New-York tribune., 1896-03-29
TWO NAVAL INCIDENTS.

The launching Of the Iowa yesterday was an
Interesting and important incident. Doubtless
II attracted less public notice than 1t would have
done 4 few wears ago That Is because 1t lacked
the element OF novelty Since a Republican Gov
ernmcnt began building the new Navy Ameri-
cans have become accustomed TO seeing hne
varships added 10 their fleets and now regard
each new one as matter Of course. They have
now some Of the best ships In the world. In
various classes. and they witness the steady
Increase in the number Of them Win sail>iac-
ton which Is none the less deep because 1t Is
Uuiet In this latest product OF American SNIP
building skill ,hcy have. or will presently have
n fighting ship able TO cope with any In IN"
world Expert British testimony has declared
the Indiana to be Of the most Formidable
ships anoat: perhaps. all things considered. the
most formidable. The Iowa II Is understood.
will be more powerful still as she should be
Each new vessel should In some rcspcct be an
Improvement on all that have been built be-
fore The kcarsargc should be superior 10 the
Iowa. and the four new ships provided for by
this years appropriations should in some way
or onothor be better even than The Kcarsargc
A few hours before the Iowa was launched
the Indiana war pu. into drydock: an Incl
dent Of perhaps less importance. but Of equal
suggestivcncss. Generally speaking, the docking
Of a ship is n commonplace affair Yet In this
case II commanded National attention far more
indeed, than the launching OF the Iowa This
was because there had been grave doubts as 10
whether she could be safely put into any exist
Ing dock Those doubts now dspellcd. The
great ship has been put into the Port Royal dock,
and will in time be taken out again without a
scratch. At the same time the unpleasant fact
remains that she was kept waiting Mt The en-
trance to the dock for many days before her
officers would venture to take her n And now
It Is considered cause for great congrainaton
that the task has been accomplished without
mishap. 1t is not pleasant to think that n great
risk is run every time n S5OOO,0OO ship is put
in dock nor to think that. IN the emergencies
Of war. there might be such delay in docking
delay which might mean disaster to the Nation.
Nothing else will ever he satisfactory than that
we shall have docks capable Of receiving our
largest ships with absolute safety and without
an hours delay.
Attention is also called to the fact that such
docks as we have are widely separated from tho
workshops. When a ship is docked at Port
ROYAL men and tools and material for repairs
have TO be taken thlthcr from Norfolk, hun
IrtflS OF UlltS AWAY! ~ Hu' uVVh - b'ihS phiit
on Puget Sound the only one on the whole Pacific
Coast; but 1t will have no workmen or tools
These must all be specially brought, each time
they are needed. from Mare Island, 700 miles
away Such arrangements cannot be too severe
ly condemned. At every dock there should be
constantly maintained an ample force Of work
men and an ample equipment Of tools, ma
chlnery and materials. so that n ship arriving
UNEXPECTEDLY Mt any time may he taken In hand
and put in order without an hours delay. That
is the most urgent need Of our whole naval
establishment to-day 1t would have been snp-
piled long ago II the department had copied
British dockyard plans as assi1uously as 1t has
British designs for ships. 1t is all very well
to have some warships built by private contract.
But enough ought to be built in the Govern
ment's own navy yards 10 keep those yards In
perfect trim for doing at any time any work
that may be required on any vessel In the Navy.