The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-10
FOR POWERFUL NAVY
FORMER AMBASSADOR PORTER | SPEAKS IN CHICAGO.
Says United states Cannot Afford to Rest on Laureis while Other Nations Are Adding to
 Their Armament.

Chicago, Dec. 9---Three hundred nlem- bers of the Merchant Club and numer- ous invited guests were in attendance at the banquet given tonight by the or- ganization at which Admiral George Dewey and General Horace Porter were guests of honor. The chief address of the evening was delivered by General Porter. who spoke on the subject of "The old Navy and the New"
 Admiral Dewey was persuaded to speak few words. although he de- elared upon his arrival in the city that he had only accepted tho invitation upon the assurance that he would not be expected to mako speech
 When President Narlas HV&eixer of the Club, intseaee Ns oral Portes in to the services of the sth1rsi in ws 2 and the exeellent record hc had made as AmbasAador. to France the guests rose to their feet and chsefed lustily.
 General Porter spoke in part as fol- lows:
 My purpose is not to give you the history of the United States navy; that would compel me to carry you through ali the incidents included in d record of heroisnn from Paul Jones to his legitimate successor, George Dewey. will only speak generally of what the navy has accomplished: its rnatehless gallantry and its necessity to the coun- try"
 The speaker then briefly sketched the condition of the navy at the outbreak of the revolution and its condition at the commencement of the war of 1872 ana told of the neglect that has been the part of the Navy Department until about twenty years ago. when the building of the new navy was com menced. '5
 we cannot afford, said General Por- tav- "a O,,~ f AfS nations are steadily increasing their naval armament It must be remem- bered that some foreign countries con- tinue to build not only powerful naval vessels but at the same time swift commercial steamers constructed under Government supervision and subject to service as auxiliary cruisers in time of war. We must not deceive ourselves as to our relative weakness in this re- spect.
 ''The entire world Is today naturally looking to peace. The only question Is how to secure 1t. It has been fully demonstrated that strong navy Is not a menace but a conservative force. It may be dangerous when wielded by an of Ire revolution and it's condition of rected by the sovereign people. We have shown that a Government may be progressive without being aggress. i've; that people may be military without being warlike. We have ver- flied our belief that war should be un- dertaken only iri the interest of peace and that a nations prosperity depends upon public tranquility.
 One of the reasons why I have ac- cepted the presidency of the Navy League Of America Is because tn re Is most useful field for rapidly increas- ing organization, designed to promote the cause of maintaining a competent that honorable service"
 In closing General Porter paid an eloquent tribute to the men of the west, who have enlisted in the navy, declaring that 1t was no longer necessary to de- pend upon enlistments secured at the seaboard.
 President Wacker then introduced Admiral Dewey, who was given a most enthusiastic greeting. and spoke brief Iy.