g vading the life of the republic, tina
S brooks no insult and suffers no menac
q to wound it's pride with impunit.
l. American temper and individualit
are factors of civilization peculiar
j. their sensitiveness to honor and inst
y tutional birthrights, ready and will
10 ing at all times to battle for the shee