The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-14

NAVAL OFFICER on THE NAVY.
Rear Admiral Sigsbee gave an interesting
talk concerning the United States navy
few nights ago. The occasion was a meet
ing of the Union Veterans of Maryland,
and the famous naval officer responded 10
the toast of THE Navy Readers of the
Journal will remember that Rear Admiral
Sigsbee was In command Of the battleship
Maine when she was blown UP in Havana
harbor on the morning of Feb. Is, 1898.
He is now a member of the naval
construction board and naval general
board. His speech in Baltimore. though
brief, gave an interesting view of
the growth Of our navy. At the close of
the civil war it was far behind the times
as to be almost obsolete. 1t was a navy
mainly Of wooden ships, smooth-bore guns
and inferior service. When Congress finally
decided in 1852 to begin the construction of
real navy 1t started right by adopting
steel instead of iron. Admiral Sigsbee gave
Ii as his opinion that the present state of
the steel industry in this country owes
much to the severity of naval tests and
naval inspection during the earlier period
of the rehabilitation of the navy. The new
navy is entirely different from the old in
ships. men. instrumentalities and methods.
There are not as many ships or guns in the
Eavy now as there were during the civil
war. but at the present time it is far more
powerful as a fighting force. than 1t ever
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Admiral Sigsbee said:
Not only is her structure one of great
statical strength, but, while bearing inn
mense weights, she must Withstand the
forces brought TO bear when tossed about
In the heaviest seas. Moreover, she must
do this even after severe damage. She har-
nesses and utilizes steam pressures of go
pounds per square inch, and for her guns
explosive forces of fifteen tons per square
inch. She carries torpedoes firing wet gun
cotton, besides primers of dry guncotton
and great outfits of dynamos- She is
lighted throughout by electricity; her tur
ret motors and other motors are electrical.
She carries armor not even imagined in the
days of the civil war, and she carries il
from stem to stern and all over her battery,
as well as over the coming tower. She
carries 1000 or more tons of coal and
crew OF 800 men. In her palmy days the old
frigate Constitution threw from one broad
side. Ii my memory serves me correctly,
only 235 pounds of metal. single eight
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$50 pounds and a single thrteen-inch gun
throws a projectile weighing 100 pounds.
Moreover, the battleship has a speed of
eighteen or nineteen knots an hour
When two fleets of such fighting ma
chimes as that come in conflict II is indeed
a battle of giants. Rear Admiral Sigsbee
said he had been in the navy nearly forty
four years. and in his opinion the last four
the United States navy during that whole
period. This was because not only Con-
gress but the people had become well edu-
Gated to the necessities of powerful navy,
the types of ships that are needed are bet
ter understood. the personnel of the navy
has been greatly improved and the train
ing of enlisted men is much better than
ever before. The speaker continued:
Our crews are becoming Americanized.
and, moreover, the spirit of endeayor
among officers and men Is far more logical
and comprehensive in the broadcast sense.
Instead of thinking of single ships and the
composition of fleets to follow when war
breaks out. concentration is now the rule.
We are organizing in time of peace just as
We should be organized in time of war. The
officers of the navy as body are thinking
of fleets, of operations of worldwide scope,
u ",
war supplies and of the relative accom-
plishments and power of other naval ma
tions.
Rear Admiral Sigsbee spoke highly of the
educational work that is being done in the
way of organizing and handling fleets.
Since the Spanish-American war the posi-
bilities of war are being studied more ear
nestly than ever before, with constantly
Improving results in the way of prepared
ness for 1t. The public need not be
alarmed, the rear admiral said, at criti-
navy itself is thoroughly alive to the neces-
stiles of the case and will correct whatever
fault may exist. He added:
Our gun pointers can hardly be said to
have refrigerated. 1t Is nearer the mark to
say that other navies have improved in
target practice during the last four years
to greater extent than the United States
navy. We are going on fast In the way of
amendment. If the navy is not satisfied
with itself IL Is a good sign, for Ii Is
feeling that leads TO Improvement. The
navy is better to-day than II has ever been
before, but il must be still better.
The people may confidently expect the navy
to improve. There is no likelihood that it
will retrograde. The navy has its history
and it's traditions. Give US the ships and
the men and the navy will do the rest.
Touch the button literally.
Such talk as this from an officer of Ad-
miral Sigsbee's rank a man who has seen
nearly forty-four years of service and is
thoroughly conversant with the navy and
the progress it is making. should assure
the people that it is developing on right
lines. The people are proud of the navy.
They wish to see it maintained at a high
state of efficiency and are entirely willing
that Congress should make liberal appro-
priations for the purpose as long as it is
wisely expended and the navy itself re-
spends in the right spirit. Rear Admiral
Sigsbee shows that this is being done.