New-York tribune., 1908-12-27
Mr. NEWBERRY'S PLAN FOR MERCHANT MARINE

''ViIl you tell me how you became Assistant Sec
retary Of the Navy in 1862
.I received an unexpected letter from President
Roosevelt in which there some mention OF
the Yosemite and his desire TO have me in Wash
ington I had no previous knowledge that the
President was considering No political in
duence had been employed in my behalf, and the
letter surprised greatly"
How many battleshipS are being built By the
United States?'
six; and they will be the greatest fighters
that were ever put afoat-"
"Wrl you give some impressive facts to Illus
trete their size and stregthZ-'
Each ship will cost sSooooOo VIII be 90 feet
long, and its displacement will be q. .S25 tons Its
will consist of S54 and about 90 officers.
Ten 12-inch breech loading rifles win be arranged
that all Of them be fired at the time and
at the object. The projectiie OF a 12-inch
gun weighs SO pounds. A broadside, therefore,
from of the ships Will bs equivalent to
800 pounds 7-29 tons OF metal. There will also
be sixteen 5-inch rapd-hre guns each ship. The
projectile of 5-inch gun weighs so pounds Tor
pedoes will be fired from tubes. two every
ship The weight of the armor alone Will be 4.S0O
gallons OF water day. A potato peeler will be
operated by electric motor. and the dishwashing
machine will have a capacity OF 1900 pieces Of
crockery hour. The bunkers will hold $500 tons
of coal"
What would broadsids from the Pinch guns
cost in money!
THE projectiles cost s251 apiece. The powder
charge for a projectile weighs 9I0 pounds and
costs including bag and ignition So the total
cost of round is S464- A broadside would be
ten times that sum- S4.640. A ive-inch gun can
be fired for $50 50-S15 for the shell SIS so for
the powder charge OF twenty-five pounds
Can who has not been graduated from
the academy at Annapolis become a commissioned
officer IN the navy?"
THE door is wide open to those who can pass
the examination 1t is possible for sailor on the
deck to be admiral I should say there are ten
neutenants in the navy to-day who have come up
from the ranks"
How can the flag OF the American merchant
marine be made TO fy every ocean?'
The word subsidy is odious to the people OF this
country. 1t sounds them like graft. But a
merchant marine cannot be built unless the gov
ernment gives Its help under some name or in
some form. We cannot have shipyards If we have
free ships. Shpyards are necessary, and the men
who work in them should always be paid the
American standard OF wages. A duty on foreign
built ships protects yards. but the ships built
in the yards. costing more TO construct and at
least 25 per cent more TO maintain than the ships
owned IN Europe. cannot compete with the rest OF
the world Furthermore. other countries help their
shpowners.
Il cannot with propriety advise Congress what
to do unless were asked for my views. but a
citizen interested IL commerce and public policies
It seems to that we could create a merchant
marine by making II auxiliary TO our navy. II
go 20 shall require merchant
ships in which TO transport troops. to carry coal,
to actsas dispatch bearers and scouts. to be used
for hospitals and for many other purposes. II
have ships OF shall be compelled
buy them In foreign countries. Then. too. a well
developed merchant marine would give the United
States a large body OF trained for service on
warshlps in the event OF trouble.
I'm my Judgment respectable merchant marine
one OF tho really big questions OF the day-ships
which will fit the navy and which will earn every
dollar paid to them by the United States in time OF
peacs well In time OF Americans are
generous, but they want service value for all
the money they spend"
cepSEisht. leos. by James q MorT0ga