New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-17

in this back-river Of utter ruin. desc
lation and decay is not without us
grimly comic side.
Sisters of the Oregon
For example, the Indiana has not
even a gangway communicating WIN
the mainland. ports are closed, hatches
battened down. the lifelines sag
around the decks, the ship is dirty and
foul and the wind howls through the
deserted bridge. A single gangwav
connects with the Massachusetts. lying
next. equally deserted and unslgntiy,
but here on the deck some one has built
a wooden shed with stove within ana
crooked tin chimney over the roof, that
the ragged negro keeper OF both SHIPS
NAY not literally freeze to death. .,
Some wag, nevertheless, has caused
an immense sign to be painted, pro-
claiming in large letters that these
two abandoned hulks are SISTER SHIPS
of the Oregon"
Again, a couple Of ships further on
one comes to sign similar 10 the
other in size and design, proclaiming,:,
Minneapolis, commerce destroyer
Looking up, one sees another foul and
deserted ship, with tattered rigging
fiapping in the breeze. There is not
port hole as far as the eye can see
which is closed, and as one Watches
flock of English sparrows are flying IN
and out of those very ports. The MIN,
neapolis. by the way. never destroyed
anything but coal.
Another sign has recently been re-
moved. 1t stood beside the destroyer
Beale and declared that men were
urgently needed for work within. III
aid not bring the men.
The picture would not be complete
without some mention being MADE OF
the German auxiliary merchant snip
Fitel Friedrich, no less forlorn. the
yellow paint peeling from her sides.
which is tied up next TO the North Da,
kota. A marine sentry and painted
sign proclaim that one cannot proceed
beyond this point. The Germans are
hedged off by themselves. STILL IN
their quaint uniforms and absurd caps
thew lend a little animation TO the
scene. and few sailing parties IN inc
ships lifeboats are in strong contrast
TO the settled gloom over the American
dreadnought and men-of-war.
Unable to Get Away
Naval regulations prescribe that
every ship in reserve must be able TO
nut TO sea within four days unless
especially excepted from this provision
by the Navy Department. 1t is said at
the Philadelphia yard that even, II all
these ships had their full complement
of men there are only from four to SIX
that could get away at all, and that as
regards most Of them, like the North
Dakota, it would take year, or year
and a half, to render them seaworthy.
These ship3 here in the back channel
are precisely the type which formed
and still forms, the nucleus OF Eng
lands only or chief defence against
enemy destroyers and submarines, Even
old ships like the Indiana and Massa-
chusetts. in condition, would be OF
priceless value in case Of an enemy
raid on the American coast-submarine
or other.
Neglected as they are, however, these
ships not only are of no benefit to the
country but they are an actual menace.
They are carried on the books OF the
department as an asset when they are
nothing Of the kind. They enable men
like Representatives Tavener, OF
Illinois, and Kitchen, Of South Caro-
lima, to assert that we possess navy
which we do not, and to delude with
such false statements a section OF the
country. remote from the coast, which
has small enthusiasm for or interest in
the navy.
Worst Of all, perhaps, these ships
subject their reduced crews to every
form of dissipation ashore. The men
are too few to do efficient work. They
know it, and become slipshod. They
acquire habits of Incidence and con-
tempt for discipline and are useless
when sent to sea. In the majority OF
cases a good man, Disguised with the
service, will refuse to re-enlist. The
reserve feet, as at present managed
and conducted, is menace to the naval
service and should be abolished.
cEEc ZOE pEAIIZEn AT GALE