The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-19
Build Up tho Fleet.

There is an impression In naval circles
that Secretary LONG will ask. at the com-
ing session, for three new battlcships and
ten or twelve more torpedo boats.
Such Q recommendation would not be
extravagant, and there are several reasons
why it should be made. The era Of pros
perity on which the country has entered
1~ustiles liberal appropriations for this arm
Of the public defence. If, during the four
disastrous years that ended last spring,
Congress did not hesitate to vote large
sums for building up the feet, still more
clear Is the duty now. Again, the first session
Of q new Congress is habitually the one in
which its principal additions are made
to the navy, larger additions in the short
sessions being exceptional. 4 third reason
is to be found in the postporement, at last
winters session, of all battleship author.
~iZation, three torpedo boats being the only
new construction provided for. 1t would,
therefore, be restoring the average, and
keeping along with some evenness the an.
nual contributions Of this sort, if three
ships of the line and 4 dozen torpedo craft
should be added at the coming session.
While no definite programme, like that
"hiSh AOiCikh pO"CiS 10y uo" IL, AdS Oeeu
adopted for our naval construction, it is
considered by good authorities that we
ought to possess about twenty battleships
and fifty or sixty torpedo boats, and that
until these are secured further additions to
the cruiser and Runboat classes can be post
poned. We have now, built or building,
nine battleships of the first and two of the
second class; we have also, built or build.
ing, tw~enty-three torpedo boats. counting
in the Stiletto and the submarine boat.
1t will be seen, therefore. that the proposed
contributions of the coming winter would
form only a fair installment on the whole
number OF vessels needed, and that much
would be left for succeeding years.
If we turn back to the work of Congress
hitherto, we find other reasons for liberal
appropriations now. The act Of June 80,
1890, passed by the first Congress Assem-.
bled under President HARE!soN's Admins.
~tration, with Gen. TRACY as Secretary of
the Navy. authorized not only three first.
class battleships, but a fourth first.class
vessel. the Columbia, and also the torpedo
boat Ericsson. II Secretary LONG should
ask in his coming report for all the battle
ships and torpedo boats which II is thought
he will recommend, the cost would proba-
bly, not conn within a million dollars
of what Congress freely accorded in
1890 to Secretary TRACY. Again, the act
of March Q, 1898, not only authorized the
b~att!eships kearsarGe and Kentucky, but
six gunboats and three torpedo boats. Tho
act of June 10, 1896. authorized the three
b~attieships Illinois, Alabama, and Wiscon.
sin and ten torpedo boats. Thus it will be
seen that there is plenty Of precedent for
such n recommendation az Is attributed 10
Secretary IoSG, and, in fact, 1t would be
quite in the ordinary course. When we
consider, too, that the price of bulls, ma.
chinery, and armor is far less than when we
began to build battleships. there is still an.
other reason why at least three such ships
should be voted.
One drawback TO new construction may
suggest itself in the trouble over the armor,
plate question. We are not disposed "a
deny that this is serious. and that, unless a
proper solution is reached, the progress OF
naval construction will be blocked. But II
may be hoped that in the report of the
board o examining the matter such a
solution will be reached. AT all events
Congress can make Its new authorization
subject TO the armor conditions.
When we see the great naval advances
made not only by European powers like
England, France, Russia, and Italy, but by
Japan, an .Aslatic power, we may well take
care that our own moderate programme is
steadily carried out. Our needs certainly
increase. The prospective annexation OF
Hawaii, the development of our interest:
In Alaska. our connection with the Mica