Year: 1875

Briefly it may be stated that foreign ironclads can
steam fprther and more economically than our own:
turn more rapidly, owing to twin screws; are better
built and equipped; lay at distance where shot
Of ours reach them and sink the best ships we
have, and impregnable even within ranges to
the best American guns. From assuming numerically
tho second place fell to the ninth and for real EN-
cheney SO close 10 japan and Greece that It is
charity not TO disclose IL The personnel our navy s
Academy 10 compare with our own, graduates TO
match officers, trained and educated as those who
yearly leave Annapolis; but IN mdTtet we are pitiably
mean and degraded.


DUTY OF orr GOVERNMENT


All nations but ours have a settled policy-unless
how not to do 1t be ours England and France yearly
build certain number OF tons to compensate for waste
and destruction. Germany, since her plan OF 1873
went into effect has done wonders Her vessels are be-
ing rapidly built and launched and in their types are
equal 10 the best English iron clads anoat alike the
Hercules sultan and Devastation and inferior only to
the Infexble Let our government adopt some definite
policy We want monitors OF the modern type cruis-
ser that will bring crcdt and enforce respect abroad
rino ordnance that will enable at least hit back:
an advisary board, with ts legitimate head the Admi-
raj Of the Navy superntending IL under the direction
Of the Secretary, and such a coherent and common
sist the general working Of the navy, whc ndividu-
ally they carry out 10 their intended extent their spe-
cjal duties There wild theorists who look 10
the future extinction Of armor and iron-clad ships
among them Sir William Armstrong Of gunnery fame
the Illimtablc gun goting ahead Of finally lmitabe
On this point, and In conclusion, Reed says:-


ARMoR vs. PRoJEcTiLEs


1.-THE abandonment Of armor Is advocated upon the
ground that ~ IS lncdIauo O resisting the heavy
jectiles that be fired from naval guns and s
therefore, OF more value than the personal ar
NOR of the soldier which thrown aside when tho
penetrating power 81 gunpowder brought into play
deny both the assumption and the analogy. | main
tam that tho armoT which have now anoat Is
tmpenerble TO existing naval guns under the ordinary
condtioss OF service further maintain that the
armOr which Is now aloai has by attained,
approached, tho thickness and
weight which Il Is perfectly practicable carry
good gea-going ships Of not immOderate Dimensions
and deny the analogy between the OF a soldier
and the armor % ship While the soldiers armor
absolutely and unaltorably limited to the weight which
a carry, there il no analogous limit TO the
weight which ship carry. You cannot Increase
the physical sength Of mon you the carrying and
steaning power Of ships. assert with confidence,
that the Hercules at this moment Q57O)
impregnable in the region Of the watcr
line 10 the attack Of any and every
gun anOat In any part OF the
world, the shps OF tho future may in ike DO
endowed with like impregnablity against the guns Of
the future and my conviction is that before arInor
ceases be superseded defence against guns guns
will themselves be superseded AZ means Of attack.
Tho ship ITSELF viewed steam projectle possess
ing oil the force Of the most powerful slot combined
be deemed the most formidable weapon OF attack that
mans ingenuity has devised


Thus Reed speaks in opposition TO that body which
exists among us-those conservative old iogies who
will neither study be taught and yet who preach
In ca cathedyd style from quarter decks and around
oahln tables. Congress- give us an lron-elad navvL