The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-17
From war to Peace.

It is not q week since the peace protocol
was signed, but the preparations for reduc-
ing both the volunteer army and the auxil-
larry navy are coming on apace. The task
must be agreeable, since it involves cut
ting great slices from the daily war ex-
penses. The discharge Of naval volunteer
officers and naval reserves has already be-
gun. In the navy the reductions to a peace
status can be the more rapid from the de-
struction Of SPANS fleets, which renders her
| resumption Of operations ct sea hopeless In
any contingency. The army has the oocu-
patton OF Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines among its tasks, but IL could drop q
hundred thousand men and still have more
than enough left for them.
AS tho acquisition Of vessels from the
merchant service was undertaken by a
board appointed for the purpose, 30 will it be
with their return. But while chartered YES
sells will go back without exception, a consid-
cradle number Of the purchased vessels will,
we think, be retained rather than be knocked
down at auction for small prices. After
the civil war the Government sold rapidly
the ships it had bought. These numbered
41S, and over a hundred Of them were not
steamers. They were sacrificed at less
than half their cost, but It Is doubtful
whether anything was allowed to go that
was worth retaining.
In that war there were such requirements
for the enormous blockade duties that the
policy, as n authority expressed 1t, was to
"buy everything afloat that could be made
of service" In addition to the coast feet
We then had q great river ~flotilla, used
largely in the Mississippi Valley. Many
Of these vessels were obviously useless
for permanent naval purposes, and many
vessels showed the effects OF a service
lasting from one to four years. But the
present war continued less than four
months, the blockade proclamation being
issued on April %, and very little damage
has been done to our auxiliary cruisers by
the enemy's fire. These vessels, too, picked
very carefully and skilfully by a board of
naval officers, include many Of high value
for a permanent navy. Again, Congress
several times during the last few years in
creased the enlisted force, 80 that we can
easily man the auxiliary vessels kept,
especially as most Of them can be laid up in
reserve, where they will require only q few
c~aretakers for each.
We can make use, for example, OF some Of
the fine golfers we have bought, because
hereafter such vessels can take coal to the
many new stations we shall have, as well as
directly, in some cases, to s%quadrons on
foreign stations. We can use transport
ships hereafter, for, with garrisons in Cuba,
Porto Rico. Hawaii, the Ladrones
and the Philippines, there will be de-
mands for the sea transportation of troops
such as we have never known in times Of
peace. Then there are the vessels which
have been fitted up at large cost for special
uses, such as the repair, hospital and
distilling ships, Of which the costly
appliances would be sacrificed by a
sale Of the vessels, while they would
be very useful on the sudden outbreak OF
another war. Taking a single example, can
there be any doubt of the value to our per-
manent navy Of the Yankee. Dixie, Prairie
and Yosemite, whether regarded as trans
ports or cruisers?
On the other hand, the tugs, the pleasure
yachts. with their expensive interior flttingsS
the numerous little craft organized as a
coast defensive 1otilla and the auxiliary
.blockaders can nearly all be dispensed with, |
dlLuOuBu We bnul ucNSE LOEBoI JnS glory |
acquired in battle by such auxiliary craft as
the Gloucester at Santiago and tho Hist,
Hornet, and Wompatuck. The War De-
partment alone, it may be added, chartered
for its special use over threescore vessels,
and OF these less than q fourth will be re-
tanned, even temporarily, for future needs.
AS to the army, the problem Of passing
the war to the peace establishment is
very simple, 80 far as concerns the dis
Of volunteers. Following the ces-
sation Of recruiting can come the mus
ter out Of those last called for by the
President, those still at State camps,
and those not needed for garrisons in
the Antilles and the Philippines. The
early part OF this work can and
be done forthwith; its later stages
should depend on what may be heard from
Gen. MILES and Gen. MERRITT. The re-
naming task will be to r~eorganize the regu-
lar establishment 30 that 1t may be ade-
quate for the increased duties imposed upon
it by our acquisitions of territory during
this memorable year.