The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-10-23
By George c. Perkins,
U. S. Senator from California.

U. 5. Senator from California.
From the time when we sent to
European waters the first ships of the
new navy, of which we were very
proud, and which were collectively
known as the White Squadron our
sea strength has steadily increased
from five small vessels, ranging from
4100 to 5000 tons, to a total of nearly
a hundred first class armored fighting
ships, which gives us the undisputed
position Of the second naval power of
the world. The largest ship of the
White Squadron was the Chicago, of
5000 tons. We have now over sixty
fighting ships exceeding that tonnage,
those just authorized being 81 900 tons
larger. The aggregate tonnage of the
White Squadron Mas 14,291 tons. The
tonnage of one OIL the battleships just
authorized is nearly double the tonnage
of the entire squadron we sent to Hu-
rope to show our friends across the
water that we, too, could build ships Of
war. This comparison very graph
cally illustrates hte wonderful growth
of our navy. If this be not enough,
we have only to recall the cruise OF
the battleship fleet, just ended, which
made the voyage around the world,
steaming over $4,000 miles without an
accident or mishap Of any kind, and
which returned to Hampton Roads in
better condition than when it sailed.
These sixteen battleships ranged from
11,525 tons-almost the aggregate of
the tonnage of the White Squadron
to 10000 tons. The total displacement
of the fleet was about 225,000 tons, or
sixteen times the tonnage of the first
squadron of modern ships that we
sent across the ocean.
That the visit of this great fighting
force to the principal ports of the
world has been of immense advantage
to the United States cannot be doubt
ed Especially in the Far East have
we derived great benefit, for we have
appeared there as a strong nation capa-
BILE of enforcing respect for our flag,
which has been so infrequently seen in
Asiatic ports during the last half. cen
fury that to tie oriental mind tie United
Saes seemed in a condition of decay
The object lesson given by this great
fleet, and the unprecedented voyage
made by it, have impressed the peo-
pies Of the Asiatic shores of the Pacific,
and henceforth tie United States VIII
be classed by TEN with Great Britain
and Germany as one Of the greatest
and most powerful nations of the
globe. The lesson was needed, and 1t
has been thoroughly taught. 1t is
now only necessary to keep strong
force in the Pacific to maintain
the prestige which we have secured.
The American flag above battleships
should be as familiar a sight in Asia {
tic ports as to same flag once was at
the mast head of merchant vessels. AS
we have no merchant marine worthy {
of the name, our flag, If it is to be {
known on the Pacific, must be carried
by fighting ships.
The value to the United States of
the cruise of the battleship ueet is due
in a very great measure to the charac-
ter of the men who served on board. S
No finer body of sailors ever trod the '
decks of man-of-war.N The personnel I
Of the feet was thorough representa- 7
tive of our great country. Every S
state and territory was represented, I
even Alaska having one sailor on the t
Rhode Island. There were over $4,000 e
men on these sixteen battleships, about
$500 of whom came from the New b
England states and New York, New n
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and b
he District of Columbia The great