The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-01

doors. we can only conclude that our inn
mediate requirements call for a navy as
large As the British navy.
with such requirements continued
Captain Hobson. III Il alarming to note the
relative size OF our navy. In round num-
bers the tonnage Of the British navy IS
10000 tons the French navy, uSoo tops;
the Russian navy. $4,000 tons. the United
States navy, $4,000 tons: the German navy.
1890 tons. and the Japanese navy. &l.oe0
tons. Republics and free institutions have
failed In the past because the public could
not be relied upon for preparing Tor self
defense. The high intelligence OF the Amer
lean public should guard our country
against the danger of neglect of national
relative strength OF the world navies and in
view Of the shipbuilding programmes
abroad the United states should provide
Tor a minimum appropriation Tor new naval
construction Of at least s25, oe0.OOO annually
for the next ten years.
HAS WON CONFIDENCE.
II claim modestly for the navy that it
has fairly won a right 10 the confidence OF
the American people. It's work has always
been effective. The execution Of the Amer
lean naval fighting personnel is proverbial;
they have been able TO hit the mark as no
other gunners can in the world. The Brit
ish vessels. famed under the great Nelson,
came across the Atlantic with a proud
record of two hundred victories in duels
with European vessels. They met the tiny
American navy and lost fifteen engage
ments out of eighteen fought. Never be-
fore Manila bay had any fleet compassed
the total destruction of any enemy's fleet,
nor without heavy loss TO the victor. Mel
son, in the great victory OF the Nile,
fought twelve long hours and lost heavily,
and at the close Of the day "A considerable
part OF the French fleet escaped. At Manila
bay, for the first time, the absolute maxi
mum OF efficiency was attained. Two
months later at Santiago the extraordinary
feat was duplicated
Captain Hobson praised highly the bril-
liant fighting qualities OF the Confederate
all Americans be proud of the achievements
of the Confederate navy and place Blu
Chanan Ia our proud list with FaTraSut and
Porter, a. We should place Lee and Jack
son with Grant and Sherman Why should
not We of all sections. as Americans, be
proud OF the glorious deeds of those Amer
leans on both sides. fighting for what they
believed TO be right? j believe / speak for
Alabama when i say that the old State II
proud of her position in the flag; and j
know of no star of all the galaxy that
glitters with deeper devotion to the Union
than the star of Alabama; and no cluster
IS brighter than the cluster of southern
sisters
Captain Hobson devoted some time to
discussing the great problem of the future
of the negro. 1T should be borne in mind, 3"
he said, that however great have beer
her strides since the war, the South Is still
comparatively poor. and the burden OF
educating 10000 600 black should not lay or
her shoulders alone, but should be partly
borne by other sections of the country
To all those who would assist the negro
| would say, contribute toward the education
of the negro. Do not threaten the South
with propositions OF negro domination
However great in numbers, the negroes in
no part Of the South should or can take
political control. Nor can there ever bt
any such thing as social equality. Tht
blacks are but a few generations removed
from barbarism. The white man Of the
South is fond of the negro and is the ne
gro's trueSt friend. There is no problem
for the Nation 10 solve, for the negro Is
enjoying a relatively high standard of com
fort. and is steadily advancing; and as Ions
as there ID no outside threat or enforced
negro domination or social equality the re
Iationship between the whites and thu
blacks will remain satisfactory"
Captain Hobson's lecture was received
with intense interest and was frequently
interrupted by enthusiastic applause.