The Washington herald., 1909-08-29

There IS a heavy fog drifting in thick
sheets over the water, through the mist
the faint chimes Of a ships bells sound
clearly
There is the quick rush and patter Of
/ bare feet over the smooth decks. Sharp
orders ring out from unseen lips. and
/ the clang and rattle OF ponderous ma
chinery roar through the air. The fog
curtain lifts for a moment and discloses
the grim forbidding shapes OF seven
/ ships Of war. OF armament sufficient 10
blow the city from its very foundations.
There IS the crash and the roar OF
neavy guns. the shouts and cries Of the
wounded and dying.
There is the great cheer Of victory,
and the news is flashing around the
world telling OF the prowess and might
OF Uncle sam. But as the cloud Of fog
lifts. and the brave sun shines forth. all
| this Is seen 70 be but memory.
The seven mighty ships OF war, around
one OF which at least there movers the
glorihed figure OF perpetual fame. the
Brooklyn. the heavy steel metal and
skilled gunnery OF whose jackies helped
10 break the power OF Spain at Santi-
ago. lie idly awash In the back channel
Of Uncle Sans great naval station at
the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Unremem-
/ bered, except on anniversary days. the
heavy weeds hang IN mourning WTeaths
upon the anchor ropes The barnacles
gather thickly upon their bottoms. and
OF their mighty armament and the heroic
hearts that once throbbed upon their
decks nothing remains. except dummy
guns. and perhaps an old salt or two
sitting idly upon her decks. spinning
yarns OF long ago.
Resting at Anchor.
Seven great vessels OF war. which cost
the government more than Sl5.o00O00, re-
main thus at League Island. They are
the Brooklyn. Columbia, and Minneapolis.
] OF the cruiser class; the Terror, the
/ Miantonomah, and the Amphtrite. Of
The double turreted. low freeboard mont
/ tor class. and the Katahdin, a ram,
which never fired a shot from the time
/ Of its completion, and whose death kneu
=! will be sounded soon when she VIII be
I shot 10 pieces by the newer and greater
war ships OF the navy for practice.
/ Seven great vessels. which at one time
were the pride and glory OF the nation.
/ built only few years ago. are rusting
away their life at anchor chains until
/ the time shall soon come that they will
/ be put on some ships bOneyard. or pos
/ sibly made targets for the practice Of
marksmen aboard the newer and more
powerful vessels.
/ There is nothing the matter with them.
except .hat they are out-of-date. The
order has gone forth from the Navy
/ Department that they are too old They
are OF an antiQusted and ancient pat
/ tern. though built only few years ago.
/ The ships are "as old as the hills IN
/ naval parlance, and their doom has been
/ sounded.
I There are many carplng critics and
anti-imperialists who cry out loudly
against the increase Of our navy. They
/ point out the fact that the life OF a
war ship Is short az the best: that a
! few years serves TO lay them upon the
/ bOneyard. and that the wealth OF the
\ nation s being swallowed up by this
/ absurd and useless expenditure Of money.
\ They ask, with much heat rs Il worth
/ while TO spend millions upon armament
/ that will never be used2" The jingoes
/ rave and foam over the cost.
History Gives Answer.
There can he but one answer TO these
rabid fanatics. and that is history. The
/ war ships, whether in or out Of service.
are the crown Jewels IN the belt OF the
nation. They are the guarantee and
\ pledge that This country makes 10 the
world that the Monroe doctrine must
! be respected. Each shot that was fired
/ from the guns Of the Brooklyn broke
one OF the rivets that bound Cuba 20
\ the rock OF torture IF the Columbia.
/ the Minneapolis. and the other Ave ships
/ which now lie in harbOr at the navy
\ yard never fred a shot in battle they
I were prepared. and thousands OF eyes
y looked wistfully through the port holes
I Of these ships as they heard the news
\ telling Of the ships which were fortunate
/ enough 10 be in action in the Spanish
/ American wal.
I The answer has been given that this
! cost is worth while IN numerous vital
cases OF national peril. Under Paul
Jones the lesson was taught that II Is
! necessary to build war ships.
The ram Katahdin was authorized in
/ 1852 by the Naval Committee Of which
/ Benjamin ". Harris. Of Massachusetts.
was chairman AT that time the ram
/ idea was In much favor II was said
\ by some naval experts that properly
armored and with sufficient speed a YES
! sci OF this type could ignore both shot
ard shell. being built low in the water.
and could dash upon opposing vessels
and ram them with It's sharp bow, send
/ ing them 10 the bottom. At that time
the armor was stronger than the guns,
and this idea seemed to be correct. The
/ advisory board wanted five vessels Of
the Katahdin type built. but with habit
uai caution the committee refused 70