The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-03-12

Surprised Europe by the Speed Of
Our Commerce Dcstroyers.

sur IuTODC by AZ SDsCu Va
Our Commerce D~cstroycrs.
The French Minister Of Marine has
just given an order for the construct
ton Of two large commerce destroy
ers," whose speed shall be at least
twenty-three knots per hour. Among
existing French war ships the highest
speed attainable by any vessel is from
nineteen To twenty knots, and the re-
cent action of the Government has been
brought about largely by the example
set by the United States in naval con-
structiOn.
A distinguished French naval officer,
in Il recent review published in one OF
the Paris papers. gave some interesting
views on the subject. speed in Il war
vessel" he said, lis now of rs great i'm
portance as in the merchant marine.
1t is easy to understand that II country
possessing Il more numerous II heavy
armed fleet may have its ports bonn
barded by a feebler but more rapid
fleet, which can escape ut the
when a struggle with more powerful
vessels becomes imminent.
Speed has come TO be u neceSSity
among Ships of war. especially when 1t
concerns cruiserS-the cavalry of the
sea-destined 70 destroy an enemy's
commerce.. and it is high time that
France should give this matter atten-
ton. We are amply prepared for a
land struggle with Germany, but where
would we be if it anne to cOnteSting for
the supremacy of the sea with Eng
land?
England is fortunate in her geo.
graphical position, which makes it IN
necessary for her to maintain Il large
armed force at home, enabling her to
devote to naval construction such vast
sums as would ruin any of the con
tinental powers. That country has adj
hered to the principle laid down by one
Of her statesmen that she should al.
ways have Il war fleet us large at least
as that of any other two countries COM
bined. BY the superior weight of her
armament on the sea she could crush
any other power when it came to actual
conflict, but what she fears above all
else are the ravageS which may be
committed upon the cea by rapid
,ruiSers sweeping down upon her mer-
chant marine and preventing all traffic,
for the day that England's commerce is
destroyed her material existence will
be compromised ana she will be strick-
en- to the heart. This is why she recent
~ began the construction Of those two
hi2h-Speed cruisers, the Terrible and
the Powerful.
But it is the Americans who have
marched to the head of all other ma
tons. and who to-day hold the worlds
record. to borrow one of their phrases,
with the Columbia. When their naval
department IL few years 9 began the
construction of Il new fleet, it under
stood that it was the highest necessity
to give the war ships Il speed that
would enable them to overtake the fast
est of the transatlantic steamers.
Now the Majestic, the TeutOnic or
TOuraine crosses the ocean at an aver
age rate of 10 to y knots an hour. while
the speed of the Campania and Lucania
is over 21 knots. and the Gigantic,
which is now being built in England.
will have Il displacement of $1,000 tons
and be able TO cover 23 knots in sixty
minutes. The Columbia, however. which
was at kiel, has an ordinary speed of
% knots. and can be pushed to -. The
French and English Admiralty pretend
ed in%credulity At the reports Of speed,
but England nevertheless soon COM
hence TO build the Powerful and tho
Terrible. 1t may not be Il wise thing
for me to say. but | reitcrate that at
present the Americans are far ahead Of
all other nations in their ideas about
ships of war"