New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-07
NEED OF ADEQUATE NAVY.

NEED OF ADEQUATE NATY.
The strong arm OF the government IN enfore-
ing respect for its Just rights IN international
matters is the navy OF the United States
most earnestly recommend that there be no halt
in the work OF upbuilding the American navy.
There IS 10 more patriotic duty before Us as
people than to keep the navy adequate to tho
needs Of this Countrys position We have IN
dertaken TO build the isJhnian canal We have
Undertaken 10 secure for ourselves Just
snare IN the trade OF the Orient. We have I'm
ueIl1hen 70 protect our citizens from improper
treatment In foreign lands. We continue stead
~ ~ 20 insist on the application OF the Monroe
DoSlllne 20 the western Hemisphere. Unless
attitude IN these and all similar matters Is 10
De a mere ooastful sham cannot afford TO
doaiooo our naval programme. Our voice Is
now potent for peace, and is so potent because
we are not afraid Of war But our protestatIons
upon behalf OF peace would neither receive nor
deserve the slightest attention If we were i'm
potent to make them good
The war which now. unfortunately. RACES in
the Far East has emphasized IN striking fashion
the new possibilities Of naval warfare The les
sons taught are beth strategic and tactical and
are political as well as military. The expert
6nces Of the war have shown in conclusive fash
ION that while seagoins and seakeepiug tor
pedo destroyers are Indispensable and fast
Hshtiy armed and arnored cruisers very useful
vet that the main reliance. the main standby IN
any navy worthy the name. must be the great
battleshtPs. heavily armOred and heavily gunned-
Not Russian or Japanese battleshfp has been
sunk by torpedo boat or by eurfre while
among the less protected ships cruiser after
cruiser has been destroyed whenever the hostile
squadrons have got within range of one an
others weapons There VIII always be 4 large
eId OF usefulness for cruisers. especially OF the
more formidable type We need TO increase the
number Of torpedo boat destroyers. payfuE less
heed 70 their having knot or TWO extra speed
Ihan 70 thelr capacity TO keep the seas for weeks
and, II necessary, for months at a time II h
wise 10 build submarine torpedo boats as under
certain circumstances they might be very useful.
But most Of all we need 70 continue building
our feet OF battleships. ships so powerfully
armed that they can inffiCt the rlaxiuun, 81
nd
tected that they suffer q severe hamrnerina-
IN return without fatal impairment OF their
ABILITY 70 fight and manCeuvre. or course ample
means must be provided for ena bling the per
sonnet Of the navy 10 be brought 20 the highest
point or efficiency Our great fighting ships and
TORPEDO boats must be ceaselessly trained and
manPuvred in squadrOus. The officers and men
can only learn their trade thoroughly By cease
less practice on the high seas. In the event OF
war II would be far better to have no ships at
all than TO have ships of poor and ineffective
type, or ships which. however good. were vet
manned by unframed and unskilfUl crews. The
best officers and in a poor ship could do
nothing against fairly good opponents: and on
the other hand a modern warshfp is useless IN
less the officers and men aboard her have be-
come adopts in their duties The marksman-
snip IN our navy has improved in extraordi-
nary degree during the last three years. and en-
the whole the types Of our battleshfps are i'm
proving; but much remains 70 be done. Sooner
or later We shaH have n provide for some
method by which there viii be promotions for
merit as well for seniority. or else retirement
or all those who after certain age have not
advanced beyond a certain grade. while no effort
must be spared 10 make the service attractive
10 the enlisted men in order that they may be
kept as long as possible IN u. Reserva ton pub
lie schools should be provided wherever there ars
navy yards
Within the last three years the United States
has set an example n disarmament where dis
armament was proper. BY law our army Il
fixed g. a maximum OF 100, 600 ana
The Army. a minimum of 60 coo men When
there Instruction IN the
Philippines kept the army at the max
inum. Peace came in the Philippines and now
our army has been reduced to The minimum at
which IL is possible TO keep II with due regard
TO its efficiency. The guns now mounted require
2S,Oe0 men. II the coast fortifcatIons are 10 be
adequately manned. Relatively to the nation
it is large = the police force az
New-York or Chicago. relatively to the popula-
ton OF either city We need more officers: there
are not enough TO perform the regular army
work. It Is very important that the officers OF