The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-03-11
SENATE DEBATE
ON NAVAL BILL

Senate debate on the Naval Dill senator
Hale classed Great Britain first, France
second and the United States third in
naval strength saying the popular i'm
preston that Germany outranked this
country was fallacious. Mr.. Hale ac-
ceded to a proposition by Mr.. Perkins
that in effectiveness of appliances the
United States stood next to Great Brit
ain. This was due to the fact that we
had been able TO take advantage of the
mistakes OF European Powers.
Mr. Hale said that Japan was the
smallest OF the naval Powers with the
exception OF Austria, but had an advan-
tagc in being only few hundred miles
from the farthest naval operations in
which she might become involved.
an our navy" said Mr.. Hale, there
is talk of putting many of Our vessels
such as the Oregon, Indiana and others
OF the same class, on the retired list"
81 hope they won't retire the Oregon,
said Mr. Stewart.
well, they ought not to-" said Mr.
Hale, but she has not the stateroon
facilities that meet the fancy of naval
officers She mas the same number OF
I3-inch guns and the same fighting capa-
city. Nothing suits naval officers eX-
cept the largest battleships.'
He expressed the opinion that the
present war in the Orient would show
that other vessels are more valuable than
large battleships, but admitted that no
definite conclusions could be drawn Tin
til the smoke lifted
Mr.. Hale said he had no ccnsure for
the officers OF the navy.
But the naval officer is a naval of
ficer, pure and simple, and the American
navy bounds his complete horizon. To
him the navy is right and the naval
board has run too much in the direction
OF enormous ships"
The naval board programme contem-
plated forty-eight battleships and TWEEN
ty-four armored cruisers, and when that
stage was reached an appropriation OF
$2oo,ooo,ooo a year would be necessary
for the navy. He thought it probable
that the appropriation required next year
would be $I2ooooooo If, however, the
scale should be kept down TO the pres
ent rate of increase, the appropriation
would be increased
Mr.. Perkins defended the officers OF
the navy, saying they were entitled to
great credit.
Mr.. Hale admitted that the American
officer was man of merit, but Congress
had its responsibilities and should know
where the money was going.
Il am" he said mot to be deferred
by criticism of want of patriotism.
want a powerful navy. 1t is necessary
on account of the conditions. We have
got seven good ships in the Philippines
for instance. 1t is different from what it
is with Japan, who will do her fighting
at home In case OF war we should have
to spend hundreds of millions in the
Philippines. But there is danger of 60
ing further than necessary.
Mr. Hale admitted that the last ex-
tensive additions to the navy had been
made necessary by the acquisition of the
Philippines, and said that he, for one
would like to get rid of those inlands
Still, so long as we have the islands, we
must protect them. Likewise, he said
it now would be necessary to maintain
navy sufficient to protect the Panama
canal.
wi. LoiSS SpOhc di SoiiiS lCllStIl VII
the need of good navy to protect our
trade and uphold the Monroe doctrine.
He did not believe the torpedo boat
would supersede the battleship, and said
that i'll our war with Spain the torpedo
vessel had been complete, failure.
Mr.. Money said that if we were to
persist in our policy of subjugation we
would find necessary a greater navy than
the people were willing to support Mr.
Money spoke of the prowcss of the Japa-
nese and quoted a high authority
as predicting that in few months the
Russian feet would be overcome, Their
would follow the Japanese victories OF
land. They would secure Korea and
probably part of Manchuria Next
they would so to the Philippines.
AT the suggestion of Mr., Hale an ap-
preparation OF 100000 for the restora-
ton OF the frigate Constitution was in.
serted