The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-17
The Growth of the
"New NAVY

| new navy
In twenty years, the United States
has advanced steadily from the eighth
to the second rank among the naval
powers of the world. In 1888, Great
Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Ger
many, Austria and Spain all had navief
superior to that of the United States
Indeed, even such powers as Chill
China, Brazil and Japan had a few
warships more powerful than any in the
United States navy of that period. To-
day, Great Britain alone surpasses this
country in naval strength.
The development of the magnificent
navy of 1898 dates from the year 1888,
| when Congress authorized the eonstruc-
ton of three steel cruisers, Chicago,
Boston and Atlanta, and the despatch
boat Dolphin. These were the first YES
sells of the "new navy and the fact
that all four are still performing effec
| tive service, in full commission, is
strong answer TO the handful of pes
simists who are constantly crying that
| AhouoAA WdAShIP } du41hiy pecohlCS
obsolete. After a quarter of a century
| of almost continuous service, In ali parts
of the world, these four vessels have
still some years of usefulness before
them.
At the close of the Civil War, the
United States navy was powerful one,
nearly as strong as that of Great Brit
ain. From that time on, for two dee.
AIDES, it was permitted to fall into
decay, until by 1885, with the exception
of the four vessels named, which were
then not completed, there was not a sim
gle modern effective man-of-war in the
entire navy, which was composed of old
wooden steam frigates and sloops-of
war, armed mainly with smooth bore
guns. There was not a single torpedo
boat, and the only armored vessels were
a few ancient iron clad monitors, use
less against rifed guns, and SO slow as
to be mere cripples.
Finally, after some years of earnest
work by jealous naval officers and
patriotic, far-seeing statesmen, the
country was aroused to the miserable
condition into which the navy had been
permitted to fall. It was demonstrated
that without a strong navy this great,
rich country would be at the mercy of
any third-rate power which should
choose to pick a quarrel with US. In
those days, Spain could have swept our
absurd navy from the seas, bloekaded
our coasts, and landed an army wher-
ever she saw fit.
Congress finally acted, as stated, in
1883. Then, in 1885, the old Charleston,
lost in the Philippines few years ago,
the Newark and the gunboat Petrol,
were authorized. The Charleston was
patterned after the japanese cruiser
Naniwa- Kan, which was herself lost
later. The Baltimore was authorized in
1885. The first armored vessels author
lied were the Texas, the plans for
which were bought in England, and the
old Maine, blown up in Havana in 1898. /
Still relying on foreign ideas, the Maine |
was patterned after the Brazilian |
Aquidaban. About this time, also, Con-
gress authorized the building of the |
coast-defense vessel Monterey and the |
reconstruction and -arming with mod |
ern guns of the old double turret moni- |
tors Puritan, Monadnock, Miantonomah,
and Terror. The Cushing,
the first of the torpedo boats, was bulk
in 1886.
Frow now on the navy was steadily
rehabilitated. Every Congress made
additions to it, and all of our large shi D
yards and gun-foundries began to re-
sound with warships and gun-buifding.
Best of ALL Americans from now on be-
came self-reliant, not only for designs
of ships and guns, but for manufacture
of armor, gun forgings, and all other
After 1887 the growth OF
the navy was rapid.
In 1887, in addition to the monitors
Congress authorized the
building of the large protected cruisers
and San Francisco, and the
gunboats Bennington, Concord and
yorktown, which were followed in 1888
by the Cincinnati, Olympia and Raleigh,
the armored cruiser New York and the
yunboat Bancroft In 1889 the gum
The year 1890 was notable one, for
It marked the beginning of the earliest
American frst-class battleships, the In
llama, the Massachusetts, and the Ore
yon, after which came the Iowa. These
md the smaller Texas were the only
completed in time TO take
part in the Spanish var, although 9TH
efs were In course of construction at
nat time. +
Several torpedo boats We're added to
he navy during the years between 1890
Ind 1898, during which time the con.
tructien of battleships went on apaee,
Is it has ever since, the Iowa having
)een followed in 1895 by the Kearsarge
md the Kentucky; in 1896 by the
Alabama, the Illinois and the Wiscon-
in; in 1898 by the Missouri, the Ohio
md the new Maine; in 1899 by the
Georgia, the Nebraska and the Virgi-
lia; in 1900 by the New Jersey and
he Rhode Island; in 1902 by the Con
leeticut and the Louisiana; in 1903 by
he Idaho, the Kansas, the Minnesota,
he Mississippi and the Vermont. All
If these are now completed, and most
# them are in commission today,
Still more recently the monster bat,
5leships Michigan, New Hampshire,
S0u4h Caroline DaIawara and o4hors |