Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-09-26
Wrecking of the French Navy

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Paris, Sept. 1s.-Revelations on the
state OF the French navy which have
heen made in. the course OF the last
few months. In and out OF Parliament.
have only served TO confirm the ap'
prehensions which have existed for a
long time In the minds OF patriotic
Frenchmen who are not blinded by
party spirit The series OF disasters,
however, which recently have befallen
the flag Of the republic in home and
foreign waters-the loss of the sub
marines ,Farfadet and Luain. that OF
the Jean.Bart and other fine fighting
units, and above ali, the awful castro
phe aboard the Jean. has at last open
ed the eyes OF those that would not
see and forced on the parliament and
people the naked unpalatable truth
that the French navy, which a row
years ago was second only To the
British, is on the downward grade
and has already dropped 10 the fourth,
or even the fifth place among the
navies Of the world. Painful as these
disclosures are TO sensitive ana
high spirited race like the French,
they are rendered all tAe more bitter
by the fact that II is Germany which
has Jumped into the second place,
Germany which spares no effort ana
recoils from no sacrifice In her bld
for supremacy on land and sea. Now,
as the elimination OF 1t all. ministry
has fallen, and IL Is hoped that the
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Among the eminent senators and
deputies who share the honor OF hav-
ing opened the nations eyes TO the
true state OF things in the navy, must
be mentioned Charles Humbert. Paul
Doumer and the former minister OF
foreign affairs. NJ. Oelcasse, the two
former with the pen and the latter
by leading the attack on the govern
ment which caused first the resigna-
tion of the minister of marine. NJ
Thompson. and now finally the over
throw OF the long standing and appar-
entity invincibie government of NJ,
Clemenceau.
II was in the nature of things that
NJ. Delcasse should place himself at
the head of the movement. for no
Frenchman has had to pay more dear
~ for the disorganization of the land
and sea forces than the former min
lister for foreign affairs in the Combes
cabinet. In that ministry Camille Pe'e-
tan, the socialist. held the portfolio
Of the marine: and TO his mismanage-
ment are to be attributed in very
large measure the disasters which
have since overtaken the French
navy. AS everyone knows. NJ. Del
casse's brilliant career at the foreign
office was cut short in June 1905, at
the outbreak of the Franco German
conflict with regard to Morocco. France
was not prepared to fight, and NJ
Delcasse had to be sacrificed as the
only alternative to war.
The state CT things revealed Dy the
inquiry-is truly appalling. Men. guns.
ammunition and material for the up
keep of the ships. all are lacking, in
spite of the millions. which have been
voted and spent for that purpose. The
main maritime force of France which
is concentrated in the Mediterranean.
at Toulon, is supposed to be IN a
permanent state of mobilization. The
six battleships composing it are OF
the Patrie type. $4,000 tons. and there
are three 12.500-ton cruisers of the
Leon Gambette class. Some time ago
Admiral Germinet. commanding the
squadron, blurted out the truth con-
corning the first fighting line He re-,
clared that his flagship would not be
able to keep the sea against the
enemy at all, for there was not enough
shot and shell aboard to enable 1t 10
fight for an hour. Admiral Germi-
nets patriotic courage cost him his
command, though he has been given
another important post since then.
The curse of the navy as 1t appears
to the outside observer, as the red.
tape and complicated documentary de-
tail by which. in default of the master
mind, ii is vainly sought to secure
choesion and coordination. Reams OF
foolscap must De covered with wiz