The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-24
OUR NAVY AND SPANS.
The Fighting Forces of the Two coun-
tries Compared.


In view of the talk of war with Spain
il is pertinent TO bring under notice
some of the facts and considerations in
volved, the interests of Spain and the
United States which are engineered,
and the means each country has oil
shaping the event TO its satisfaction.
The total merchant marine OF the
United States on June 30. 1897, embraced
PISS vessels of 10000 tons, consist
ing Of LIS vessels of 1880 tons In the
foreign trade. 1892 vessels OF SSso'ezt
tons In the coasting trade, - vessels oil
l2.7l4 tons in the whale fisheries ana
l.eOl vessels of 66.6l0 tons in the COD
and mackere fisheries. These vessels
would be exposed to capture, in the case
of war with the result that some would
be captured. some would be laid up ana
the rest would take their chances at en-
HANGED rates of insurance.
On the Atlantic coast there are 1882
documented vessels of all classes, ag-
gregating 2647.7 tons, and on the Pa
ciic coast l5Sl vessels, registered, there
are 9S3 Of 5471l1 tons.
Baltimores means of communication
by salt water in 1897 with foreign ports
consisted Of 90 vessels, besides the for
egn vessels entering this port. Our
ships i'm the foreign trade sailed chiefly
to the West Indies. a few going TO Mex
leo, South America and Europe
In 1896 American vessels brought TO our
ports goods worth S1l1 0l4, or l6 per
cent Of our imports by water, ana car
ried $40. 3g2. Si3 Of our exports. or under
Z per cent. Our foreign commerce is thus.
IT is seen. chiefly in foreign vessels, and
except in special cases, would not all be
subject 10 interference Combining en-
nd al N 1klh of vessels
in the foreign trade we ind our total
trade tonnage was AZ 4OS.7 100 tons, Of
which 10 .9l9 tons were American. Noy-
ages made by Nmercan steamers TO anc
from Europe numbered but 1854. while for
eign steamers totaled ZIG voyages.
our naval list in 1891, according TO the
bureau of navigation, embraced twelve
vessels reckoned as "first-rate," OF ton
mage ranging from $50 in the Olympia
TO II $40 I'm the Iowa. -Four Of these vessels
are of over 10 600 tOns-the iowa, Indiana,
Massachusetts and Oregon. Sixteen are
classed as "second-rato ranging in Size
from the Baltimore Of 4,4l3 tons TO the
Atlanta Of 5000 tons. rhe "third-raters'
including the monitors. number ~, OF
tonnage ranging from 2.79O to 1000 tons.
The "fourth-raters" are seven in number
Of from 929 to $50 tons. There are four
torpedo boats. The list includes number
Of tugs and sailing ships. which can
hardly be classed as combatants.
In the report of the Secretary OF the
Navy for 1896 il was stated that we nave
three first-class battleships and two Sec
ond-class battleships completed and three
hrst-class and two second-class building.
The Maine. just destroyed, was classed
as q second-class battleship. We have now
six battleships.
The same report enumerated coast
defense vessels as built and as building.
OF completed ships there were two armor-
Cd cruisers. three first-cass cruisers. and
thirteen second and third-class cruisers.
Nine gunboats had been completed and
nine were under construction. Three tor
pedo boats were completed and nfteen
were under construction. One torpedo
boat destroyer was mentioned. The num-
Der Of enlisted men were stated 10 be
S1C5.
Spain was credited in the same report
with one first-class battleshp and two
second-class. or three in all. She had
three armored cruisers built and four
building: one frst-class cruiser and seven
second -class. OF gunboats Spain had p.
OF torpedo gunboats g. OF torpedo-boat
destroyers 2 IA progress OF construction.
Spain had in 1896 ~ torpedo boats built
anu lOll uUilhlNN- " iAAchtl NANNANH Rf'F''A
with navy consisting OF l26 steam YES
sells. including ironclads. and p 900 men.
The merchant marine OF Spain in 1891
embraced 760 vessels Of 100 tons and
over. aggregating 5il.S5S tons. There
were as many as l6,l99 entries at the
ports Of the kingdom. Of which number
500 carried the Spanish flag. To be added
to SPANS naval list. in case of war. are
the steamers Of her merchant marine
some 81 which would be efiicient cruisers
for the destruc ion of American com
merce. In number OF warships of high
class the United States is evidently su-
perior. but I'm the classes OF vessels 20
he associated with large ships TO make
them practically efficient our navy seems
10 he somewhat lacking In number OF
enlisted men IL IS evidently inferior.
We should upon the whole. u seems. be
more omen 10 a..ack and have more 10
lose. both in The direct effect OF military
operations and IN the idrect trouble with
our own bcrocrs by reason Of ferangement
OF industry. Spain being poorer ana vul-
nerable only In her dependencies. might
perhans protract the war with character
istic ohs'lnacy. rexardle.s OF the final out
coris. We should doubtless succeed IN the
end. but the expenses II would bring upon
our government could hardly be less than
q billion and half OF dollars. and the
losses Of individuals, owing to paralysis
Of business and panic. might exceed that