New-York tribune., 1908-02-02
SEA POWER VAGARIES
Popular Frenzy for Nesc Edgars
and R0adice0S.
London, January Is.

London, January Is.
The failure OF the Hague congress in
strurent for repressng military and naval ex-
renaitu-es has been complete Germany has
,c- ceased 70 he the strongest military nation,
With SIX millions OF men who can be brought
into the field in emergency, and while her
sunrenlacy is unchallenged there is no sign that
her system of universal training VIII be relaxed
nv her resources for making a stupendous
scsle IMPAIRED Reductions armaments and
e.an5ing armies are impracticable in Europe
z-her Germany sets high standard of eff
,sencx England has as marked a superiority in
-. -,ov-er and is bent upon maintaining il with
..,,,al jealousy and at a maximum cost. The
,;si, of the German Emperor and the exchange
n compliments and pacific assurances between
s,-s1 trading nations have not diminished the
sr5or of naval nertinets for shpbuilding.
--,a-,- exnerr writer assumes that German ac
.i-z- y, the acquisition OF forrnida BILE feet is
-. as 2 deliberate challenge Of England's
.ecardancv at sea and must be met by largely
,reressod expenditures for new construction.
r. ol5-iae two-nation standard has dsap
,,.s-ed owing 10 the entente with France and
-, ,,11anse Of Russia. but and fantastic
80 &c s-tifciany created when Germany's in
,-os--nert II battleships and armored cruisers is
oor-la5 with President Roosevelt's recommended
-,o,-s for the expansion Of the American navy
= =--ae,,-aI,Ie argument for increased burdens
,-o- British taxpayers Whereas year ago
- lo,-inr down n another hattleship was de-
-.,-ad IN The expectation that the peace con-
&c ,,7o7,ld succeed in carrying out some coun-
= of ne-fection. immense pressure is now
hroveh: to bear upon the admiralty for
.-renp-bening every class of fighting and de-
fensive ships
The nassion for new construction now takes
hfr inf 1e5i at a
en5 little. : year ago IL was announced that
- .5-ni-sIrv with Sir John Fisher as chief
.--o- considered its position respecting battle
sb,re and arnored cruisers so satisfactory that
>, co,ld devote its attention TO improved Edgars
,a Roadiceas The assumption that the
tas7-fae- fighting ships in line of battle can he
s.fsiv neglected is now dismissed by the ex-
-e--e They agree that battleships and armored
c-,,;sers must be built in larger numbers since
Germany and America are strengthening their
<ae-e They also insist. although they are not
tn accord on details. that new classes OF cruisers
rnust be supplied at an accelerated rate. There
Is indeed E revival of the oldtime theory that
England must have the best vessels Of every
-rne end more Of them than any rival nation.
whether armored cruisers Of the highest speed
snd gun power. intermediate or second class
cruisers OF smaller unarmored craft. Although
exre-ienoe has been gained IN the Spanish
American and Russian-Jspanese wars, il still
remains true that q modern feet represents
investment of millions Of treasure in securities
Of unknown value The supreme test viii come
when the war occurs between Germany and
Frelsrd Of which experts are always writing
with easv going fippancy. It Will then be
known what types are worthless and what are
really efficient in attack or defence. So long as
England has thu hest ard the most Of every type
she VIII he II . safe position for the final
vivsl OF the fIIest In the mean time tax levies
must increase AID the raids on the living and
the dead from Somerset House must go on.
The cruiser controversies illustrate the whinn-
sical nature Of international competition in
power The Edgars were designed nearly
twenty years ago because France and Russia
we're laying down cruisers of over five thousand
tons as an intermediate class between
a-ro-e6 and srmored craft classed
thirds htths With tonnage Of 1850 and
with formidable gun fire they were equivalent
70 cruisers OF the first class, and were tech
nicaIly considered more than e match for the
ships built by Russia and France They
now second class cruisers. and no foreign nation
is building ships corresponding to them in
tonnage and armament Since the experts find
& difficult 10 justify increased number Of
them by the eXigencies Of rival construction in
Europe OF America. they talk about improved
Edgars" OF high speed with armament OF the
e2-inch guns. These variants Of the Dread
nought II designed and constructed will outclass
Hl Intermediate vessels in foreign navies be-
tween the speediest ermored cruisers and the
unerTnored cruisers. There will be nothing
afoat meet them and their construction on
large scale here instead of being a defensive
Measure VIII be challenge to foreign countries
70 initiate them at heavy expense
The improved Boadiceas. which the experts
contend must be built IN response to naval con-
struction IN other countries, can be more readily
JUSTIFIED than the Edgars, improved or unirn-
PROVED These unarmored third class cruis-
ere Of $500 tons. or even less. and costing be-
tween e half and q third as much. There is
more Justification for them since Germany with
hsr Brenens America with her scouts and
France and Italy with similar vessels for regu-
4ar cruising are experimenting with this general
type, and the Admiralty during recent years has
shoFn more energy in condemning small ships
10 Inc scrap auction than in ordering con-
s'ruction- There is now a clamorous demand
10Y improved Boadiceas in large number de-
signed for fighting torpedo craft and destroyers
eAo constructed so TO be superior IN arrna-
hent and speed 70 the German Gazelles. At the
sane tine, while intermediate and -unarmored
cruisers Of foreign fleets ere outclassed by new
Eogars and Boadiceas. the work OF keeping a
superior line Of battle with the heaviest ships is
u 20 OF al an accelerated rate, cost what IL
nay and hard pressed as the unfortunate Chan
0e-or Of the Exchequer may be TO find the
money The swan music Of the Hague congress
IL" sounds ike cuckoo song l. ". T.
PARTIES AND PUMPS.
re-as, .he late Francis Murphy. well known as tenn