Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-08-05

new 1OFk, aug. USW'
ey, ranking officer of the American
navy, declared last evening, after
hearing of the wal news abroad, that
he believed that this country was on
the threshold of a great opportunity
and that its destiny was peculiarly In
the hands of Providence.
He is stopping for the summer at
the Oriental Hotel, Manhattan Beach,
where he was informed of the declara-
ton of war which Germany had made
against Russia. The Admiral has
come in contact with all the navies Of
the world in his long career and he
knows well the naval forces OF Eng
land and Germany.
He has followed the news Of the
war very closely in the last few days,
for, having regained his health in the
in%vigorating airs of the beach in the
month that he has been there, he
finds a new zest in life. Sitting on
the piazza of the hotel he gaZed out
over the sea,r watching the coming
and going Of the steamships and com,
menting on the making of history.
Chance for Merchant Marine.
Owing to his official position the
Admiral refused to discuss the i'm
pending struggle of the fleets of the
Powers. He said, however, that now
is the great opportunity for the Unit
ed States to build up q merchant ma
rine.
'Now is the opportunity contin-
ued the Admiral, III Congress acts,
for the United States to have its
share in the carrying trade Of the
world. l thoroughly approve the pro.
posal Of the President to have the
ship navigation laws SO amended that
vessels of foreign build may come un.
Aer the American flag. The present
statutes are very severe and some
modification Of them would undoubt-
eddy be necessary.
Have the Men for Vessels.
'In recent years this country haO
had practically no merchant marine.
Its transatlantic steamers have been
confined to such vessels as the st.
Louis and the st. Paul. There are
coasting vessels, to be sure. If the
opportunity opens for this country to
obtain ocean carrying trade there are
thousands of well trained and vigor-
GUS Americans who could man the
steamships. There has not been
enough i%nducement lately for them to
Join the merchant marine. With a
change in the law l have no doubt
there will lbe a great increase in our
carrying trade and that many vessels
will soon be under the Stars and
Stripes.
Zone who follows American his.
tory" continued the Admiral, cannot
but be impressed with the fact that
this country. is in the hands of God.
We ire in the present situation free
from foreign entanglements. At this
time u granaries are filled with one
of the greatest crops on record. The
United States has before it the oppor;
|tunity to re-establish her once great
mercantile marine. 1t is an oppor-
tunity which should be grasped."
Admiral Dewey sat for a moment
looking over the blue water as though
turning over in his mind the course
Fof events.
Il have lived many years. he said,
|"I have followed the history of this
country In many phases, and to me
the thought has come that this land
was set aside for the realization of a
high destiny. Its mission no doubt is
Ito provide a home of freedom for the
depressed Of all lands.
incidents Of History.
Recently 1T Saratoga I read an old
book in which was an account of the
incidents which concerned the sur
Erender of General Burgoyne. The or
Fder was given that the American col
onies should he considered as in d.
visions, cleft by the Hudson River.
From Canada was to come a great
column under Burgoyne. From the
east was to come another column,
while Sir William Howe was to- come
up from New York to join Burgcyne.
History records that he never did.
There was found in the State rec.
|ords of England not long ago, as this
book tells, a certain unsigned order
directing that one of these divisions
join Burgoyne. The minister, who
was to have signed it, noticed that a
|lblotted sheet was brought to him, and
sent 1t away and directed that A clean
copy be prepared. He never did sign