New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-06-14
NEED OF AN ADEQUATE NAVY.

President Roosevelt in one Of his speeches on his
recent Western tour. said this in support OF his
advocacy OF continuing to strengthen the navy.
eff we fail to build adequate navy, then some
time some great power, throwing or the restraint
OF International morality, will take some steps
against u.s. relying upon the weakness Of our navy
The surest guarantee Of peace is adequate navy.
The best possible assurance against is an ade-
qUate navy
On the other hand, John J. Fitzgerald the Demo
crat elected to Congress as the representative of
the With District in place Of the Republican
member In the last Congress. has announced his
opposition to adequate navy. In a speech
made in Brooklyn May a he declared that ths
expenditures for the navy had grown to such stu
pendoUs proportions that a halt should be called.
and that the money might better be used in other
ways. His closing remark For what except
police purposes. do we need a naval force?''
One OF the oldest officers OF the navy who
has served IN three and has reached the
highest rank. said day or two ago. after reading
what Congress.naneIect Fitzgerald had said before
a public audience:
"This cheeseparing policy suggested by this
has gone too far more than once In my naval
life. Looking back through our naval history Tiers
have been grave faults in the management OF its
afairs-fauIts which threatened at certain periods.
to wreck the entire naval department. and did. In
fact. at times result IN not having any YES
sells at all TO speak OF afOat In the earlier days
OF wars many OF fine frtgates were bought
from or loaned by France or Holland. but these
successful only through the bravery OF their
crews and the skill OF their commanders
But no sooner was peace declared than the good
ships that remained allowed to go TO decay
through the lack OF appropriations for t-thing re-
pairs and alterations Notably was this the case
during the twelve years from 12 TO 1894 and again
from 1875 to 1873 1t Washington. who. with
necessity. build our own cruisers. as Wei as man
them 1t was then that Congress returned 70
True 1t is that each war has brought brave men
and good ships the front. but both were promptly
neglected and forgotten IN peace. The nrst snips
were built on plans made by Joseph Humpnrey OF
Philadelphia. and resulted In such types as the
44-gun frigates Constitution. the President and the
United States. And then came Henry Eckford, that
who built McDonouSh's fleet IN the forests border
ing Lake Champlafn out OF the growing trees. and
that for months aad been threatening our lake
coast in that section
found itself again unprepared. with only forty-two
vessels Of all classes IN commission, and these
mostly foreign stations. Our enlisted force mum
bered only about seven thousand men, OK wnoni
ONLY about two hundred available at the
naval stations 10 such ships as we might be
able to buy. We then In contest with
foreign fees but our chances were weIInigh ruined
at the outset When the President ordered IN
April 1851 that the coasts should be protected and
against the swift contraband vessels ntted out oy
the foreg nations furnish supplies 70 the South
to meet the emergencies. There were more than
three thousand miles OF coast line to protect, and
in the neighborhocd OF Is5 tarbOrs and inlets to
accumulated feet Of 427 vessels OF all classes by
the close OF 1852 But what were the conditions
when the with Spain deciared2 We had
tran ever before. ard we made short work OF that
trouble But IL had been in IKE condition
order Since then Rave Ike other nations gone
on and streug hered our sea nowe- And should We
ne says: The best possible assurance against war
is adequate navy.