The San Francisco call., 1898-03-07


 whose sense and whose virtues were
 matchless; Karl Decker who knows
 that the commander of the Maine is tc
 overrule the proceedings of the board of inquiry that is virtually sitting ir judgment on him; Julian Hawthorne
 who "sees nothing even when he is paid to observe" but is an aspiring dunce, and the hero of Port Arthur humbuggery already referred to. Some attempt was made at responsibility by putting in an artist who is we'll known but that act gives the sketcher clean right to sue for damages.
 | But to revert to the Lewis person for a moment. He has drifted from his vocation. He wrote a few passable short stories-Arizonan life imagined being his only f1eld-and he was on the road to the particular kind of success which such work makes possible when he was inflicted by a yellow journal From Key West he has recently seen fit to insult the navy, which is not per- missible. The slanderer says: Speak ing of naval uniforms, I do not like the mush-and- milk twaddle of some of the young sprigs who wear it. The older officers are bloody minded enough, and in quiet decorous way are ardent enough to slay the Spaniard in his lair and avenge the Maine. But I have cut the trails of certain of our newly matched officers, who seem to be inocu- lated with lambs blood, and are de- cidedly voluble in bleating for peace" ," When, liar that you are, did you ever find respected officer of the navy who lusted for the blood of a fellow mortal? When did you hear single cadet speak as a craven or as a cow ard? The truth is that officers of the navy have been instructed not to talk of affairs in Cuba. Seeing that they obey their orders to your discomfort you asperse their characters. Go back to your dreamings of barroom events where bravado means courage, where cleanliness is despised where the chief aim in life is to get drunk and where no high purpose finds creation
 l am heartily glad that MT. Long is- sued the orders of reticence, for you and your fellows are ever ready to fas- tel. in the mouths of honorable men ut terances that they disdain to think of Here is your own evidence of fraud for your own convict.,n. You say in this same dispatch 'The fleet here at o'clock this afternoon received orders to hold themselves ready to start at the tap of the drum for Ha- vana. The orders came from Secretary Long to Admiral Sicard and are said, etc" No such orders are ever issued. nor could they be. A lack of confidence would be immediately shown, and that IS infectious. This follower of Ana nias may learn that confidence is one thing that is bred-is purposely bred in men who may have to fight. It is one of the chief aims of discipline, and is never lost sight of A war ship in com mission is always ready to start at command, and to-day Admiral Sicard is probably as unconcerned as to where his ships may be ordered as to what he will have for dinner. What he is told to do he will do-he needs no Get ready" and no one knows this better than MT. Long. Those of infantile minds are not chosen for Cabinet posi- tions.
 The navy could easily stamp out the evil in this youngster if it were worth the trouble, by declining to speak to any representative of any paper that employed the Lewis. This is too much trouble to take, but it would effect a ver- prompt reformation in this slanderer.
 I know the general character of the officers of our navy far better than any Lewis can do. These men-many of them-have been my companions, my associates, my friends for years and years in varying circumstances, and (to continue in MT. Conklings vein) a more courageous, upright, hon. orable, generous, square true class of men never walked the face of Gods earth nor sailed his seas. Through with you, Alfred Henry Lewis, but if the members of Congress who have gone to Cuba as hirelings of the paper for which you at present tell un- truths, dare slur or impugn the hon. esty of the intelligent Naval Board of Inquiry now in consultation, prompt and cheerful attention shall be paid them. To further wound the national heart ruthlessIy by those negligent of duty will not be permitted.
 The editor of a well-known marine paper-one who is intelligent1y inter- ested in ea-coaling-draws attention to the fact that Germany has added another steamship of high order, cap able of being fitted as a commerce de- stroyer as we'll as having a carrying capacity of 10000 tons, to it's already large fleet. What" my correspondent asks, would Captain Mahan think of base like three ships of the Pretoria type? Sixty thousands tons ofsupplies (coal being the principal item) in three armed but unarmored vessels would be very valuable base indeed, and as pointed out by my correspondent it could be kept on the move at all times. True, the base might be captured, but so may any other base. Unless I am much mistaken, Captain Mahan will soon discard his printed ideas about the strategical value to the Pacific Coast of the Sandwich group. To do himself credit, he should do 1t openly To publicly admit error is not to fall in the estimation of those whose opin- ions are at all valuable"