New-York tribune., 1903-01-05
MORE WARSHIPS ASKED.
NEEDED FOR DEFENCE.
Double Number Of .Cadets-pdfut
of Monroe Doctrine.
rBr TELEGRAPH ro LIE TRlBUNE,l

=, ,,.5ire members of the Senate and House
of representatives at conference at the White
House. the following programme was agreed
uron for naval legislation at the present session
OF Congress;
The Naval Appropriation bill, it comes
from, the House Committee on Naval Affairs
nil, carry provisions for two battleships and two
,--,,-ad cruisers or three battleships and one
or,,ored cruiser and viii provide that for the
next twelve years every Senator and every mem
her Of Congress shall appoint at each Congress
ore cadet TO the Naval Academy. This VIII
exactly double the appointments TO AhhapoiS
during this time. and at its expiration as the
provision viii specify, the number OF appoint
,,ents viii be reduced at present, to one
-, d.. members and Senators every four years
Members Of the Committee on Rules or the
House were present al this conference anu
agreed 10 the plan. and also, incidentally una.
when the Naval bill reported rule Woulo
te forthcoming from their committee "herepS
9his increase in the navy and the provision l0i
the education Of 3 sufficient NUMBER OF amer
icap xo,ths to officer the ships TO he pulit
-,,.-,,d 1,o made gern1ane to the bill. and not
subject TO be eliminated as new leglSia'io,i ',
H., . ,,oirr Of order as would otherwise be tne
csse under the rules of the House
TERRITORIES TO BE GUARDED.
1aa1;,c M 10 the adoption of this plan there
,-.e a general discussion Of the naval sltud'i'i
=. he I-nited States In this discussion many
fea+4,res of the nations growth here'oloie
.eer,inrlv disregarded were brought forNaro.
!, ,oso of war. the necessity of fleets TO defeno
-. or1,, the eastern and western coasts was
5-,,a5 ont hut It was called TO mino' also'
-bat the United States navy would be looked "
~o, ,ba defence of the Philippines, Hawai- foi 10
I,,,o nd when the construction of an isthmian
-a-ai begins for guarding ooth entrances -
,ba, waterway With the exception OF codN'
-. an of those points to be necessarily defend
cd ,v the navy in the future are in aooi'ioi
- the duty deyolving upon this same navy d
Fe,, Years age For each point, also a Meet IS
so,,ired Then too when these defensive meets
are al, at their stations. there should De an oi
fensive naval fighting force adequate 10 meet
the enemy
,,7o,,,ir,ent official who took part in the con-
ference With the President discussed some Vi
i-s features for The Tribune to-day he saiu'
When we asserted the Monroe Doclrllle Dcpe..a' a.
teution Was called TO our lsoiateo 1sset
Sra;c,, FTien5 YET In case the United States
should he called upon TO stand for the en1olce- e
1nent Of the Monroe Doctrine against q hosule
+oreipn 7,atio1 England could at best remain
neural There is not single other European
,asio, y.,ich has a community of interests with
-ea T-nite5 s+ates so farseS-the Monroe Doc-
tfine goes while the other hand that Coz
trine may be said to be inimcal TO the inaeTes,s
inmate strength Of navy, then, should oe
uredicated on this view of the case
Then there is the ever recurring assertion
and belief on the part of both naval ana army
officers end public men that somehow" some
where and sou,e time We are going to get lnto mi
trouble with Germany. For this reason uhe
strength Of the German navy is always held up
as the objective point Of the American navy
The navies of Germany and the United States
are at this time bout equal in strength How
ever Germany has. perhaps with the same
things IL view. arranged for the doubling OF
81, -f-a aexff ton
without saying that she will be unable to do
his IT, for no other reason. simply on account
OF the lack OF construction facilities; but she
will build rapidly as possible, without doubt
THE VALUE OF ISOLATION.
The United States possesses one advantage IN
suy naval warfare we may be called upon ~ y
participate in. That is, we VIII be on the oe,
fel.siye A war between the United States and
any European power would undoubteoIy pe
fought in American waters. The navy OF Ihe
European power would have TO he AT least one
third stronger. in order to be equally as strong
as the United States Navy when her ships We're
50 far a rav from the base of supplies. ne
etfe,; upon her would also he TO ~ ~IesseL
their fighting efficiency i'm contest so Iaf 80, . VIC
from home ard adjacent to a hoSule Siioie
Right here comes in The absolute necessity -, ~
the maintenance Of the Monroe DocuIle r.
This countrx-the necessity of forever pre- heIIe "
INC tho esta hlishraent of a base OF supply Oh
fh- Western Hemisphere by any EUROPE -
country Great Britain. in her possessioni . Ion.
Canada Bermuda. St Lucia and Jafnalca -;3, 80
hos such bases of supply, but the OnlteCS 1S
states his infinitely less to fear from bheioi>
Than amy other country -. .yt, mn,
Porto Rico means that we have got 10 ueleh'
1be,r This defence means necessarily a M nav a
defence and each defence also means q IIa d
feet Besides this, the construction OF the lstii @
nlian Canal is undoubtedly assured m IN ti,e ,1e
e,,ra1re This waterway will present two Nulhei
able POINTS of attack-the entrances-and IVY
naval fleets would be required to defehd II Il
case Of hostilities.
Tbese are fep, of the arguments presente
FOR the continuance of the construction pro
.--auaule of the navy which was begun some
thing like ten years ago me ohly a. . a.;
,,reeenfed for delay the increased cost IN
eidenf 10 the present prosperity of the country
This argument. however. has two sides: IheI
ie NOT a nail not a bolt. spar, or piece Q
one Of our isattleships which is not made ]
,l,is country from material produced IN I'M
country and the increased cost, when II
astiT1aa1ed Will amount TO from 20 10 - pc
cent viii all go 70 the American ~orkhsNia
IN some form or other
CAPABLE SHIPYARDS HERE.
The statement that the ship yards of the coun
.-v we're all TOO crowded with work TO take o
extra orders has been absolutely discreoiteo =
The Newport News yard mas capacliy @ , loI ,S auo =.
ffouaj work This same conoltlon prevails
r. rrar7ns' ward at Fore River. at Camde
aud other efficiently equipped plants while II
settlement OF the recent labor troubles al "a "a
Francisco .yill make il possible 20 consider u
shfr Yards in that city available Tor add
rianaI construction. AS to the manufacture
zTuoor plates. the output for many Hlollils 'la
ien considerat bly, in excess OF lhF coiIlI dt a.
rhie ,,ould be increased. according 10 reiap
authority.
W5,b this staten2esF covering every phase
the Situation. and with the knowledge that ever
one 90 these points has been thoroughly di
eussed by the President and the members
do