The Minneapolis journal., 1902-09-16
NAVY IS TOO SMALL
What the West Indian Maneuvers
Will Bring Clearly to the
Public Mind.
WI Ting-fang's Books on America
and Western Civilization Will
f. Be Important. Z

and Western Civilization Will
Be Important. E
From The journal B,.rea". Room. 45, Post
Bnilaing, Warrington. -.+ T"
Washington, Sept. 16.-The object of the
Wost Indian maneuvers is of wide scope,
| and Is intended to give the navy depart
ment an idea Of the nature Of the task It
will sooner or later have to face-that is,
the defense Of the West Indian possess
sions and Of the isthmian canal. If the
Monroe doctrine Is to be defied at all sby
| European power, 1t is natural, in the opin-
ion Of naval experts, that the first blow
should fall upon the islands of the United
States in the West Indies, and the ap-
proaches to the canal. Can the United
States, with it's present navy, defend these
islands and the canal? That is what the
navy proposes to find out. The answer
that will come back from the West In
dies will almost surely be mo" No
body except the most ignorant would
claim that with the fleet now available in
! the Atlantic could ward Off and destroy a
hostile fleet in the West Indies while ade-
quately protecting the more important
home coast line. With the inadequacy
Of the fleet demonstrated, the next step
will be demand little short Of imperative
for an increase in the navy. 1t is with
this purpose that the recent maneuvers
were held; it is for this purpose that the
West Indian maneuvers will be held; and
| it Is with this purpose clearly In view, no
| doubt that President Roosevelt has clung
| with pertinacity to discussion OF the
Monroe doctrine during his recent tours.
| The United States Is fourth In naval
power. Some experts say she is third,
excelling Germany. But Germany Is ex-
| pending more money than the United
States in construction, and with the in
credible rapidity with which ships dete-
riorate and become obsolete, vast sums
must be expended yearly by any nation
attempting to keep in the front ranks.
Two battle ships and a cruiser or two
annually are the least that can be done
in the way of construction by the United
States If it will keep abreast OF the de-
velopment of naval strength by France,
Germany and Russia, to say nothing or the
still greater sums expended by Great Brit
ain Experts in the navy department
unite in declaring that an annual expendi-
ture of at least SIS, 900, 900 is necessary
to keep the fleets Of the United States
up to efficiency and fighting strength
Thirty or forty millions annually would
please them better.
There is little doubt that congress will
be liberal with the navy. The committees
on naval affairs Of the house and senate
are composed of keen, up-to-date men,
alive to the growing strength OF foreign
navies and to the necessities of the United
States. Before the Spanish war the navy
was planned on a big scale. These plans
have been revised and enlarged on vast
ly bigger scale In 1897 there were two
coasts and a little outlying territory te
look after In 1903 there will be world S
highway in Central America to guard
besides the innumerable islands Of the sea
now covered by the flag.
WI Ting-fane's Books.
Minister WI Ting-fang is already al
| work on the first Of the books which ne
said some time ago he would write as
soon as his diplomatic 1abors afforded ar
opportunity. 1t will give in a popular style
the writer's impressions of America. II
will be published in English, for incidenta
circulation in this country, but it Is the
desire of the retiring minister: that 1t
should also have wide sale in his native
land, and to this end it will be published
in the Chinese language, with such altera-
tions in the text as may be necessary tc
give his countrynen a proper Idea o.
western civilization. The companion book
unlike the one just referred to, will no,
be popular in style, but will discuss anC
compare the eastern and the western civ.
ilizatio from the point of view OF a care
full and intelligent student. This book vii
have for China. it is believed, an import
ant value as an authoritative and schol,
arly statement of the greatest question
now confronting her people, and 1t will
appeal almost entirely to the higher
classes, to the statesmen and other pub
licists. In it the minister must tread hi:
way skilfully if he would avoid too mucl
criticism and the condemnation withou
investigation of his conclusions He is
firm believer in western ideas and ideals
and is confident that in time they are tt
dominate the entire race. His own coun
try, therefore, in his judgment, should no
too long delay their adoption. With on,
book intended for popular consumption
and another for the perusal of the scten
, tific men and the statesmen of his coun
try, Minister WI hopes 80 to lay tn,
question Of occidental civilization and IT.
benefits before his people as to win thei
appreciation and contribute something t
, their advancement.
1t is now suspected that Mr.. wu's habi
Of accepting proniscuously invitations t
, go here and there In the United States
for receptions, addresses, etc., has ha
, back Of 1t something more dignifed an
important than mere curiosity. His pur
+ pose to write books for the benefit Of hi
, countrymen Is, he tells his Washington
, friends, no new thing, but has been in hi
mind for several years. It is altogethe
likely that these little trips, which hay
been more numerous than those Of a sim
ilar nature taken by all the rest Of tn
diplomatic corps combined, In the sam
length of time, and which are rather con
trary to the established preoedents Of tha
more or less august body. have been yer
largely for the purpose OF enlarging MI
Wu's horizon and making more compre
. hensive his grasp Of American ways.
he can contribute something substantie
to the impetus which will carry his coun
try on and up to better things his wor
will not have been in vain, and he wi
have a permanent and a, dignif1ed plac
. in Chinese history. 1t is just possibl
that some such consideration as this ha
been actuating him during the years
= his little Journeys up and down the Unite
= = States. His appointment as one Of sc
4 lect committee to revise and codify CHI
nese laws, will give him another oportu
: nifty to place his countrymen under diret
Il obligations for services rendered. M
. WI, during his residence in this countr!
8 has obtained a very Intelligent grasp
: the elementary principles Of English CON
. mon law. 5E.- T.,
" .s~ - w. W. Jermane.
y y A FAILURE IN CLOTHING. '-.%
New York. Sept. 16-Creditors of Mey,