The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-15

about our military marine because it
thinks he knows as much about it as
any one. A big navy is wanted by a
big country with a big sea boundary
and this policy is not new, certainly
i'm suggestion While all honor is due
to Secretary Chandler for what he be-
gan and to Secretary Whitney for
what he did, the seeds of the policy
of the necessity for a great navy were
sown a long time back.
Only four Cabinet officers have been
selected from North Cardinals states
men since the Presidents began TO
choose their advisers They have all
been nominated to preside over the
navy and as the navy has developed
i'm continuous stages there is no little
qualification in thinking over what
these four ministers did to promote
its present glory. With the exception
of Secretary Branch they all seemed
to have had visions of a great navy
with big ships and big guns and, of
course. big hearts of oak, or steel,
according to the era. and he had a
partial SUBSCRIPTION of such military
marine. The fairest way to try to
show others what they thought and
what they wanted the country to have
is to let them speak for themselves,
and this can be done by reading over
their reports at some stage of their
service and reproducing what is to be
found there in the way of general rec
concentrations for the policy of the
administrations which they repre-
scented.
John Branch. of Halifax.
In December, 1890 the Secretary of
the Navy laid before Andrew Jackson
the following conclusions in his re-
port:
I'm presenting views of the policy
which it may be for the public inter-
est should be pursued in reference TO
the naval establishment, it may be OBJ
served that the rapid increase of the
population and general resources of
the nation which is already taking
place and is daily advancing leaves lit
tie to be dreaded from invasions Of
its territory by an external foe, de-
tached as it from the great war-l1ke
powers of the world
1T will be on the ocean and in the
transit of its mercantile enterprise 10
distant markets that the nation may
be regarded as most vulnerable, and
TO this point should its efforts for de-
Tense be chiefly directed.
THE great expense attending the
support of SO large a naval force as
may be occasionally required to give
security to the commercial pursuits
of the country and to protect the ac-
cessible portions of the coasts from in
vaSions and attacks of foreign foe
makes it a matter of leading imoor-
lance that a system be pursued which
shall place the resources of the coun
try in a condition to be brought read
ny into action whenever the necessity
presents ITSELF without mourning the
expense of maintaining such large
force when its services are not wanted.
This doubtless will be found to be
Il task OF much difficulty. 1t may
however, it is believed in some meas
urc. be attained by steadily adherr.g
10 the course suggested 10 you Ill
a former communication to provide
Tor the collection of supplies of all
the materials for the construction of
"a navy which require much time to
put them in a condition for use and
which can be preserved without MA
teridf deterioration or decay; to the
preparation of these by seasoning and
other processes and the preservation
OF them after being so prepared until
required to be used; to retain no more
vessels of war in commission than are
required for the immediate wants )f
the service and to cause those which
IT may be judged proper should be
built to be reserved on the stocks
properly sheltered until their services
are called for by the material wants;
preservation of the vessels in ordi-
nary; to appoint to the service no
larger number of junior officers than
can be kept actively employed either
at sea. at the stations on shore or IN
the requirement of a knowledge Of
the various points of their profession
al education
There is a vein of timid economy
running through pretty accurate
estimate of the needs of the navy and
of the country or nation as he twice
calls it for navy. Exception can
the meaning is unmistakable and the
conditions and limitation make the
demand for powerful lighting ma
chine patriotic but harmless. 1t must
always be borne i'm mind that the
Master who sat at the head of the
table pitched the tune to be
sung. The secretary manifested a
keen interest in the youngest officers,
the midshipmen. He bewailed the
lack of educational facilities for them,
referring to the two temporary
schools at New York and Norfolk
and the pitiful allowance of $25 per
month to employ school masters for
them. Reluctantly, he argues for
what seems too plain for argument o.
evasion when the Annapolis of today
stands out BEFORE us.
George L. Badger. of Wake.
1t will interest North Carolina
specially TO be reminded that one of
the causes of the dissolution of the
William Henry Harrison Cabinet in
1S41, was the variance of the views
of the new president, Mr.. Tyler, and
his secretary of the navy. Mr.. Bad
ger. Although he presided over the
navy about six months he matured
a very broad and comprehensive
policy for a bigger navy from which
the President shrank, and this was
that one of the causes that induced Mr.
Badger in the glorious company OF
John Bell and Crittenden and other
planets in the political sky to lay
down their Offices
The following extract from the Sen
ate Executive Documents of Septem-
Der. 1871. will show in part what a
grasp he had not only on the condi-
tons then governing but on what the
country had a right to look forward
TO as essential in the future:
The first is the establishment of d
home squadron. While squadrons are
maintained in various parts of the
world for the preservation of our
commerce, our own shores have been