New-York tribune., 1902-08-03
WANT A STRONGER NAVY
REAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
WAR GAMES.
pIAN TO OBTAIN BIG APPROPRIATIONS
FROM CONGRESS-ADMIRAL TAY-
LOR'S TALK OF TROUBLE
WITH GERMANY.
IBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl


washington, Aug. 2.-The real significance Of
,bs remarkable activity exhibited just by
,be naval administration, and the uncommon
nlblcity that is given to the plans for the
rnaneuvres a few weeks hence and for the un-
nrecedented mobilization of force in the Carib-
bean Sea next January, is causing no end of
sueculation among officers ashore and afloat,
and the conclusion is being pretty generally
reached that the purpose is to convince Congress
et its next session Of the extreme urgency for
most liberal provision for the national defence,
and particularly for a vast increase of naval
strength. commensurate with the enlarged re-
spolsibiIities growing out of the necessity for
protecting outlying possessions, controlling the
isthmian canal and commanding respect for the
Monroe Doctrine.
The great object lessons it is proposed to i'm
press on the country have been devised by the
general board, which has quickly attained pre-
ponderant influence since Secretary Moody en-
tered the Cabinet, and promises TO develop into
a full fedged general staff before the end of
the year. With Admiral Dewey its head, and
most of the fighting officers of the service, in
cluding the personnel of the War College, sup
porting ii, this organization is dominated by
Rear Admiral Taylor, chief of the bureau Of
navigation, whose control of the navy is COM
parable only with that exerted by General Cor
bin over the army. Admiral Taylor is recog-
nized as easily the leading theorist of the ser
vice. the officer who built up the War College
TO be model for all nations. the highest type
of the scholar in strategics. and more respect
ed by progressive American officers than even
Maflan is abroad. His studies of to-day's inter
national problems and his deductions to the
lines along which the United States must be
ready to act in the near future have had
extraordinary weight with both arms of the
United States service and he has come 10 have
the distinction OF being honored as prophet"
international possibilities.
According 10 officers who are closest to him,
he is thoroughly alive TO the steady set Of
current which is carrying the United States and
Germany along converging lines in many parts
of the globe, and bringing these two nations into
closer rivalry everywhere. So far as that goes
commercially, it is not brand new discovery,
but to Admiral Taylor belongs the exclusive
credit Of warning the leaders Of the army and
navy that preparations must begin at once ana
be vigorously prosecuted from this time forth
for grave crisis in German-Anlerican relations
in the spring of 1907. 1t is interesting to note
that the adniraFs predictions of conflict are
SO adjusted as to permit his taking part in its
settlement He is due to retire at about the
same time that the threatened war viii Ger
many. according TO his notions. is to break out
ADMIRAL. TAYLOR AS a PROPHET.
The frequent suggestions of trouble with Ger
many have not attracted much attention, COM
ing from youthful and enthusiastic officers, with
their careers before them. who have talked about
the likelihood Of trouble for several years past,
but the conclusions of a mature scholar, who
will reach the retiring age March 4. 1907,
and who fixes the time Of the crisis within
fraction Of year. have naturally produced some
effect especially when he is satisfied that the
immediate locality of the storm centre will be
in the Caribbean Sea The process by which
this prediction has been developed by
thoughtful scholar is not wholly disclosed, but
II undoub btedly involves the completion of the
current construction programme Of Germany
late in 1906. which viii make that country's
navy much stronger then than ours at the rate
we are now building. In fact. the time VIII
be coincident with the most efficient sea power
Germany now conternplates-tke time when the
Panama Canal will be occupying much atten-
ton in this country, when the Cuban Republic
may have about reached the end of its tether.
when Jamaica and other West Indian islands
will be PROSTATE in bankruptcy when the Meth
erlands-and this is one OF the admiral's pet pre-
dictions il is said-win have been absorbed by
Germany leaving CURACAO and the other Dutch
islands Of the Caribbean Sea bones Of con-
tentton to force supreme test of the Monroe
Doctrine not TO speak Of the ripeness OF the
season for pIucking a few South American re-
publics for repudiated debts and damage claims
Neither Admiral Taylor nor Admiral Dewey
and the other members Of the general board
really expect war with Germany. but they
foresee that ali the conditions which lead to
wars are likely TO be brought about at some
tine or other and they strong in their be
lief that the best, If not the only, way to avert
war is 10 be so thoroughly prepared for IL ana
have your possible enemy so fully INFORMED OF
your strength as TO deter a provocauon- of tne
sincerity of German friendship for the United
States and of cSernaany's formal assurance of
rsenec+ for the Monroe Doctrine Admiral Taylor
aoes not harbor doubt. but neither ne nor
,hoe. 1v,o follow his lead in the great problems
az modern rolitical development care to close
their eyes 10 what they regard as the irresistl-
hle and incontroyertibe trend OF events nor
feign fnsensibiIity to what they believe 10 De
the ,,rr,isratahle certainties of the future
u.,-o-T-vpEs GAIN NEW INTEREST
From this point of view the coming ma
noeuyres take on new and important intefee-
Their main purpose is to accentuate before the
world the ability of the United STATES 10 oeieio
itself first in demonstrating by the summer
evoutions that ample protection mas alreaoy
been afforded TO the metropolis ana no cohceih
need be felt by the nation over naNai a''
by any European power; ano' seo"i,u' '
the winter mobilization convincing
countries that this government can
and maintain in the American Nieoi'ei.
a force that a navy possessing no estaphsheo
b.sas So .h., -seio, would rot lightly dare TO
tackle
Not a bit of doubt as TO the oulcohie VI 'e
sea attack on New-York is felt by the pronlot-
ers 10 the GREAT war game. The navy expects
10 he defeated It's force of ships VIII be as
ora.. 90 8, is corceivable that any European