The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-07-01
VALUE OF WARSHIPS.
PROOF POSITIVE THAT Thsf ARE
CHEAPER THAN WAR.

| Sl0niflcance OF fIeet IN All lnIerna'
tlonal Matters-Lord Charles 5eres-
ford's Epigram-Thc Verdict OF His
tory-Natural Pueraeity Of Human
Beings.
| That battleships are cheaper than
war; that we must have the force nee
essary to hold and defend what we
possess; that an individual or nation
must be prepared to guard his be-
longings, as well as his life and honor,
from the attacks of other persons or
nations; these are simple axioms,
writes Rear Admiral ii. C. Taylor, U.
S. n. Our advanced civilization, with
! its numerous and effective safeguards
against thieves and highwaymen, as
well as against all forms of public dis.
order has indeed cloudcd these axioms
and confused the reasoning powers of
those who protest against war prepa.
ration. The security in which we
| live lulls their minds to drowsiness.
and encourages them in the fallacy
that this condition OF things is nat.
ural one, rather than entirely artiil-
ciGl, as is in truth the case.
This does no great harm so far az
! state or municipal affairs are con.
cerned. The protestcrs consent in
stinctiyely to the police, and, indeed,
demand that they shall be well armed.
and regard the taxes they pay as
many times repaid by the protection
thus afforded.
| 1t is in international matters that
the danger of the fallacy appears. The
false logic, which urges that order
| and security within the country are
natural results OF our modern civiliza.
tion and intellectual advancement,
goes further and proposes to employ
! these noble but Inadequate forces as
the only protection of the nation and
its property from the attacks Of other
nations.
1t is, therefore, only 70 these few
| persons that arguments need be ad-
dressed. To them it should ne men,
toned that the civilization which Sc
cures them in the city and state, and
provides them with q police and law
to guarantee their safety, has not, up
to the present time, provided these or
similar safeguards for any nation as
! against other nations. Vague and
shadowy beginnings have been made.
International customs have been col
lected in books, and given without JUS
tification the name of law. A tribunal
has been established, which arbitrates
in the interest of peace, but no sword
has yet been placed in its hand with
which to enforce its decisions. Wars
do not cease. The stronger still over.
power the weaker throughout the
world.
Such being the case, we may logi-
cally present one of two propositions.
First, to accept defeat, and resulting
conquest of our people and territory
whenever another more warlile nGtiCn
desires our riches; or, second TO arm
ourselves in good season and resist
the attack. With these alternatives
should be considered the fact that VIC
are sure to be attacked If we do not
prepare, because a nation is likely to
attack only these whom IL thinks it
can overcome.
We arrive then at the point empha-
sized by Lord Charles Beresford that
| "Battleships are cheaper than war"
and that If battleships are not provid-
ed and thoroughly drilled, We will cer-
tainly have war, and war costs more
! than a fleet of battleships.
The present situation OF our coun-
try brings out fcrcibly the need Of a
feet as distinguished from land
army. The latter will always be
needed of course, but cur recent nc.
QUESTION of important island territory
| at great distances from our own con-
tinent makes sea force indispensa-
Bile, and Admiral Beresford has prob
ably taken these changed conditions
into account as strengthening his rec
ommendation to provide a worthy
naval force.
History shows numerous instances
CT the value of o feet to a nation
which is dependent for It's safety upon
territory separated from the home
government by the sea.
The Athenians by keeping their fleet
well drilled and ready maintained for
! themselves supremacy in the Lovant,
, anu COulIOl VI tHe BISHl lIdle IDuleS,
The naval victories of their Admiral
Phormio over the unprepnrcd fleets of
Sparta seriously checked the develop.
ment of that famous state.
So long as Carthage kept its feet
the equal or superior Of the Roman
feet, it could strive with confidence
for the commercial control OF the
Mediterranean; but Rome was not ig.
ncrant of this, and did not hesitate at
vast outlays of money in order to
make its feet spericr, and its final
victory over the feet of Carthage at
Ecnomus. in the greatest sea fight re-
corded by history, was quickly fol-
lowed by the disappearance Of Car
thage as a rival in peace or war.
BY the possession of an effective
fleet England gained and held the
trade and riches Of India; by the lack
OF one, Spain lost the Empire of the
west. France. slackenilg in its atten-
| tion to its sea force. loses Canada.