Evening star., 1898-04-14
HOW SPAIN SEES Us.

HOW SPAIN SEES Us.
According TO One Authority Our Navy
is I'm Dreadful Condition.
From the Scientific American.
1t is a matter of frequent remark that
the average European is as densely ignor-
ant on all questions relating to the United
States as the average citizen of this com
try is well informed on European affairs.
1t is rroba BILE that outside of a eompara-
lively narrow circle in England, France
and Germany. the people of the old world
have only the vaguest idea of the re-
sources. wealth and social and Industrial
development of the United States. They
see the nondescript crowds that migrate
yearly across the western ocean, and they
grow accustomed to the thought that
America Is huge agSlomeration of unas-
simulated nationalities. They little under
STAND thst such is the size and virility of
the American race that these mNriads are
absorbed without disturbing the national
equlibrium or changing a line or shadow
OF the national coIntenauce.
Perhaps ii is safe to say that IN no Euro
pean country Is there much misdppre-
hens1on regarding the United States as in
the very one which has good reason Just
now to be best informed regarding US. The
information which the Spanish press is Civ
ing out to the people is such palpable mis-
information that one can scarcely attribute
u to mere ignorance, and we are led to
believe that the Misrepresentation must be
Wlllful. One OF the most striking instances
of this is an article on the United States
navy which appears in recent issue of
the Sp; nish weekly La nustracion. The
United States has usually been credited in
Europe with possessing a navy which,
though small in numbers, is of the very
latest pattern. and includes some of the
most original and effective types of ships
in the world. The Spanish journal i'm uues-
tiOn however lends itself IN he ASH of
persuading the Spanish public that our
navy Is made UP of poor limitations of
European ships: that II Is manned by hire
lings. who calculate, while they are fight
ing. what their valor, in cents should be
worth to them" that IT is navy without
traditions of any kind Eye shades of Far
ragut. Perry and Paul JonesD. and that.
therefore, lit will be nothing remarkable
IL in short time we see all these" ILL
designed and worse constructed vessels
go to the rubbish heap
The article opens by stating that ten
to repairing the Miantonomoh and her
class, which are built partly of wood
ts:c). We are Informed that navy yard
has recently been started at Port Orchard.
I'm Brambridge (sic), and that among other
places where the navy keeps stores of
ammunition and coal is New Oskaut tNew
orleans?, on the Atlantic coast The map
cf Washington fails to show the pane
Brambridge. the nearest approach TO II
being the name of Bainbridge Island.
which lies about five miles from Port
Orchard.
After our contemporary has displayed
such an intimate knowledge of cur eeog-
laphy, We are not surprised to learn that
important works for the manufacture of
armor have been established In
Massachusetts under the direction OF Mr..
Bethlehem We are informed that these
works can compete with Krupp in Ger
many but lest our confidence and Span
ish dismay at this information should be
TOO pronounced. We are informed in the
next para graph that in creating our navy
the tests of armor and other work were
unsatisfactory
This period of feverish activity was sue
there came the war with Cuba
and the fear Of rupture with Spain, i'm
PEELED by which We proceeded sfcre.iy
(sic) to construct armored vessels, Until at
seemed to be respectfully squadron -
Fortunately for ySn our contemporary
proceeds. the Sr~at tunnels and quantity
of smoke of We Yankees need not frighten
us -hu ir. proof of this list of the short
, -omlpgs of the ships is added, from which
we select the following:
THE Indiana, Oregon and Massachusetts
Submerge the armor plate" presumably
| the belD entirely. and can only carry a
full complement Of coal in time of peace"
"I'he turrets of the Kerasage (sic) and
Kentucky present some advantages;
1 ut their axes are so badly arranged that
the guns winch tney carry WOuid De out
| of combat soon as they began to oper-
ate'' THE Texas has very deficient arm
or" 'it cannot carry the torpe-
does intended for it, and the critic does
not spare even the Inflated Maine. but in
forms us that ''its best speed was sixteen
miles" Gt was seventeen and one-half
knots). and that at this speed lit shipped
water at the bow"
The Katahdin cannot go into battle on
the high seas and 'its crew cannot sleep
on board for lack of space" The Mianto-
moh (sic). Monadnock and Terror ''are pro-
vided with 4 central compartment. easily
separated from the body of the monitor;
an eccentric and senseless idea"
We are further informed that the stability
of the Baltimore and Philadelphia is en-
dangered by their heavy guns. and that the
armored deck of the Cincinnati and her
class lis source of danger, rather than
of defense" Even the famous run of the
Columbia across the Atlantic. at a speed of
eighteen knots, is discredited on the ground
that the last days run could no longer be
made under forced draught.' AS a matter
of fact. the whole run was made under
natural Graught.
This remarkably lucid and accurate ac-
count of our warships concludes by assur
ing the Spanish public that "the rest of
1.-THE vessels are not worth mentioning