Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-12-03
BIG INCREASE IN
NAVY RECOMMENDED.

II was hoped The Hague conference
might deal with the question Of tho
limitation of ornaments. But even be
fore it had assembled informal I'M
quries had developed that as regards
naval ornaments. the only ones IN
which this country had any interest. IL
was hopeless 90 try 20 devise any plan
for which there was the slightest pos
sibility Of securing the assent OF the
nations gathered at The Hague. No
plan was even proposed which would
have had the assent of more than one
first class power outside Of the United
states. The only plan that seemed at
an feasible, that Of limiting the size
of bottleships. met with mo- favor at
an. 10 Is evident, therefore, that it ia
folly for this nation 10 base any hope
OF securing peace on any information
al agreement as 10 the Limitation Of
ornaments. Such being the fact il
would De unWise for us 20 stop the up
building of our navy. To build one
h0ttieship Of the best and most adj
vanced type a year would barely keep
our Gees nap To- its present force. This
is uuf - 1ugh. In my judgment, we
shCrlj tlis year provide FOR four hat-
uesnirs. But IL is idle to build bat
tleships unless iu addition to providing
the men. and the means for thorough
training we provide the auNiliarics for
them. unless we provide docks, the
coaling stations. the coliers and supply
ships that they need We are extreme
ly deficient in coaling stations and
docks on the Pacific. and this deficiency
should not longer Doe permitted to cN-
list Plenty 81 torpedo boats and de-
stroycrs should be built Both on the
Atlantic and Pacific coasts. fo~tifr8-
ton OF the best type should be provided
ed for all our greatest harbors.
COAST FoRTIFIcATIONs.
We need always to remember that In
time of war the navy Is not 10 be used
to defend harbors and sea-coast cities.
we should perfect our system OF coast
fortihcaHons. The only efficient use for
the navy is for offensc. The only way
I'm which 81 can efficiently protect our
coast against the possible action OF
q foreign navy Is by destroying that
foreign navy. For defense against a
hostile fleet which Artually sttacks
them. the coast cities must depend up
on their forts. mines. torpodoes, sub
marines. and torpedo boat destroyers.
All % these together are efficient Tor
defensive purposes. but they ln no way
supply thc place cf thoroughly eiii-
ciant navy capable OF acting on the
offensive; Tor uarrying never yet Won q
fight IL can only be won bN hlrd
lifting and 8n aggressive gea-Eoing
navy alone can do this hard hitting
of The offensive type. But the forts
and the like are necessary so that
the navy may be footlooec. ln time
III war there ig sure 20 be demand,
under pressure of fright for the ships
tu poe scattered so as 10 defend All
Ffnd ~ ports. Under penalty Of ter
rirle disaster. this demand must be
refused. The ships must be kept to-
aetnor. and their objective made the
enemies feet. II fortincauons are
sufficiently strong. no modern navy
win venture 10 attack them. so lors
a.. the Zoe has in existence hostile
navy anything like the same size or
rNioicucv. But unless there exists
s.icb "a navy then the fortihcauons are
ncworlc-s by ia ams Elves 60 secure the
Victory. For Of course the mere de-
ucieucv means that any rcsolute on
omv cam at his leisure combine All