Evening star., 1898-03-31
The Monitors Contrasted With the
Battle Ships.
4 STUDY OF TEE Two TYPES
Full Text Of Captain M. S. Sher.
woods Interesting Address.
IMPORTANT CONCLUSIONS

The interesting article in The Evening
Star recently on the subject of monitors
vas the subject of considerable discussion
in the circles close to the military and
raval departments of the government, and
the testimony quoted in relation to the re-
markable sea-going qualities of the floating
forts was in the nature of surprise II
many who were not aware of this character
istic Of the monitors. An old naval officer
meeting Star reporter this morning, spoke
only a small portion of Lieutenant Gem
mander Moses Sherwood Stuyvesants al
dress to the Loyal Legion in ST. Louis had
was very interesting and instructive, the
contribution in its entirety would be found
even more impressive and instructive. Il
have st. Louis newspaper containing;
Captain Stuyvesant's really remarkable
address," said the officer, "and if you would
like to have it for The Star 1 will gladly
give 1t to YOU" Later in the day the officer
sent the reporter copy of the st. Louis
Globe Democrat, containing the address in
question.
Capt. StuyVesant'A Address.
Its Importance at this time can be readily
understood by all who peruse it. Its fui!
text is as follows:
After a generation of peace and politics
We suddenly awaken to the knowledge that
If we are to have definite foreign policy
We ought to be better prepared to maintain
it. This bucking against one European ma
tion after another, with our gates wide
open. which we have been doing for the
past three or four years, is folly.
The SpanlSh-Cuban question, in the logic
of events, can have but one termination.
Spain must get out of Cuba, and she can
have all the fight she wants. A larger
question than this confronts lis. What
development Of our strength is necessary 10
make us absolutely secure against any pos
sible foreign combination? The world be-
yond the Atlantic is under arms and we are
rapidly approaching the same condition.
"A rational adjustment of the numerous
Nexing International disputes does not seem
at all probable. While we have no interest
in any of them, excepting that with Spain,
VINO can say that we may not be drawn in
eventually? 1t is not worth while to argue
the proposition that. a business invest
ment, absolute security, and nothing else
win do, is worth any reasonable cost: nor
the further one, that delay is dangerous.
Some Conditions Studied.
II do not believe that we need what is
known as sea power for use outside of
our own waters. To put it in another way,
I'VE will not have to keep pace with Eng
land and the continental powers in this ex-
pensive matter Of building battle ships if
our coasts are impregnable. Because
"(a) We have no foreign colonies to de-
fend.
''(b) We are not in the business of appro-
priating the lands of defenseless people and
have no zones of influence to squabble
over.
'(c) We have no coaling stations scat
tered all over the world to fortify and
maintain connection with.
"(d) Our chances of having to go to war
would be materially lessened. No nation
would be anxious to quarrel with US, if
they could not hurt us. But suppose that
an international question should come up
touching our honor or our rights on a ma
terial point and that it could not be settled
peaceably.
"(e) If we were impregnable and sure We