New-York tribune., 1910-12-18
Canada Acts on His Theory
That Victory Viii Perch
ON Banners of Tenn
rerate Forces.

;-.. 1910 hr the Brentwood Company
Conada has taken to heart the kaiser's
-oo,,+ 1,on1ilv on the Importance of So
,,-;a+,, in the naval profession: for 1t mas
=, ,,,,ounced that alcohol in any form
nv shape is strictly forbidden on board
-. cruisers and gunboats of her new
v So if the Dominion warship
>riobe touches at any American port on
ber VOYAGE between Halifax and the
West Indies. with the Governor General
as Messenger. visitors from shore will
be restricted TO liquid refreshments OF
q temperance character, While nothlng
b,,t mineral waters Will be served at any
,uncheons, dinners and dances that may
he given on the vessel in honor Of Ameri-
can guests.
FmUeror William wound UP the ad-
dress referred TO above, and which was
delivered at the dedication Of the new
Naval Academy at Ffensburg, with the
words. Victory in the next war VIII
crown the colors of the nation which
consumes the least alcohol This does
not mean that William is total alb
s1ajner. He drinks both beer and wine
n n.
who have been entertained 10y him at
,he Yacht races at hiel, on the Hohen-
vollern. at Berlin, Potsdam or Wilhelms-
hohe can testify.
He is keenly alive. however, to the I'M
perative necessity of not merely tenn
,,erance. but also OF total abstinence on
hoard his fleet under the new conditions
of naval warfare. Everything in an ac-
lion at sea depends upon the sighting OF
she guns with the utmost degree of eX-
ectitude. There is little boarding to be
done in these times Of ironclad warfare
Vessels are no longer armed with tier
upon tier OF small cannon, some of the
1attleships OF the early Victorian era
having had over a hundred of them
Modern men-of-war are equipped with
gigantic pieces Of ordnance, relatively
few in number, carrying prolecuIes OF
colossal weight over range of several
miles. II is no longer necessary TO pep
per the hull of a man-of-war full OF
small cannon ball holes in order to sink
her. This can be achieved by one single
well directed shot from any of the great
guns with which the warship of the
therefore. upon the precision of the gum
merry. and the belligerent whose every
shot carries home is practically certain
TO win the day.
To-day three maritime powers surpass
all others in the matter Of naval gun
rery-namely, Great Britain, the United
States and Japan. Admiral Lord
Charles Beresford. who for years has
been a total abstainer-not as a matter
Of principle, but by way of affording an
example to the men under him-while in
command of the Mediterranean and the
home fleets. laid stress in a conversation
with me when he was last in New York
on the fact that his prize grlnners were
inen who did not drink. and who were,
therefore. able to shoot with more pre-
cision than any one whose pulse was in
the least degree quickened by an alco-
holic stimulant.
The British Admiralty has not yet fol-
lowed the example of the United States
which has long since abandoned the
daily ration of grog to the men of its
navy. Yet the commanders Of all Brit !
tsh Inen-of-War in commission have in |
structicns that in lieu of the double ra- /
tions Of spirits formerly served out to |
crews when going into action not a drop /
Of alcoholic liquor. 10 matter whether /
spirit, wine or malt, is to be allowed /
among officers or men when there is |
any fighting TO be dcne. In order to 4
slake the thirst engendered by the heat, !
exertion and smoke inseparable from a /
naval combat, supplies of oatmeal and /
water for drinking are arranged all over !
the ship
Similar rules are in force in the Japan
ese navy, where, as in that Of England, |
3nebriety formerly treated with relative
Indulgence, is now punished with such !