The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-12-11

J l1ufRd0tfdilC lllConlHViNhSs -
no means convincing.
Such articles as this appear from
time to time, both in Great Britain
and in the United States. Perhaps,
in the long run, they will do some
good, In Great Britain there exists
a school of writer's upon naval sub
iects. who have been arguing for
wears that Sir William White, the
great naval constructor of that coun-
try, has been turning out ships which
look good to the eye but, neverthe-
less. would prove an easy mark TO
the superior warships of Germany.
Most of these writer's disagree upon
most subjects, but all agree that II
only their ideas were adopted the
roval navy would he perfect.
So it is in this country. Every
now and then. some writer feels 1t
necessary to sound note of alarm
about our army or navy and tells a
country. which stubbornly refuses to
get excited. that things are in bad
way.
/ Mr.. Connolly calls attention to the
+ fact that some of our drydocks are
i in a bad condition, and that on fire.
uuent occasions unavailable places
for docks have been selected because
. of the influence of United States
senators. who wanted the pie brought
TO their particular localities. This is
probably true. and the defect is fully
appreciated by President Roosevelt
and his advisers upon naval subjects.
who have repeatedly called the atten-
ton of congress to the necessity of
better facilities for docking our ships.
Again the author mentions with a
mournful air the case OF naval Of
ficer who was dismissed from the ma
val academy while cadet, re-entered
the service from private life, and yet
reached the rank of captain two years
before the honor man in the class he
would have graduated in at Annapo-
lis. There is nothing SO wonderful
in this. General Grant was consid-
cred an Indifferent scholar at West
Point and left the army in quasi dis
grace Some of the most brilliant
soldiers of the confederacy were men
who had failed at West Point. Mr..
Connolly argues that his man obtain
ed promotion entirely through pull,
but he does not give the name or the
facts. Perhaps the facts would show
this man was promoted for cause.
Even if he did on the other hand get
a hard shove upward at some period
in his career because of political in
fuence this does not mean that the
naval officers are all selected because
of influence. President Roosevelt has
set his face hard against this prac-
tice and has held IL down TO a mini
mum.
The writer also cites the case of
Captain Fox, the retired naval Of
ficer, who, during the civil war, was
appointed assistant secretary of the
navy by President Lincoln and who
soon showed his superior abilities by
displacing all the bureau chiefs. This
always happens in. time of war. War
is the one perfect test of the capacity
of army and naval Offices Many men,
who apparently do well in quiet
times, are crowded out in a moment
by the fiery test of war.
Mr.. Connolly is doubtless right in
his belief that if the United States
started upon a war with some such
country as Japan, some of our bureau
heads and some of our flag officers
on the ships would prove unable to
cope with the situation. But there
was never an army or navy yet
that has not had the same expert
ence. Even in the glorious cam
paign of 1870. between Germany and
glorious for Germany
| Prince Won Moltke was forced to re-
move three army commanders be-
cause of proven incompetency in the
field. 1t is wise to keep the best
men available in responsible positions