Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-09-11

| Especial CORES noudcuce.1
~ ABIS. sept l.-Revclations on
| - the state Of the French navy
which have hccn made iu the
| course Of the last few months
in and out OF parliament have only
served TO confirm the apprchensions
which have existed Tor long time en-
the minds Of patriotic Frenchmen who
are not blinded by party spirit The
series Of disasters. however which re-
Gently have befallon the nag OF the
republic In home and foreign waters:
the loss of ;he submarines Farfsdet and
Lutin. that of the Jean Bart and other
fine lighting units and. above an tho
awful catastrophe aboard the Jena,
has at last opened The eyes OF those
that would not see and forced on tho
parliament and people the naked. un-
palatable truth that tho French navy,
which q few years ago was second only
70 the British, as on the downward
grade and has already dropped 20 the
fourth, or even the NTH. place among
the nayies OF the world. Painful as
these disclosures are 60 a sensitive ana
high spirited race like the French, they
arc rendered all the more bitter by the
fact that it is Germany which has
Jumped into the second place, Ger
many which spares no effort and re-
coils from no sacrifice On her bid for
supremacy on land and sea. Now as
the elimination of 10 all ministry has
fallen and Il IS hoped that the degener-
alton will be checked.
THREE PATRIOTS.
Among the eminent senator's and
a aft ~
ing opened the nations eyes 10 the true
state of things iu the navy, must be
mentioned Charles Humbert. Paul Dou-
mer and the eN- minister Of foretgn af-
fairs N. Delcasse, the tao former with
the pen and the latter by leading the
attack on the government which caused
first the resignation Of the minister Of
marine. N. Thomson, and now finally
the overthrow Of the long standing and
apparently invlncible government or NJ
CiemCnceuu.
n was iu the nature Of things that
NJ Delcasse should place himself at the
head Of the movement. for no French
man has had 90 pay more dearly for
the DISCRIMINATION of the land and sea
forces, than the administer OF fore
e.gn affairs in the Comics cabinet. ln
that ministry Camille pelletan, tho S0-
cialist held the portfolio OF the marine,
and to his acknowledgement are to be
attributed in very large measure the
disasters which have since oycrtaken
the French navy A. everyone knows.
NJ Dclrasse's brilliant career Ht the
foreign Office was cut short bon June,
1895 a. the outbreak Of the Franco
German conflict with regard 90 MOrn.-
co. France was not prepared 90 nght
and ~ Dolcasso had to be- sacrificed as
the only alternative to war
over and over again within me last
five years commissions. parliamentary
and otherwise. have been appointed to
enquire into the state az the navy. hut
they have done little or mo- good WIN
this Doe the fate Of the commission of
enquiry which was appointed after the
historic debate several months ago,
when ~ Thomson resigned 20 judge
from tho busInoss-likr way m which
the commission has SET about its work
ana from the character of the mon conn
posing 1.-TWO of the members are "a
Delcusse and a Paul poum0r there
is reason to believe that the turning
point has al last been reached
NOT As REPPEsENTED.
The state OF things revealed by the
enquiry De- truly appalling Men. guns,
ammunition and material f1r Che uu-
keep OF the ships, AN arc lacking. boo
spite of the millions which have been
voted and spent Tor that purpose Tho
main maritime force of France which
ia concentrated In the Medittruueln
at Ioulon. Be- supposed 90 De- in per-
manent state Of mobilization. Ihe sIx
haitlcships composing m are uI thc
fatriC type, ~ 900 toms. ana there ar.
three 1900 ton cruisers of the Leon
1ampetia class some Time ago All