Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-06-07
SIMPSONS TRIBUTE TO THE HERO
OF MANILA.
ADVOCATES INCREASED NAVY
THE PRESENT is A GOOD TINE TO
PRESS THE NEED.
Says This Country Still Has Much to
Learn About Warships, Which
Are as Yet in an Experi-
mental Stage-His
Ideas.

NEW YORK, June 6.-The Independent
this week will contain an article by Rear
Admiral Sampson ON THE United States
Navy" in which he says: Il have long
believed that the navy of the United States
is not adequate to the needs of the nation,
and in spite of our victories the events
of the past year have tended strongly to
confirm the view / held before the war
began. For an army increase, l fail to
see the necessity. 1t is hardly conceivable
that we could use a large army except for
wars of foreign conquest, which the SEN
timent of our country would not permit.
No power except Great Britain could hope
10 attack us successfully upon the land.
No two powers combined could hope to
effect anything against US by sending an
army TO this country.
Three thousand miles of water protect
us from all except one possible enemy
Great Britain-who has of late shown most
Enthusiastically that she desires permanent
peace and the closest friendship. Her at
titude is all that could be desired. 1 do
not believe that there is any room for
doubt as to the good faith of the English.
They really wish our friendship and are
prepared TO make sacrifices to secure it.
Foreign armies. therefore, do not con-
stituts a danger to this country. The pos
sible wars which confront US are naval
wars. and in order to wage them success
fully We need more ships. I believe that
we should have at least twice as many
ships as our navy at present contains.
Whether or not We desire TO have it so,
the war has made great change In our
position among the nations. 1t has gained
a new estimate of us and has put us in
the front rank of the powers whose voices
decide questions of the worlds politics.
AT the same time we have greatly extend
ed our coast line and have undertaken the
government of large and distant territor-
les. We have became an Asiatic power and
cannot evade the responsibilities of such a
position. We have great interests in the
Pacific ocean and must be prepared to
cope with any who are disposed to deny
our rights there. To safeguard our inter
ests, to maintain our position, to speak
with the authority that becomes us, we
need ships and still more ships. If our easy
victories over the fleets of a weak naval
power hll our people with the belief that
We have now a navy that is large enough
for all our needs, then those victories will
have done us harm instead of good.
believe in harbor defenses which only de-
termined attack of the enemy could over
come.
We have still much to learn about mod
ern warships. They are as yet in the ex-
perimental stage. My own idea is that the
naval increase should be made by the
building of more vessels of the New York
type and that greater speed and coal ca
pacity must be secured even though il be
necessary 10 sacrifice some armor thick
ness in order to secure them. Our need
naval needs.
The present is a good time to press the
needs of the navy upon the country, which
will soon be quivering from end to end with
emotions produced by the reception of the
hero of Manila. The extraordinary and
widespread dispositioneto do him honor can
scarcely be otherwise than pleasing to all
officers of the navy. No man could possibly
have done more thoroughly than Dewey
what he set out to do, and that is the
test His fame is secure for the future"