The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-22

can dart in and out of narrow pas
sages, run up shallow channels and
hide behind low headlands in a man
ner that makes pursuit by large craft
practically impossible
Danger in Hnrbors.
X is fair to assume that in time of
war TO harbor at an simpQrtant point on
the coast of the country where the
fighting is in progress is left undo
Tended. by stationary torpedoes. This
adds new peril 60 the many under
which the big warsbip labors if she en-
tiers such a harbor at alia Even though
she may be on friendly erraud she is
in danger from the moment she pene-
trates the enclosure The safest place
for one of these marine monsters is in
deep water well off the coast, where she
can do blockade ddty, and serve the
general purposes of a floating fort
Even there she has TO tase the ordinary
risks of war, of courses but they are
reduced to a minimum. and accident
plays the smallest possible part in
them With the lack Of desire on the
Fart Of our nation to aggrandize itself,
we may very well abandon our occa-
sional lingo strut in foreign waters and
reserve our big ships for coast defense.
1t was noteworthy that when relief
was needed for the Maine after her
disaster. the call made upon the treasu-
~ department was not for revenue
cutters. which, in a sense, belong to
our auxiliary navy-but for lighthouse
tenders. This was because the inter-
est which various members of congress
have taken in the lighthouse service
and the CORES ponding neglect OF the
revenue cutter service, have kept the
former pretty we'll abreast of the times
nj OLE ? ,a lot ar tn fol- iy,to lTe
graceful condition Of disrepair. The
secret of their different treatment may
probably be found IN the fact that the
lighthouse establishment is largely sta
tionary, and so distributed along the
sea coasts, and the shores Of the great
lakes and rivers, as to constitute a
home interest for the members of con-
gress representing the districts where
the lights are situated. The revenue
cutter service, however, IS a general
service, having no local fixtures to
speak Of, and hence no special grip
upon certain congressman. Had a de-
mand been made for revenue cutters to
go to the relief Of the Maine. the chief
Of the service would have been obliged
to order a couple Of wretched tubs
across from the Florida coast, with g.
pretty fair chance that they would
have shared the fate OF the Maine, In
stead OF helping out the remnant of her
ships company. The nearest frst-class
revenue cutter which could have been
ordered down to Cuba was the Man.
ming, then somewhere on her way be-
tween Boston and New York
It IS worthy Of note that, out Of the
thirty-eight cutters IN commission, only
ten are less than five years old One
dates back to 1854 two to 1865, two to
1866, three to 1871, three TO 1873, two to
1874, one to 1875. one to 1876, and one to
1878, the remainder stringing through
the intervening twenty years by ones
and two's. Within the last three years
seven vessels have been condemned
and sold because they were literally
worn out and useless. Six others have
been recommended for condemnation
and sale. but no action has been taken
with regard 10 them. When II IS re-
f1ected that the revenue marine IS con-
stantly busy and on important service.
and that the cutters are capable OF use
as harbor torpedo boats In case Of war,
1t seems like great folly for congress
to neglect this establishment, while
spending vast sums on the floating
steel mausoleums. which we designate
battleships.
Any change IN the direction IN which
congress shall spend It's money on naval
equipment will doubtless be severely
contested before a final decision Is
reached. But the comment which has
been heard around Washington for the
last few days indicates that a move
ment for a change IS already under
consideration.