The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-31

oD40D0110O ThDO1nDav Rsp1Sfo.
Kisl May M-Ars the Germans preparing
for war with the United States?
! think not.
prenacy and in response to the Agranans
have enacted a tariff which may Affect our
trade
They wauld like to overthrow the Monroe
Doctrine and have a chance to COLOMBO and
develop South America. but they have no
faea Of attempting anything that might
bring on an American war.
Indeed, they realize, for the hrrt time.
something Of our resources and power.
They know they are dependent upon US
Tor food; they know also that we are among
their best customers. and they claim to be
the friendHest Of our friends on the Eu-
ropean continent.
As ,sor war preparations, however, they are
always going on in the German Empire.
The Kaiser is surrounded by nations who
would light him at any time II they thought
they could win, and he believes that the
best way to prevent war is to be ready for
IL.
To-day the army and navy are trained as
though war might be declared tomorrow
and all sorts Of defenses are steadily i'm
proved.
One gets 4 good idea Of what is being
done by a look at the naval establishment
at Kiel.i
The Krupps havc a big shipbuilding yard
here which works almost night and day on
the new %gunboats the Reichstag has or
dered.
Other navel vessels are reing built at stet-
tin and Danzig. and tens OF millions of dol
I6rs are being thus spent every year.
PLANNING TO HAVE
WORLDS GREATEST NAVY.
Indeed. the Germans are planning to OBJ
tain the greatest navy Of the world.
They want Ensland's place upon the
moan and ArA III A. 5000
many years to gain II.
About i've years ago the Government de-
cided to build three battleships a year for
fourteen years. and in addition a large num-
: per OF cruisers. torpedo boats and minor
vessels.
This scheme is being carried out. and NJ
the samk time the merchant marine is being
Increased at q dynamic rate.
Otner acts have since been passed, and
IN 1870 Q scheme was undertaken which win
give m within thirteen years thirty
four new battleships, eleven large and
thirtS-four snal cruisers, with many tor
pedo boats and special service vessels.
Inc vessels now in use are among the
best afoat.
A number Of them range in size from ten
to fifteen thousand tons.
They. are protected by the finest of mod
ern armor plate and equipped with armor-
piercing guns Of large caliber and an enor-
NOUS Number OF Quick-fire guns.
The Kaiser Friedrich III. which have
seen in the harbor here at Kiel, has fortv-
nine four-inch guns. eighteen six-inch ouick-
hiring guns and th!rty-two smaller QUICK
firing guns.
II is a magnificent vessel Of over II, 900 tons
displacement and 1900 horse power.
1t can make eighteen knots an hour and
Is one OF the most heavily armed ships
afioat.
The, Victoria Louise, which is also here
Is much smaller. but she is a beauty. as
are nearly all the vessels Of the navy.
Inc navy is now increasing at the rate of
nine or ten vessels yearly, with an in
creased tonnage Of about 5000 a year.
We lave AT present more vessels than
m but nearly all the German ships
are of the most modern build. while some
OF ours are slow and out Of date.
md the Germans are much interested In
the navy.
The people think their sailors superior to
any others. and they have organized q naval
society, with a membership Of more than
10000. devoted TO stirring up sentiment IN
favor Of naval improvements.
PERSONNEL IMPROVES
EVERY YEAR.
The personnel Of the navy improves every
year. 1t Is increasing in numbers. and It
now includes something like 10000 men and
boys.
There are altogether about 100 oficeu
1,10 boys. and more than 1900 petty on
Gers End scamen.
In other words. the Germans have on
their war vessels more men than we had
In our army prior to the Spanish-Amertcan
Wa.
The Germans have good naval schools. |
There Is one here at Kiel with several hun i
drcd studcnts.
The boys are kept but a short tim. on |
snors, and then put on training ships.
Them are a number of these ships. some ,
ooae ano some On other seas. |