The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-05-22
IIRn PRAISE TOR M NAVY
GERMAN NAVAL ArFACuE oIvUs
ms OBSERVATIONS.


sun kSeooef Pa&nfuN1S1~ naval 4tt1cae OF
the German embassy. talked Interesting
" today with representative Of the As
rociated Press - to his observations OF
the American navy. covering net only the
war period. but an inspection OF our ships.
navy yards and naval methods in the per-
Tod since the war This officer made such
favorable report 20 the German admir-
Atty concerning the consideration shown
him In American naval circles that IL
brought = strong letter OF thanks from
the minfster Of marine OF Germany 70
Secretary Long and to some extent Offset
the tension arising over alleged diner
euces between the American and German
naval officers In the Philippines
speaking Of the technical construction OF
American ships, Capt. Won Reuoer Pash-
rowft1 said:
1T is quite noticeable that your Ameri-
can naval constructors and ship builders
show the character1stic energy Of Ameri-
cans in wishing to And something new.
While the American ships are built on the
same general lines ~ the German and
English ships. yet they show tendency
to try new ideas. to experiment on de-
tails
For instance. the disposition Of Annmu-
milton and the ammunition hoists are adj
mirAhle contrivances. The ammunition -
served through one central chamber and
Is delivered Immediately back Of the gun.
ready TO be placed in the breech and nred.
This u 70 OBVIOUSLY the right thing and
30 practical In the rush and confusion OF
action that all navies followed the lead
Of your American constructors. when they
fIrst adopted this methOd Of getting the
ammunition to the gun. There are many
of these small points which appeal to the
naval observer, II not to those unfamiliar
with naval architecture. and altogether
they are developing and perfecting the
IDEAL nghting vessel. In the placing OF
guns and armor the American ana ter
msh ships are much alike. except that We
have not resorted to your device Of the
aouhle-decked turret. which Is probably
not beyond the experimental stage
Tho large coal capacity OF American
ships IL capital feature. which Will prove
specially serviceable Il you are to have
outlying territory. such IS Hawaii ana the
Philippines"
..How does the personnel Of our navy
the officers and :nen--eompare with that OF
other naviesr' he was asked.
THE American naval oflicers have much
technical knowledge. perhaps more than
German ofacers, but II - . question whetn-
er technical knowledge cannot be carried
too far, to the exclusion OF those larger
subjects Of strategy. torpedo naneuyering.
etc. You have tust united the engineer
branch with the regular line OF navy. 30
that hereafter all your naval omcers Will
also have TO be steam engineers That -
carrying the technical knowledge very tar.
and viii put such great requirements on
yeuy officers that the result win be await
ed with much interest by students OF naval
affairs. When officers are compelled TO
master such q mass OF detail they have
scant time for considering the larger Ques-
tons OF attack and defense and the real
science OF warfafe. they become too me-
chanical. The great commanders are not
merely engineers. but men Of Intellectual
attachments, thought and statesmanship.
as well ~ technical knowledge Of ropes
and irons
when your torpedo boat service Il fully
developed 1t will be found that YOU have
large fields OF usefulness. As yet the
American torpedo boat service 10 not or
ganizei as with us. We have these craft
formed In divisions with special drills ana
maneuvers. suited TO their size. much ~
a troop Of soldiers would be drilled.
But there Il little In that line here a. far
as have observed, and the uses OF the
torpedo boats are yet TO be realised. A
have seen them they are much occupied Is
dispatch boats. carrying messages etc..
rather as q well organized adjunct OF at
tack or defense. Probably when all your
new destroyers and torpedo boats are com
plStS0 tnsS of81u2AAAou Wall apae"s "AA>s
then win come this new lire OF study and
practice for your officers. giving them.
with ali their other duties. an unusual
amount Of technical knowledge to master.
'As to the American sailors. II II hare
TO Judge him by any foreign standard. al
your ideas and ours are so totally different
Physically the American sailor 10 SPLEEN
did specimen. The American method Of re-
cru.ting is calculated to get good class
OF men. drawn from vide stretch OF
country, and with frequent infusfons Of
new blood, while with us saisortng 10 al
most life business Probably ~ whole
the American system has . better class OF
men than abroad. II certainly tends 70
give the men greater self reliance and thai
in turn may be the reason they are such
good fighters.
They certainly know how to keep your
ships In shipshape and the discipline and
general conditions observed on board an
American ship are probably equal to those
OF any naval service In the world
How does the rate Of American naval
shipbuilding compare with that OF Ger
many
1T Is proceeding at abou: the same rate.
and II seems as though the American navy
and the German navy would develop on
abou, parallel lines for some years TO come
fran q political standpoint In this era OF
naval construction on both sides OF the wa
ter. II II simply the adopting Of new ideas
TO new conditions: the bringing Of naval
armams up 10 the standards esta hisshed
by modern navas science With Us n gen.
erai plan Of naval development has been