The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-03
FOR THE QUICK DEFENSE OF AMERICAN SEAP0RTS.

practically certain TO glance OK in COM
parafively harmless fashion. as was often
the case In the sixties. AT the same time
st must be confessed tina. should one OF
the great modern proJectiles fairly hit
the turret Of monitor |. would uydoubs-
ediy carry the entire structure away and
leave the boat helpless. But such things
make UP the fortunes OF war. and have
no doubt that the old monitors might be
made OF more use than Is generally sup
posed.
II have often been asked as 10 what
type Of vessel the United States ough, TO
build in case really effective navy were
10 be created. and my answer has invari-
ably been that we want vessels of ali
types. ! do not see any sense in the cry
that ha,tieships should no longer be con-
sidered desirable Just because the Maine
was blown up. Ii was as well known In
advance as now that no vessel ever built
whether torpedo boat. monitor cruiser or
eatslesh.p could withstand the impact OF
such an explosion as that which DESTROYED
the Maine. Nor could any other structure.
either on land or sea. Only the other day
an enormous mass of natures own handi-
work. the famous Indian Head of the
Palisades. was destroyed by the explo-
sion of a much smaller quantity of ex-
piosives than that which blew up the
Maine. no matter whether the accident
theory or that OF outside attack be ac-
cepted.
so I should say build more hattleships
because they are necessary for sea fight
ing. But monitors should by no means be
neglected, for they may be made OF great
use as coast defenders Cruisers are also
necessary. and SO are gunboats, torpedo
boats and ali the others. We of the navy
~ ~ ~ sl,p~x yf0 lsll 10
OF the Holland type will prove to be
effective, and the one already built might
prove the salvation OF scme one OF our
ports.
But the navy needs something else be-
sides ships and guns and ammunition just
now, and the need Is decidedly Imperative
too. 1t is trained men. II heaven should
rain down a dozen complete and we'll
equipped battleships tomorrow and place
them at exactly the points where they
would be most available, we could not
make good use of them. for we have nsith-
er the officers 10 command them, the sea-
men to man them. the engineers to oper-
ate their machinery nor the gunners to
work their pieces.
1.-THE same would hold good. OF course.
were the government to purchase ships at
this time, and while 1t Is true that men can
In time be trained to do all these things,
II would be just as unbusinesslike for the
government TO put green men In charge
OF the costly and powerful pieces of ma
ch.rery we term war vessels as 1t would
for the proprietor OF a newspaper to call
men in from the farm from the paving
of streets and from clerical work to run
enc of the modern speedy presses on which
the blanket sheets of today are printed. :
I'VE OF the navy do not think it neces-
sary or expedient to create such a vast
body of fighting ships as Great Britain
must needs maintain. but We do believe that
the United States should have a navy as
strong as Germany's. and that it should
be adequately manned. and we hope that
the present crisis will SO stir up the people
TO cur national need for defense that
there will be nothing lacking should a
similar crisis occur In the FUTURE
DEXTER MARSHALL.