The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12
JAPAN'S MESSAGE TO SILK MEN
MINISTER TIKAHIRi SENDS 4
LETTER TO THE DINERS.
Assures Them OF His Country's Desire
to Respect the Rights OF All Nations
Rear Admiral CoShian Talks OF
Our Nays Need OF Trained Men,


In point of size and in the matter OF gem
eral enjoyment the thirty-third annual
dinner Of the Silk Association of America
in Delmonico's last evening was one OF the
most successful Of the long line. Provision
was made for 400 diners, and apparently
all of the 400 were there.
The big banquet hall, in fact, was crowded
about to the limit consistent with comfort
and Joseph W. Congdon. who presided
found now and then the large assemblage
rather difficult and unwieldy mass to keep
in the lines necessary to the hearing OF all
the speakers had to say.
Among those who we're invite d and for
whom seats were provided at the platform
table were Kogoro Takahlra. Japanese
Minister at Washington and Baron f.. Mayor
DIES Panohes, Ambassador from Italy
neither Of whom was able to be present,
but both of whom sent letters Of regret.
The letter from the Japanese Ambassador
was read by the Consu-General TO New
York, Sadazuchi Uchida, who sat among
those on President Corydon's left.
The Italian Ambassador in pleading
official duties az barring him from being
present said that he had been obliged to
decline an invitation to the dinner soon to
be given by the New York Italian Chamber
of Commerce.
The japanese Ambassador said he was
prevented from being present by severe
cold, and in concluding his letter he said
assure you that our aim and intention
in the Far East are always on the same
line az already announced on the previous
occasion, and we are firm and resolute
"a ever in respecting the legitimate right
and interest of all nations and that the
United States and its citizens. whose high
sense of justice and fair play Is relied on
IN oil lid -.
nothing but friendly cooperation in tho
maintenance Of their rights and interests =
Others at the banquet table we're Rear
Admiral j. Is. Coghlan. Rear Admiral James
Entwistle. Prof. William VI. Sloa ne Of Column
bia University, John S. Wise and Attorney
General Julius NJ. Mayer
The set toasts Of the evening were: Tho
Occasion, responded to by the president
OF the association, Gen, Joseph W. Cong
don; Our Navy Rear Admiral ]. B. Cogh-
merce, Prof William NJ. Sloane of Column
bia University; Business and Character.
the Rev: II. Morgan. and THE Ladies',
John S. Wise.
When Admiral Coghan rose to his feet
he was greeted with n demonstration so
overwhelming that for moment he APP
parently found 1t difficult to catch his breath.
Speaking of the navy, Admiral Coghlan
said:
we in the United States are building
y
of dollars in doing H. and We have a splendid
navy at present. But we are going on
adding 10 il, and when we have finished
what Is now under way, which will be-
perhaps, in four or five years. we will have
a navy equal In all respects to any other in
the world, Cheers and shouts of 'Hoch
der Kaiser.
Il have seen it stated in the papers that
man of war il used up in about ten years
That is Il mistake. They do last about
twenty years, and to-day although it seems
almost IA -acrilege TO say it, the ships
of the Oregon class are so far behind those
Of the present day that they are not at all
first class vessels any longer
"They lack the two great essentials Of
a first class ship of the present day--speed
10 get through the water and endurance.
coal capacity SO, you SEQ how quickly
our present ships 20 out of existence as
Il were. They can be rebuilt and modern
tied and made into very valuable ships.
but they are no longer in the front rank.
But we are building others 20 keep up the
front rank and TO increase it to a size that
will insure peace We OF the navy look
upon the navy simply as "A matter of insur-
ance for the country
AT present our great defect in the navy
is lack of trained men and OF officers. Under
recent laws we will have more officers in
few years. but at present we are down 10
the lowest notch Men for the navy can.
not be improvised II is a lamentable fact
to-day that if We were engaged in war
,ye have not al olutely enough trained men
to man all the ships Of the navy.
Prof. Sloane, in his speech, paid warm
tribute to the President and to Mayor
Mcclellan both of which we're heartily
n pplaudpd