The Washington herald., 1911-10-01

ufacture of the iron and steel that met
naval requirements. The ancient hit-or-
miss plan of filling blast furnaces with
ore coke, and limestone was abandoned
for precise and scientific methods. Com
mercially and industrially, therefore, our
navy has been of immense benefit to the
country So 1t has been educationally,
as I have pointed out. We have all
kinds of engineering to-day. sprung.
dare say, from the keels OF the first
ships of our new navy.
But reasonable preparation for pos
sible war is not alone contructive, but
II IS preservative," Gov. Long went on
to say. We had no navy worthy of the
name in 1861. The government then, had
it owned ships. could have Immediately
blockaded Southern ports, halted the
shipments of cotton to Europe and the
receipt of wNr supplies from abroad. The
contest between the North and the South
would have been shortened, thousands
of lives would have been saved, and the
cost in money would have been reduc-
ed tremendously. 1t should be remem-
bered that two-thirds of our foreign
commerce, up to the civil war, was car
ried in American vessels. We had $780,
O0C tons of shipping, valued at s2I5, ,000, 900.
It was a great industry. The flag Of
the country was seen at almost every
the chief boasts of our people.
War coming on, We were compelled
to turn our merchantmen into transports,
gunbOats, and cruisers. About 100000
tons was so impressed and at least $780,,
OOO, 600 of private capital was forced out
Of the shipping business. The Alabama,
wooden steam-sloop in England, built
for the Confederate States destroyed
900 tons of our shipping. The owners
81 ventura
forth upon the sea, tied their ships up
in Northern ports. or registered them
abroad. and thereafter sailed under the
protection OF foreign flags The ships of
ether countries thus obtained our trade
and they have kept it ever since. We
are feeling to-day, though half CEN
tury has passed. the effects OF our un-
preparedness when Gen. BeaureEard in
the name of the South. demanded the
surrender OF Fort Sumter.
An Opportunity that Was Lost.
During the course OF tho war Mr..
Welles. Secretary of the Navy, purchased
AIS vessels OF the merchant marine and
began the construction of 20S ships of
war. which were built in a rush. some OF
them Of green lumber. and were useless.
in consequence. as permanent additions to
tho navy. When peace was restored, our
war vessels were sold, and the country
acain was without respectable defense
upon the ocean. The people were worn
out by four wears of bloody and de-
Structive warfare, and were in no humOr
TO start upon the work OF creating a
navy. Meanwhile Congress was niggardly
and indifferent, and also busy. it must
be confessed, in settling new and vital
questions
1t was not realized at the time. per
haps but we We're then in position to
lead the rest of the world in maritime
achievements. John Ericsson. the Swed-
ish engineer and invertOr. had come here
| in 1893. He applied the propeller to steam
navigation. The Princeton, which he
built was the first war vessel TO be sup
piled with screw and TO have its ma
Chinery placed below the water line.
America then was teaching the world the
art of naval warfare and the science Of
shipbuilding The battle between the Mer-
rimac and EriCsson's Monitor demon
strated that wooden sailing ships for
fighting purposes were obsolete That
battle caused the navies Of the earth to
be rebuilt
But not our own. as have said.
] During the administration OF President
Hayes We We're surprised and possibly
Inundated to learn that we had but five
steam vessels Classed as frst-rates and,