The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-14
UNITED STATES NAVY.
SECRETARY HERBERT RESPONDS
TO THE TOAST AT A DINNER.
A First-cIass Modern Warship Is the
sum of All Human InventfOns-A
Tribute to Officers and Men.


dinner of the National Architects and
Marine Engineers was held tonight at
Delmonico's. President Clement A
Griscom presided, and covers were laid
for $50 guests. The guest of the even
ing was Secretary of the Navy H. A.
Herbert, who spoke to the toast Of
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 this evening in a toast to
our navy. The American shipbuilder
IS entitled TO a large share in whatever
glory the navy has achieved in the
past and l think l am in a position to
say he has performed his full duty TO
it now, and that he may be trusted in
the future. When we read of the glorieS
tIlai5 have so often followed our coun-
try's flag on the high seas, We are too
apt 70 remember only the officers and
men whose skill and courage shone
Respondent in the Supreme hour of bat
tie. The student of history, searching
fo- cause and effect, gives credit, also,
to those who provided the means wi-h
which battles were won. The art OF
shipbuilding and civilization have trav
eled hand in hand since history began;
each mas been essential to the other in
peace and in war.
WE ARE SHIPBUILDERS.
1--WE are shipbuilders and sailors by
inheritance. and TO nation has ever
mere thoroughly understood the value
of first-class naval SHIPS and firsi.-class
guns than we. It has been our Sradi-
tional policy to have our ships and
guns, if possible TO be just a little
better than those of the same class be-
longing 10 our enemies. Through this
it was that we had a Slight advantage
over the British in most Of the famous
dGels OF the 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 the civil war was on, the great
naval powers of Europe took up the
lessons we had taught, and the days Of
the old--ime men-of-war soon passed
away forever. For nearly 20 years after
our civil war, we rested from shipbuild-
ing, but other nations made vast strides
in the construction of armor and ships
and guns and torpedoeS. Then Secre-
tary Chandler began our new navy by
laying down four vessels, all of which
are vessels today. Secretary Whitney
lO4iON SO fo6SISIdly SILdAQlSIs dIu1 Will
larger appropriations at hand there
grew UP under him an armor plant,
plants for the forging of great guns, a
plant at Connecticut for the manufac-
turS of rapid-fire guns and during his
administration of the navy, American
establishments turned out all the ma
terial that goes into a, ship
Secretary Tracy followed, and under
him another armor plant grew up; a
torpedo manufacturing plant was es-
tablished, and improvements were
made in the manufacture of armor,
which has been adopted all over the
world. The present administration
has endeavored to follow in the same
lines, and it is believed that today
our gunboats, our cruisers, our harbor
defense ships, cur battleships and our
torpedo boats just contracted for our
great guns and small guns, our tor
pedoes, our powder and high explo-
sives are equal to any in the world.
SUM OF HUMAN SKILL.
Preparations are complete for the
continuation of, and l hone we shall
continue the programme of increasing
our navy. A first-class modern man
of-war such as we are now construct
ing and have constructed is the sum
of all human inventions.
Nowhere in all the wide range of
discoveries of the world can be found
4 more splendid exemplification of en-
terprise and genius than in these ex-
ploits of American mechanics.
The veterans of that great war are
rapidly passing into history, but there
need be no fear of those in whose
hands they win leave the honor of our
flag. In culture, in capacity, in char
acter, the officers of the navy are not
surpassed by any body of men in the
world. Their morals and discipline
are admirable.
Our enlisted men, as a BODY. are
being rapidly more thoroughly Ameri
they are well discipIined and
can be implicitly relied on. Let me as
sure you that whenever and wherever
our navy is called upon, it will he |
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 Mari, !
time Exchange" Congressman-e elect |
Bedford c. Loring; Captain ]. w. Mil |
Ter, commander of the naval reserves |
Of New York; Chief of Construction !
Phil E. Heyborn, and Thomas M |
Weide. w.
TOWN THREATENED.
WHEELING, w. Va, Nov. 1S.-Ax 9
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