New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-03
SECRETARY HERBER7rS EUROPElN IRif.
From The Army and Navy Register.

From The Army and Navy Register.
Secretary Herbert being criticised for gong 70
SENS to be ground for criticism NO instance - re-
called In recent years when a oapincr 80 crcnIn-
somu that the head Of an executive department
to Europe on mission the secre-
tarv get no little amusement out OF me iuea y, @
going abroad. One officer of rank siu $50 y ~
that the Secreary had crossed the Atlantic for tne
umrpose Of ordering" European authorizes 10 FUR
Rish him vita information which Ame ro
naval attaches with their knowledge OF tne rops
gained In the pursuit or theH rha nsltemsihe
ohect Of the Secretary's trip Is to learn what Euro
pean countries pay for naval arm0r ne,n ,is
uye that would be derived from going abroad WINE
holding the office OF Secretary OF the Na'st T iren
In tho last Congress the question was agltated as
to whether American manufacturers sna'seJ Ell, i ,u
formed persons believe that domestic makers OF
plates supply armor at reasonable prices 5, Of
the Industry in this country. the rates charsea 10y
the companies are fairly iow III iace ,ra
Herbert appears TO believe that the manulaosule -
have combined against the Navy. lie PROPOSES 10
inquire and investigate IN EuIope a'io # ~ Se were
ton OF the Secretary of the Navy as IL ~ tr wGge
ordering Naval board to convene require ionti i
manufacturers to teSy as 10 t,e az Goynrnment
oficias abroad nbosom themselves on me SUP
cc If the suspicion were not IN the m do Turonn
that Mr. Herbert IS really ANXIOUS 10 az t,u,o
parts Of it, while he holds the hsh PGsoh b Ds
stated na object of his visit would cause smile to
chase away the severe lines on the SlumHlest iIcc
he IA is certain Information fclttHs ~ ioi.is
nrices of armor can be obtained without any diff
Guilty right here at home. 1t can be got Tor me ask
ing ard is nearly public as Is similar neIIlgence
I'm This country. The records OF the Navy Depart
ment contain much data of the kind. and MI Her
bert had this before him before he lett Washing on
Tables were compiled in the othce or Naval lh'ciIi
gence the time that the board OF ckper's wa IN
Guring into the general question of armor Tor ships
So far as this kind of data Is concerned, MT Her
bert could get all he desired by pushing his desk
This Is not all that can be said on TINS point
Some time ago the Secretary directed me country
and. am o
obtain for hir all Information OF every nature
that they could which would throw light on the
matter of armor prices In Europe number OF
reports under this head were accordingly sent from
London Paris and Berlin They were quite com
prehensive Some contained intelligence of a conf
Dental nature, which had been got In way known
only to adopts among the class OF officials whose
business II is to keep their Governments we'll adj
vised on important topics. These reports were not
only full but they in measure favorable to
the point worth notice just here Is that II Mr. Her
bert has gone TO Europe to learn what countries
over there pay Tor armor. mere was no necessity
for his trip. lie had the Intelligence he sought.
and this was accurate and much more In detail
than he can possibly get through personal inquiry
and research Foreign Government officials VIII
not care 10 be frank on the subject. and the manu-
factnrsrs suspec'ing that an American contract IL
in sight will not. Of course. give the secretary
the actua, cost Of making armor Naval officers
who have cruised beyond the confines of their own
country derive amusement from the fact that Mr..
Herbert assumes to be able to get secret knowledge
about foreign armor which naval attachns could
not obtain Those who have spoken their minds
say that the Secretarys trip VIII result in no
practical advantage 10 the Government because ne
is "A high American official and unable. therefore
without pomp and ceremony, to approach foreign
officials and manufacturers. Some OF these officers
say that the Secrearys trip Is so plainly a junket
that II would have been more seemly In his apollo
gies announce that he was going abroad Tor
pleasure than TO state that ne was bent on i'm
portant official busincss. Said one plain-spoken