The Washington herald., 1909-06-16
THE RACE FOR
SEA CONTROL
By FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

pracuce. which viii be completed on the
New England coast The vessels have
been thoroughly overhauled since they
completed the world-girdling tour last
February. and are believed 70 be in the
pink Of condition. No man has ever
charged, even In the days when our navy
consisted Of obsolete wooden ships. some
OF them unseaworthy. that the personnel.
including enlisted men as well as officers,
was anything other than fl and ready for
any service which might be demanded.
The American navy was more generally
discussed throughout the world last year
than all the navies OF all other powers.
This was due to the cruise which the
great heet made around the globe. sail
ing in many strange seas. and calling et
ports Of so many different nations. Natu-
rally enough, there has not been so much
naval talk this year. so far as our own
navy IS concerned Events IN another
quarter have transferred interest from
The American 10 the navies OF Great
Britain and Germany. These two DOW
ers appear 20 be engaged in a shipbuild-
Ing race which Is unique IN the history
OF nations. and which, according to sew
eral authorities. must terminate in war
or bankruptcy
It is difficult 70 realize that less than
twenty-five years ago the United states
did not have a single armored sea-goIng
ship, and that now we are prepared 10
enforce the most recent Interpretation Of
the Monroe doctrine in any part OF the
world with a navy second in power only
rNm TrHsF~
Of every other nation has been OF slow.
steady growth. IN the execution Of a fixed
purpose and the carrying out OF 2 long
defined policy; but this country appears
suddenly 10 have awakened 10 the fact
that the American navy was worthless
so far as vessels were concerned. and
that a nation so well able 10 build war
ships should be represented on the sea in
a more creditable manner.
The beginning OF the new navy was the
passage OF the naval appropriation bin OF
Issa. authorizing the construction OF three
steel cruisers and one dispatch boat. al
total cost OF $4,000. Such q sum
would not start a contractor 10 work on
one or che battle ships or cruisers Of the
navy OF to-day. There was not an armor
plate factory IN the United States. nor
a plant az which could be turned out guns
OF greater than siX-inch caliher. There
was not torpedo or machine-gun plant
IN the country. But armor plate factories
sprung Up. and the government estab-
hshed the great gun factory az Washing
ton IN ISL The increase IN our naval
strength from that year was rapid. and
when the spanish war broke out IN $50
IL not only found the American navy IN
q perfect state OF preparedness, but strong
enough 20 annihilate the navy OF Spain
in a campaign OF 10 DAYS.
No race is so costly as thar which
many nations enter in seeing which can
increase its naval armamenJs most rapfd-
y. The cost OF war ship OF the Dread
nought class may be roughly stated a.
Slenoooo. Battle ships OF the first class.
speaking OF the Dreadnoughts as in a
class by themselves, cost about S7.0o0 Ooo
The armor and the guns on a vessel cost
approximately. as much as the vessel un-
armored and unarmed.
But the initial cost OF q navy IS IN
significant as compared with the enor-
nous outlay involved in maintaining it
For instance. during the fiscal year 1896
the cost OF maintaining the battle ship
cluded S731. .03307 for cost Of commission
which also represented pay OF officers
and $l40. $50. representing repairs 10 hull
machinery. and equipage. To this cost
OF maintenance OF vessels must be ad6ed
the cost OF maintaining the machinery O.
the Navy Department The amount ap-
pTopriated for the support OF the naval
establishment from 1883 10 1905. includins
both years, was N.374. .624. .00I So. OF which
vast sum only S344. .S)s. .29S S. was expended
in the actual construction OF vessels.
Americans, at least. have never been
able 10 see real cause for the excite
ment which has prevailed in England dur
ing the past few months over the pros
pect Of German invasion. The pace
at which the Germans are building wax
ships is hardly so great as that az which
England is building them The present
war snip tonnage OF Great Britain. &C
Cording 10 the most reliable figures OBJ
tainable. is 1868, 005. while that OF Ger
many Is believed 10 be 594572 Were
vessels the two countries are now build
ing put on the wave Great Britain would
have a tonnage Of LSl7.IT6 while Ger
many's tonnage would be 6s3.5ss. As a
matter Of fact. France IS adding To her
navy more rapidly than Germany is in
creasing hers. and when vessels now on
the ways are completed France win rank
second in naval strength among the
powers OF the world. with the United
States third. instead OF second. the place
she now occupies.
II has been stated that blockade Of
English ports for three weeks would
bring the country 20 a state OF starva-
ton. so dependent is England upon the
constant exchange of her manufactured
products for a food supply. Thar Eng
land appreciates this fact is demonstrated
by the size OF her home feet. CONSISTING
OF twenty-six armOred vessels, which can
fire a broadS-de Of over 10000 pounds.
The German fleet IN the North Sea con-
sists Of twenty-four armOred ships.
which can fire but $500 pounds at q
brOadside.
The British home feet IS always in
commission. ready 10 20 into action on
notice. while several OF the German YES
sells are in commission but a part OF each
year. The British vessels or the home
feet mount 100 guns OF Pinch cali
Der. it is stated. while the German feet
carries forty guns Of u-inch caliber
In case OF a war between Germany
and England both countries would keep
their armies at home and on the alert.
England would probably blockade The
Germany navy, while maintaining close
watch that a German cruiser did not slip
out and smash British commerce. Ger
man commerce would. Of course. suffer
great damage. If not annihilatiOn. but
owing 20 her position and the extent Of
the empire this would not hurt Germany
so severely as such blow inflicted upon
England would injure that country Ger
many IS more nearly a match for Eng
land IN point Of torpedo boats than IN
haffla shiDs Indeed The rs,n1ha- fv each