The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-29
Our Naval Progress.


T<HE GREATEST hero in the
naval history of America
returns from the victory
that won his fame to find
the navy of this country at the
end of the first epoch of a develop
ment which for rapidity and scope is
without a parallel among the nations
of the earth. In the comparatively
brief space of time since Admiral
Dewey departed from this country for
the orient the tangible effective naval
strength of the United States has in
creased almost one-third. Much of the
increase, it is true, was necessitated
by the eXigencies of a suddenly precipi-
tated war. The conflict, short in dura-
ton, would have been of inestimable
benefit had the result been nothing
more than the arousal of general pub
lie interest in the growth and welfare
of the navy so strikingly portrayed by
the addition since made to our fighting
strength upon the water.
To all intents and purposes the
United States is now the third naval
power of the world. Germany is a Wig
liant. active, aggressive rival, whose
energy in this direction, constantly fos-
tered by a ruling power, may be ex-
pected to increase rather than dimin-
ish. Japan, the coming commercial
power of the other hemisphere, is an
Initiating with giant strides the modi-
cum of our supremacy. But for all
that the United States will continue,
for some time at least, to be excelled as
a naval power only by Great Britain
and France.
The full strength of the navy of the
United States now amounts to 312 YES
| sells of all kinds, built and building. OF
this number 1S9 are in the regular navy
and 1913 constitute the auxiliary force,
| for the accumulation of which we are
| largely indebted to the necessities Of
| the Spanish-AmeriCan war. Some
thing of the pace at which we are NOV
| ing forward may be imagined when it
| is stated that roughly estimated the
existing naval fleet represents an ex-
| penditure for construction OF about
construction or awaiting formal ac-
ceptance by the government more than
half a hundred war vessels. the con-
tract price for which. exclusive of ar
NOR and armament, is in the neighbor-
hood of sac, 100000.
The war almost doubled the aggre-
| gate of men on our war vessels. At
| it's outset the complement was IL, 200
men, but in the summer of 1898 it
reached the maximum figure of "a, 123
men. Since that time it has of cou. re
decreased considerably, but the incom-
ing congress is expected to authorize a
permanent naval strength of upward Of
10000 men. Nor in passing, snould
mention be omitted OF the success
which has attended the amalgamation
of the line and staff. An experiment,
watched by students of naval admin
| istratiOn everywhere, its beneficial eff
fects have been discernible instantan-
eously
For the future, bright hopes may be
based upon the most favorable of indi-
cations. Congressman have been
spending the summer Of 1899 in the
study of naval science abroad. Places
on the naval committee have been eag-
erly sought. Already new atmos-
phere of liberality and intelligence
! characterizes the consideration of
naval problems and affords ground for
hope that never again will the march
of progress be retarded by such a lack
of knowledge as made possible the late
fiasco relative to the Limitation Of ar
NOR prices. New battle ships, armored
and protected cruisers are to be con-
structed. Each class is quite certain
to mark a step forward in the scien Se
of building vessels of war. Already the
eyes of every naval officer across the
Atlantic are upon us. Within the PAST
month two of our new battle ships
have exceeded contract speed. The
practicability of that most novel of
ideas-the superinduced turrets OF the
Kearsarge-will soon be nut to the test.
We are preparing to outdo the British
in the thoroughness Of our experiments
with liquid fuel and wireless telegra-
ply. Finally we are investigating the
possibilities Of the submarine boat and
our conclusions viii have enhanced
value because they-will be character
ized by neither the enthusiastic opti-
mism Of the French nor the cynicism Of
the conservative Britons.
For well-rounded naval development
every essential must be adequate Thus
| there Is no graater calse for conPratu.
lation than over the manner In which
the shipyards Of America have met the
] requirements IMPOSED by new condi