Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1906-10-10

TW ~ the leading nations 81 the world
d. appear to k6ye been seized during
v Arecqnt y~afs with perfect mania
FOR adding TO their neets OF hghtng ships
Nor has national patriotic ambition in
any case been satisfied hy mere Increase
IN the number OF floating fortrcsscs.
Larger, more powerful and more heavily
armed warships have been demanded. IN.
ui the sums expended upon new naval
craft are such as would have appeared
unbelievable n few years ago.
The United States has not been one
whit behind her sister nations In pursu-
Ing this policy for the upbulldng OF a
powerful navy. II anything. she has been
ahead Of her European rivals. for, where
as some OF the Old World powers have
larger navies than the one TO be found
under the Stars and Stripes there Is no
government beyond the Atinntc that is
now adding to its steel-clad warriors OF
the sen so rapidly as Is Uncle Sam.
Time was, and not so very many years
ago, either, when the United States was
pretty near the foot OF the list OF prin.
cipal naval powers, but the phenomenal
development Of the American Navy dur
Ing the past decade has enabled the re-
public 10 advance beyond Japan, Italy,
Russia and Austria. and stand In fourth
place In this International contest Great
Britain. with q navy equal to the com.
oined fleets Of any three other nations.
would appear TO be secure IN nrst place
for long time 10 come: France Is second
and Germany third.
But In making this comparison the
statistics take account only OF the war
ships that are completed. ready for use.
or IN commission II an the vessels build.
Ing for the various nayies could he com.
pieted simultaneously ana a new census
or lighting strength taken. the status Of
things would be changed. for the United
States would then be IA third plsce-and
not so very FAR behind France whereas
Germany would drop bacA to fourth place
The secret OF this Is found. Of course. ln
the number OF new warships Miss CO
lumbia has under construction. Measured
IN tons. the standard currency OF naval
and shiphuilding parlance. the United
States has under way at the present time
considerably greater aggregate OF new
naval construction than Great Britain
and as much as France ana Germany COM
bned.
It is not the number OF new lighting
ships which Uncle sam Is building. but
their weight and power that Is sending
this nation upward IN the scale Of naval
importance To Illustrate. It may be OK
planned that there are 10 the United
States Navy something like 270 vessels AT
for service, whereas the new ships build
ing number less than 70 yet these lln-
completed men-of-war together with the
lately finished craft which have gone into
commission during the past few months.
well nigh equal IN aggregate tonnage the
couple Of hundred armed craft which up
held our rights on the high seas after
the close Of the spanish-A merican war.
The United States. alike TO most other
progressive nations. is firmly committed
10 the policy Of building wurshlps OF The
heaviest class. carrying epas OF the grca,.
EST power and protected by the thicksst
armor. The war with Spain taught our
professional lighting men that the battle.
ship is easily pie-cmmeut among aIliavai
craft, and the lessons OF the Russo-iana.
nese conflict Int confirmed this cumric.
uoa The deadly torpedo craft and the
neet cruisers. IN which nearly evcrsthlnr
Is sacrificed 10 speed assuredly nave
their place IN the scheme Of naval exist.
enee. but II is Ia the hea~yweirh,s Of
Tue seas that reliance must be placed for
t'r decision OF issues between nations.
Uncle Sans preference for she thlcs.
SKINNED ships that can give aad take
aaid blows Is evidenced by the fa..t That
nearly every one OF the nunerous shins
wIich have been added to the Navy drr-
inx the past year or two has been first
siasa haftieshIp or else an arncred ciuis.