The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-06-02
americans In shipbuilding.

ss6aey nations as OUTSIDE or Cne clrClo Ol
sayaI powers. Judged from the stand :
4ae594 Of numerical strength the United
sgates navy has indeed held most
an@nriable position in She estimate of its
fsant eppOraries on the sea. Before tho
TeaT 1883 this country had not single
Easgage of modern navy. She was
Chr laughing stock of all other civilized
ss0wers Her antiquated wooden frig-
ases, worthy boats in their day, were
8ae eause of much embarrassment on
she part of the heroic captains who
vaBtnred to take their out dated craft
ga90 foreign ports for foreigners to be-
80Yd and sneer at. Notwithstanding
Ahss the present war has already proved
43a1 Gar navy, although vastly inferior
8n JET responsibilities, is entitled to the
7yspsgt of the world. Commodore
Dgwey'e brilliant victory was undoubt-
aGiy largely due to the able generalship
sK admiral Dewey and the courage and
craftsmanship of his seamen and gun
1gB7g. but it was also attributable to
ne ability of our ships to give and take
heary blows without suffering great
MS
E;ur navy comprises the most power
.tB vessels on the seas. There is not
81 Sighting prowers among the vast
aaytas of the world battleship equal
m s5lher the Indiana, the Massachu-
aes1s OF the sOregon. For continuous
sea speed our Columbia holds the
EryI5gs record. The Olympia, the New
E0gb and Brooklyn are justly the most
TGpz}ar ships in our navy. They are
BY all means the finest of their class
aHoas.
BE@3 the whole of our navy should
&4yey Been built up in fifteen years is
uBmarkable, but it is quite incredible
2aRssss E2nder the circumstances it should
Be Of so high character. 1t is all due
20 shs fact that America leads the
gBDr}5a Her engineers, machinists and
-5gIE7eEs are superior. The history Of
aAip Building proves that the Ameri-
sxaDs have always been the leaders.
While tina great Nelson was sweeping
=flsF ezfa3 with his wooden sailing vessels,
aB3isputably establishing the naval
Rsggsmaey of Brittania and thereby
zageak ing the Unsuitable Napolean, the
1ga5s of a little American by the name
IF Fulton was evolving an idea which
WIS 90. rev0lutionize naval warfare.
B1Ih the introduction of steam as
sb8 motive power the first great epoch
"a m@dern naval advancement was
-aaSssG. The next epoch was marked
&8 The appearance of the iron clad and
17ag D8zt by the revolving gun turrets
70 Americans belongs the credit of all
11ese TeyolutiOnizing conceptions. But
By twenty years after the two latter
mad he8n given to the world the United
Esaaes was asleep so far as the building
gfR navy was concerned. The ideas
presented by the Merrimac and Monitor
-gHR taken up by the other civilized
xa1 To8s and developed most assiduous-
~ But this country did nothing
2SwgsFl2 8niarging upon these plans
En13 8 most urgent need demanded
zss en37an in 1883. From that time on
,sgzg navy has been growing. The in
l3eTgnt genius of Americans soon out
e1zssaDee& the other powers in spite of
a&8Ig long handicap. The result is
Gz.2ss We are again in the van. Instead
3s gzg looking to Europe as might be
aHEegs86, it looks to us. The changes
Rh6eig we have inaugurated even in
zzg008En warfare have already rendered
as good as useless many of the proud
zBgss1laships built before out debut as
a8fg builders.
81 was remarked above that the Indi-
zsss@S Z6s0 NJ Gq ud1 III any, VI ChO WI ia D
3sesa BaYies. This is due to number
az great Improvements brought about
Sy american enterprise and invention.
sence of these improvements, notably
8Ae pse Of Harvey steel, mark an adj
7wEaas 10 naval construction comparable
sEEy 80 the appearance of the Monitor
sams 90 years ago. And this is only
saBe beginning. After years of prepar-
sz50G this country is about to embark
gRaS her career as naval power,
E@1absy the naval power of the age.
There ia nothing in naval construction
eDwa6eh we are not equal. With our
Measurable resources and the
acknowledged ability of our builders
zEsG9 engineers it is reasonable to predict
s1aa she era is rapidly approaching