Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-06-16
LARGER NAVY NEEDED
SAMPSON SAYS WE SHOULD
HAVE TWICE AS MANY SHIPS.
Victory Over Spain Likely to Create False
Impression Among the PeopIs-We Are
Safe on Land But Danger May Come by
Sea-Swift Armored Cruisers the Most
Ae,dod

Safe on Land But Danger May COme by
Sea-Swift Arnored Cruisers the Most
Needed.
The New York Independent lately
contained an article 10y Rear Ad-
miral Sampson on the United States
navy, in which he says:
al 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 strongly tended to confirm
the view had before the war began.
For an army increase / fail to see the
necessity. 1t is hardly conceivable
that we could use large army except
for wars OF foreign conquest, which the
sentiment of our country would not
permit. No power except Great
Britain could hope to attack US sue
cessfully upon land. No two powers
combined could hope to effect any.
thing against us by sending an army
to this country. Three thousand
miles of water protects us from all ex-
cept one possible enemy-Great
Britain-who has OF late shown most
Enthusiastically that she desires perma-
nent peace and the closest friendship.
Her attitude is all that could be de-
sired. 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
constitute a danger to this country.
The possible wars which confront us
are naval wars, and in order to wage
them successfully we need more ships.
l 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 a 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 ques-
tions of the worlds politics. At the
same time, we have greatly extended
our coast line, and have undertaken
the government of large and distant
territories. We have become an Ash
attic power, and cannot evade the re-
sponsibility of such 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 be-
comes lis, we need ships, and still
more ships. If our easy victories over
the fleets of weak naval power fill
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. l believe in harbor defenses
which only determined attacks of the
enemy could overcome.
eve have still much to learn about
modern warships. They are as yet in
the experimental stage. My own idea
is that the naval increase should be
made by the building of more vessels
of the New York type, and greater
speed and coal capacity must be Sc
cured. Our need of swift armored cruis-
ers transcends other naval needs.
"The present is a good time TO press
the needs OF the navy upon the coun-
try, which will soon be quivering from
end to end with emotions produced
by the reception of the hero of Manila.
The extraordinary and widespread dis
position to do him honor can scarcely
be otherwise than pleasing to all offic-
ers of the navy. No man could pos
sibly have done more thoroughly than
Dewey what he set out to do, and
that is the test. His fame is secure
for the future"