Gilpin observer., 1908-02-27
SENATOR PERKINS DEFENDS
GOVERNMENT POLICY AND
PLEADS FOR MORE SHIPS.
PRESENTS STATISTICS
OUR PACIFIC FLEET NEARLY AS
LARGE AS JAPAN'S
NAVY.

hington.-Senator Perkins OF
California Friday spoke in the Senate
in justification of expenditures for the
upbuilding of the American navy and
of the policy of sending the fleet into
the Pacific ocean.
He reviewed the achievements of
the navy and declared that it was the
most popular branch of the govern
ment service.
He gave statistics to prove that the
heavy expenditures on our navy since
1880 have resulted in gigantic growth
for our iron and steel industries, nee
essitating an enormous increase in the
number of men employed, with a cor
responding benefit to the nation.
When the fleet now on its way to
San Francisco is joined by the other
effective vessels on the Pacific" Sen
ator Perkins said, 1--WE shall have
fleet of eighteen battleships, eight
armoIed cruisers, thirteen protected
cruisers, thirteen destroyers, five tor
pedo boats and two submarines. The
battleships and cruisers alone, aggre-
gate 4z5,172 tons, while the other naval
power on the Pacific-Japanese-
only 7S4, ,701 tons in all classes of yes
sells. The Pacific fleet will be amply
ocean"
Attention was called to the un-
broken record of bravery which the
navy presents from its earliest begin
ming, and on the Pacific those who
man the vessels will have the examples
of Commodort Soat, Admiral Kim
berly and Admiral Dewey for inspira-
ton.
The senator sketched the growth of
the new navy from 1888 to the present
day, when the United States has be-
come the second sea power in the world
SURPRISING France by a small margin
in the strength of our fighting force
and for outstripping Germany, Russia
and Japan.
And this lead, he said, the United
States is easily able to maintain. BY
authorizing only two more battleships
of the big gun type, this nation would
still lead France by 10000 tons in sea
fighting force.
Reference was made to the change
in the character of battleships which
resulted from the lessons of the naval
engagements during the Russo-Japan-
ese war, which taught the importance
of big ships carrying big guns, so that
a greater weight of metal can be
brought within shorter battle line.
Hence all the naval powers are build
ing ships carrying only twelve-inch
rifles for offensive purposes and COM
paratively few small rapid fire guns for
defense against torpedo boat attacks.
THE cost of the vessels of the new
navy built, building or authorized is
S309 ,359 100, while the total eXpendi-
lures on account of naval establish
ment since 1888 is s1,244, ,651 ,039,' said
Mr.. Perkins. But this vast expendi-
ture is not, as may be claimed by
some, unproductive. The construction
of the ships of our navy gave such
stimulus 10 the iron trade that more
iron mills were established, better ma
terial was produced, prices were low
cred and iron and steel came into gen.
eral use in all kinds of construction.
SO that now we are the greatest iron
and steel manufacturers in the world"
In 1880 there were only 100000
wage earners in the iron and steel in
dustry of the country, earning s55, ,000,-
900 and turning out products worth
$3.50, 900. In 1905 there were $751;,
600 wage earners earning s4S2 100000
and turning out products worth 81,
176,O00,0O0. The average wage in
creased from $400 to $500.
THE average wage of workmen in
the iron and steel industry will today
more than pay the cost of all the YES
sells of our new navy built. building or
authorized: and one-half the value of
the iron and steel product for a single
year will pay the entire cost of the
naval establishment since 1883"