The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-05

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NEW YORK, Oct 4.--Washington is
well aware that Japan is straining every
resource in the preparation for war,
despite the protestations OF friendship
we hear from certain sources. The plan
to mobolize great fleet in Pacific
waters is the most stragetic move for
peace which could possibly have been
taken and shows the necessity for more
ships. To duplicate this United States
navy would cost far less than to main.
tain a six months war with Japan or
any formidable foreign power. An ap.
preparation of $l5O.0OO.OO0 would build
and equip twenty modern battleships
and give as the greatest navy in the
world-a sea-fghting strength that
precludes all possibility of menace to
the commerce or the land possessions
OF the country
RearAdmiral Joseph Coghlan, only
retired after more than forty-six years
of active service. thus sounded note
of warning in an interview at the Army
and Navy Club today in which he
strongly advocated doubling the pres.
ent naval forces as a safeguard to
peace.
The maintenance of a powerful
ocean patrol on the Pacific" said the
Admiral, us necessary to the United
Seates as an adquate life insurance
policy is to the dependant family that
is husbanded by no other protection
Ii there is no foundation to all thi.
talk of war with Japan that we hear
no truth in the prophecy OF yellow
peril to obviate which stringent legis
lation may become necessary. thert
are trade interests of inestimable i'm
portance which must be protected ant
nursed
Every manufacturing nation in Eu
rope, individually and collectively, i,
jealous of the wonderful strides will
which our trade in the Orient and Fal
East has grown. Their newspapers will
continue to print articles about the sig.
nificance of what they term unneces.
sary naval demonstration on the part
OF the United States at this time.
Not one of these European countries,
however, would hesitate at issuing an
ultimatum which would be backed up
by warships if their own interests were
in the least intefered with.
ASIDE from the trade interests why
should not the United States send its
warships to whatever waters where their
presence will add security to the peo-
pie who look to the Stars and Stripes
TOR protection? Why should we not
send them to the Pacific coast now?
The answer is simple. In that derec.
tion lie our most vulnerable points
and battleships, according to my under
standing, wele intended and designed to
protect coast lines that cannot other
wise be we'll defended.
st is known that extensive shipbuild-
ing yards owned by the japanese are
being worked to full capacity in building
new ships and converting those taken
from Russia into servicable war yes
sells. They are adopting the most mod.
ern appliances in all of their work. It
Is a notorious fact that they have cop
led as much of our navy as 1t has been
possible for them to duplicate"
Admiral, how would the cost Of lu.
plicating the navy as it stands today
compare with the expense of maintain.
ing war with any foreign country p
was asked.
ut is not possible to make a compar.
atiVe estimate unless you disregard en-
tirely the value of human life" was
the prompt reply. Tn the mere matter
OF dollars and cents" he continued.
"$l5QOO00OO would more than build
twenty new battleships of the Dread.
naught type and fit them with the most
modern appliances. That would give
the United States the greatest navy
afoat-just what it ought to have.
"There will be a necessity for exten-
sive new shipyards. There is a dock
at Mare Island, near San Francisco
with yards ample to take care Of our
needs. A little further north at Bnm-
erton is another yard. With a third
yard at the Philippine base of supplies
in Subig Bay, such extensions as will
be necessary to provide for the wants
Of big feet will represent a compare.
lively small COST
REWARDED BY BRIDES KISSES.