The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1898-07-27
EUROPE AND WATSON'S
SQUADRON.

SQUADRON.
1t is not difficult to understand
why European nations friendly to
the United States are not enthusiastic
over the proposition to send pow
erful American feet to European
waters. The general theory in Eu-
rope has been that a republic is, be-
cause of its form of government, in
capable of creating a great navy or
a great army. The assumption is
that only nations where governmental
authority IS not subject to popular
approval can undertake the building
up of navies as the word is under
stood in this day. The people of
Europe have been encouraged in the
belief that only monarchies could be
strong when it came to the unifca-
tion and building up of the war
power.
But if Commodore Watson takes
to European waters our battleships
and some of our finest cruisers, Eu-
ropean Imagination will be stirred
by the presence of warships that rep
resent navy that has fought and
won the two great naval battles of
modern times. Every newspaper in
Europe and every naval expert has
commented on the extraordinary
performance of Dewey in the Philip
pines and of Admiral SIMPSONS
feet in front of Santiago Everyone
has commented on the extraordinary
losses of the enemy and the trifing
loss on the United States warships.
Here is an engine of destruction
that destroys without injury to those
who man the guns on board the ships.
This is the very perfection of eff
cheney in war. When the army of
one nation, without danger to its
men, can annihllate the army of an
other nation, the very highest stand
ard has been reached. This is what
the United States navy has accom-.
plished with the flower of the Spanish
navy. Dewey lost no vessels and
only a few men; Sampson lost no
vessels and only one man. On the
other hand, the Spaniards lost every
vessel brought into action and hun
dreds of men.
After so much has been said about
the wonderful exploits of the Ameri-
can navy, no one doubts that the
visit of Commodore Watson's squad
ron to waters of the maritime ma
tions of Europe Will create enthusi-
asm among the people, and most
particularly among those interested
in naval construction. Commodore
Watson would be in command of the
finest squadron afioat that has been
in actual naval war. Among his
NCoSCLo WOuAN OS OdIIlSSuipS LudL
have made the longest voyages at
high rate of speed on record. These
same vessels have also made the best
fighting recordsSef any of the mod
ern battleships.
The presence of such a fleet in
European waters would be like way
ing in the face of the naval powers
the championship fog in ship-build-
ing, in gunnery, and in seaworthi-
ness. Wherever it went the people
would be curious to see the type of
war vessels that accomplished so
much with so little injury to them
selves. Without any feeling of un-
friendliness to this country the great
naval powers of Europe may not
care to have such an exhibition of
American proficiency in European
waters. 1t proves too much. 1t is
a living illustration of the power of
a republic to do as well or better in
ship-bullding than any monarchy.
It IS a practical illustration of the
growing power and influence of the
Tinted States