The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-06
OUR v PLANS.
Warnings From the Past Not 10 Let
Politicians Middle Them.


TO THE EDITOR or THE sUN-Sir. The
present situation of our naval plans
would be ludicrous were IT not tragic.
But this Is nothing new. In 1881 the
y. s. $. Lancaster. flagship Of Commo-
dore Bancroft Gherardi this younger
son Is naval attache in Berlin). came
up the lower bay under steam, and
barely made n four knot speed against
the tide and a northwest breeze. She
had Just come from the politically noto-
rious navy yard at kittery, where her
once graceful clipper bow had been re-
moved n replaced by a vertical bow.
made to look like a ram. II could not
be used as a RAM. for the ship nae no
speed any longer. Her battery con-
sisted of so-called converted smooth
bores.' that is II inch guns OF civil
war days. with a l!ning tube OF steel,
rified. They were worthless. as they
we're OF course much too short, and the
only mystery is that they did not eject
the tubes when fired.
Shortly before. five years TO be exact,
there left the Brooklyn navy yard In an
unfinished condition another ship. the
Trenton. politically notorious as many
will remember. She. too. had these won
derful guns.
Now both these ships were products
OF a politically. not a scientifically. run
navy. For years France and Germany
had used breechloading ship guns. our
naval officers well knew the worthless
ness Of smooth bores. cast iron rifles
and converted" smooth hores. But
Congress an the Navy Department
would not listen to scientific advice. and
the remodelled Lancaster and the politi-
cal Trenton were the result.
But fortunately in 1881 Judge W. II
Hunt became Secretary Of the Navy
= 49, - ----
and chock full of that now SO rar,
article American common sense. He
got In touch viii the intelligent. go.
ahead side Of the navy. and to him are
due the first sketches n plans OF our
first modern all metal ships. He did
not. much 20 the navy's regret. stay al
the head Of the Department long enough
TO see his plans mature and become
floating warships. But while he was
Ambassador to Russia work was begur
under his successor on our first foui
modern ships. the Atlanta. Boston. Chi.
cage and Dolphin. Secretary Hunt. how.
ever, was not followed by men - his
sineleness OF thought. and Secretarie'
Tracy and Whitney were a gopl dea'
more Interested in politics than wa'
rood FOR the navy.
90 Later again when Sim and under hin
younger men. JUNIOR ieutenants and en-.
~ NA' 'ktN ~ ' W. - NHHi|
the navy been needed the dreadnough'
might have been an American. not or
English. creation. The active. far sighted
men had long since seen that the ships
with only four IL inch guns and add.
t!onal batteries OF s inch and : Inch
guns were really good only as far as
the IL inch guns were concerned. AM
that fewer and heavier guns were th'
thing. | know this because / heard thes,
men talk az the time.
England had pulled herself out OF th'
slough OF backwardness and discarded
all her old muzZle loading eighty tor
guns OF newspaper fame and one DAY
she showed the world the origina
dreadnought. a ship with all her defecti
AS superior to any other hattleship %
war az was the Monitor in her day. Oui
officers had TO swallow their d!sap
pointnent. even II their very first pro
duction was far ahead Of the Engliss
ship. Alas. She was but an improve
rent OF the latter IN the eyes ~ III
world. not an original
To-day nobody. even IN the war col
lege. wants war. But Intelligent laYnei
cannot understand why navy men ar
not consulted on the question rr!maril,
and their advice taken IN any event
Navy men have Connon sense. The!
know quite well that even the purse o
the United States has a bottom. Bu
laymen interested In the subject. not al
contractors or manufacturers. but. like
myself. az a mere citizen. get mad whei
the politicians interfere.
Congress II very wise. no doubt. yer,
wise. But a member OF Congress VIII.
Ia a lawyer doesn't go to a banker 4
ave his eyes treated, or II he IL
business man he doesn't consult an &C
ulist about investments or loans. Pre-
paredness does not mean a chip nj
Uncle Sans shoulder Uncle Sam IA
got too much sense for that Hut
there IL anything to he learned in his
tory, and very recent history, II Is this
In spite OF what Berlin may say. Ems
land. except AT sea. Mas utterly UMPIRE
pared for war. Had che had 500. 90
men on hand in August, 1914. Their
would havc been no invasion OF Eel
glum or had II occurred. II would hav
ended very differently AT Mons fror
what II did, So soldiers think.
| don't suppose any American want
our country 10 be a second Germany i
mil!tarism and aggression. But ven
: ture TO assert that all Americans wan
I their money well spent on the nav!
under good technical advice, and no
. frlttered away by politicians on hal
!, baked plans. ASTrpEST OF HIsroRY.
NEW YORK, June 8.