Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-09-26

ing before the simplest order can be
carried into effect. On April Is. the
minister ordered that the arsenal au-
thorities at Toulon should have two
portable telephones placed on aboard
the warships OF the. Patrie type. The
answer arrived one year later. on
April 2. 1909.
While trivial details are treated with
rigorous minuteness, essentials d.
rectly affecting the national security
are Overlooked or only tardily at
tended TO. At Toulon there are Loco
torpedoes ready for mounting. This
cannot be done because the metal sup
piled is OF such bad quality. Urgent
plans for new torpedo cannot be
sent because there is no blue print
paper-and so on. The brand new
tug Tapir, built for the naval station
al Saigon, In the Far East. could not
be dispatched to its destination as 1t
was too small TO stand such long
voyage. and TO tow II thither would
have cost II more than il was worth
Such instances of Encouragement
could be quoted ad inhnitum.
The inquiry commission in the
course OF a visit 70 Bizerta (Tunis),
the chief naval port OF France on
the north coast of Africa, found that
about iO,000. 200 had been squandered
on works OF doubtful utility.
If we turn from the ships to the
arsenals, we find the same lamentable
abuses. Toulon, with its 600 dock.
yard men has ceased to build. II can
only with difnculty keep the squadron
in repair and has frequenVy 10 hama
work over TO private yards. When me
lena was rendered. useless FOX acs
tive service, the arsenal was not even
able TO patch 1t up. so that 1t could
be used for artillery experiments
though such work must inevitably fa'l
to its share II war were TO break out =
AN these uupalatable truihs- have
been crammed down the threats OF
French deputies ad nauseam. On the
very day that witnessed the tremen-
dous oratorical duel between NJ. Del
casse and NJ. C1emanceau, the chamber
had been yawning over NJ. Emmanuei
Brousse'3 bitter denunciation OF
abuses.
since 1870 he said we have
spent ten milliards t2.000. 000,0 00b.
over our fleet and we have no fleet.
At Toulon found that the port cap
tain had TO pay for five liters Is "a
pints) of essence out of his own peck
ct, because there was none in the
storerocm. Fer gfeasing machinery.
olive oil costing s22 is used instead
of mineral oil costing one quarter OF
that sum; at Brest good spirit costing
over 500 is used whereas methylated
spirit costing one tenth would serve
the. same purpose; On the Edgar Quin-
ct an American port-fire clipper has
never been known to work.
1t needed the slashing indictment
of Al. Delcasse, uttered with all the
venom of a personal enemy of the
president of the council, TO arouse the
Chamber. Had NJ. Clemenceau kept
silent his ministry would still be in or
fee. But he lost his temper flung
himself into the arena and charged
NJ. DeIcasse with having Inundated
France by leading her to Algeciras-
This was too much for French patriot
ism to tolerate and NJ. Ciemenceau
fell. France now has an admiral as
minister OF marine and an under sec
rotary of state for the navy has been
created to assist the minister in an
administration capacity. VIII they sue
coed where their predecessors have
failed
The crisis has become so grave that
an immediate solution is absolutely
necessary for it is impossible that
country with such an extensive sea-
board, with such splendid harbors
and with such great commercial IN
terests to be protected, can allow it.
self to sink to the level OF fifth
rate sea power. VIII the nation and
government face the situation and
make the inevitable sacrifices? ! ask
ed Senator Humbert to answer this
question. afs
If | did not know said NJ. Hum