The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-28
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OUR NEW NAVY. -
Admiral Porter Made the First Real
Effort for Emciency.

Effort for Emciency.
Naval authorities. both American
and English, are predicting that thu
close of our war with Spain will SCI
us with a navy as far ahead Of oul
present feet as the White Squadron
was in advance of the little lotilli
which constituted its predecessor.
In the days before the White Squad
ron was formed the Navy Department
apparently unwilling to spend money
had allowed the fleet to deteriorate un'
til 1t was the laughing stock Of mari
time nations. Few people know that
the change in the policy Of the Govern.
ment toward the navy, which led tc
the establishment of good fleet, was
| due to combination between Admiral
Porter and the late Congressman
Frank Lawler, of Illinois, and that the
finishing touches to the plan were
given by Senator Teller, Of Colorado.
Long before Lawler ever entertained
Congressional aspirations he was a
carpenter at Mound City, Ill. 1t hap
pened that he performed some work
for Admiral Porter which met the pro-
nounced admiration Of the Admiral.
An acquaintance sprang up between
the men, and when, in later years,
Lawler went to Congress the old ac-
quaintance ripened into sincere
friendship.
Admiral Porter, at that time, was
anything but favorite with the Navy
Department. He was recognized as
one of the bravest and best officers the
fleet ever possessed, and he was the
ranking Admiral of the Navy, but he
could not be brought into accord with
the parsimonious policy of the depart
ment, and was accordingly unpopular.
The Governments idea was that, as the
country was at peace the naval estab-
lishment should DO kept down to its
lowest limit. Porter, on the other
hand, saw the needs of the nation,
recognized the fact that America was
naturally maritime power and dream
ed of the day when he should see upon
the ocean an American fleet that should
win the admiration, instead of the de-
rision, of the naval powers of Europe.
In one Of the moments of his intense
irritation at the policy Of the Navy
Department the Admiral opened his
heart to Congressman Lawler on the
subject of the degeneration of the
United States Navy. Lawler, who was
himself an experienced hip carpenter,
listened attentively, and was astonish-
ed at the revelations the Admiral made
to him. Thanks to careful policy of
news suppression, the people had been
led to the believe that the navy was in
a high state Of efficiency, and none but
the Administration leaders in Congress
knew the facts.
The more Lawler and the Admiral
talked it over the more the Congress-
man became convinced that the atten-
ton Of the country at large should be
directed to the condition of the navy.
He suggested that Admiral Porter
eAouiu Wiile Aiu q elooudl ittleT oltl-
ing the actual facts in the case and
Lawler declared he would read the let
ter to the House of Representatives.
1t was a good enough plan, but the
House Of Representatives, at that day,
was constituted very much as 1t is at
present; it was necessary for Repre-
sentative to give the Speaker synop-
sis of the statement or measure which
he proposed to make before he could
secure recognition. When Lawler fur
nished the Speaker with a brief idea of
the contents of Admiral Porter's letter
he met instant opposition and was
plainly told that he would not be al
lowed to read it in the House. Lawler
fought hard for his point, and was so
persistent that he was finally granted
leave to print" the Administration
leaders arguing that the Admirals
letter would be thus comfortably
buried.
Had 1t not been for Senator Teller,
of Colorado, this would probably have
been the fate of the document, but the
Senator read it in the Congressional
record, and it made such an impression
upon him that, on the same day, dur
ing debate upon an appropriation bill,
he drew the attention of the Senate to
Admiral Porters letter. After saying
that the letter was written by the Off
Ger highest in rank in the United |
States Navy, Senator Teller read ex-
tracts from the document and then
made the astounding statement that
the American Navy consisted of but
one ship equipped with high power
guns, and that she was only a dispatch
boat. This was in reference to the dis
patch boat Dolphin. There followed a
bitter debate, but Senator Teller in
sisted that 1t was the duty Of Congress
to appropriate some of the money in
the Treasury in order to raise the navy
10 standard which would avoid sub
letting the country to disgrace and
in the event of war.
Senator Teller's speech received an
echo both in the Senate and House. and
ultimately the sum of 1000, 900 was
by Congress for the con-
;truction Of new ships. The fleet
hereby created formed the famous
White Squadron-now known as the
North Atlantic Squadron-wh.ch made
he tour Of the world and excited the
of all the European powers.
Admiral Porter lived to see his dream
'ealized.
First Use for Aluminum.
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