The Republican journal., 1898-05-26

doctrine, as now understood and viewed
in the light of the Venezuela incident,
with the utterances then made by our
statesmen of all parties, we have on hand
one of the biggest contracts any modern
state has undertaken.
AMERICAN VIEWS OF COLONIAL EXPAN-
SION.
Why should not Germany, whose polit-
ical unity was effected near two centuries
after that of Great Britain, do wisely in
initiating a policy whereby the older State
has become an empire, that still travels
onward to a further and greater unity,
which, if realized, shall embrace in one
fold remote quarters of the world? Where
is the folly of the one conception or of the
other? The folly, if it prove such has as
yet no demonstrate existence, save in the
imaginations of portion of the people of
the United States, who, clinging to GER
tain maxims of century ago-when they
were quite applica ble-or violently oppos
ed to any active interest in matters out
side our family of States. find that those
who differ from themselves are, if Ameri-
cans, jingoes, and if foreigners, like the
present Emperor William and Mr.. Cham
berlain. fools. The virtues and the powers
of the British and German peoples may
prove unequal to their ambitions-time
alone can show; but it is noble aim in
their rulers to seek to extend their in
t1uence, to establish their positions, and
to knit them together, in such wise that
as races they may play mighty part in
the worlds history. The ambition is
noble, even if it fail; if it succeed, our
posterity may take different view of its
folly, and of our own wisdom in this gen
Grafton.
WHEN DO WAR SHIPS BECOME OBSOLETE?
The revulsion from the Monitor, the tur-
reted ship pure and simple, to the broad
side battery analogous to that carried by
the old ships of Farragut and Nelson, is
one of the most singular and interesting
changes in mems thoughts that the writer
has met, either in his experience or in his
professional reading. The day can be re-
called when the broadside battle ship was
considered as dead as Cock Robin-her
knell was rung, and herself buried with
out donors: yet, not only has she revived,
but | imagine that | should have a very
respectable following among naval officers
now in believing, as | do, that the broad
side guns, and not those in the turrets,
are the primary battery of the ship-pri-
mary, | mean, in fighting value. What
ever the worth of this opinion-which is
mmaterial to the present contention-a
change SO radical as from broadSide bat
terry to turreted ships, and from the latter
back to broadsde, though without en-
tirely giving up turrets, should cause some
reasonable hesitancy in imputing obsolete
ness to any armored steamship. The pres
ent battleship reproduces, in essential
principles the ships that preceded the
epoch making Monitor-the pivot guns of
~
the present turrets, and their broadsides
by the present broadsde. The prevalence
of the Monitor type was an interlude pow
erfully affecting the development of ma
vies, but making nothing obsolete. 1t did
not effect revolution, but modification
much as homeopathy did in the ''regu-
lar practice"
There is, of course, line on one side of
which the term obsolete applies, but it
may be said that no ship is obsolete for
which lighting work can be found, with
tolerable chance-a fighting chance-of
ner being successful; because, though I'M
equal to this or that position of exposure,
she, by occupying an inferior one, releases
a better ship. From the time she left the
hands of the designers, unit of maxi
imum value, throughout the period of her
gradual declension, many years will elapse
during which ship once tirst-rate will be
an object of consideration to friend and
foe. She will wear out like garment
but she does not necessarily become obso-
lete till worn out. 1t may be added that
the indications now are that radical
changes of design are not to be expected
shortly, and that we nave reached a type
likely to endure.
WHAT OBsoLEsCENT BATTLE-sHIPs ARE
GOOD FOR.
Now. as always, the best ships in the
greatest number as on shore the best
troops i'll the greatest masses, will be car
lied as speedily as possible. and maintain
ed as efficiently as possible, on the front
OF operations. But in various directions
and at various points behind that front
there are other interests to be Subserved by
vessels OF inferior class, as garrisons may
he made up wholly or in part of troops no
longer well fitted for the field But should
disaster occur, or the foe prove uneXpect-
edly strong, the first line of reserved ships
will move forward to I'LL the gaps, analog-
Gus il this to the various corps of reserv-
ed troops who have passed their first
youth, with which the Continental organ
lzatlous of military service have made us
familiar. This possibility has been re-
cognized so well by modern naval men that
some even have looked for decisive results
not at the hands of the first and most
powerful ships, but from the readiness
and number of those which have passed
into the reserve, and will come into play
after the first shock of war. That a re-
serve force should decide doubtful
battle or campaign is a frequent military
experience-an instance of superior stay
ing power.
Wentworth Cottage