Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1891 — Page 6

ITALIAN WAR SHIPS.

ffOW THEY COMPARE WITH OUR OWN. Hoolared —Uncle Yarn's Inefficient Navy— Our Coast Cities Would Be at the Mercy of a Well-Armed Foe.

the cannons are thundering before the mass of the people have found out what it is all about. The stormy temper of the Italian Government seems to have softened and *n era of concessions has been opened. It is well, however, to know with what the United States would have had to deal had the ancient and famous kingdom with which we lately became involved in a dispute formally declared war upon us And let us remember that, where a collision is possible, it is not only dangerous but it is bad form to underestimate our antagonist. Italy is a maritime country and lias been since the bold Venetians, at a time when other mariners were afraid to venture out of sight of land and tied up their galleys at night, pushed northward through the fog as far as Iceland. It was the daring of the Italian mariners, culminating in the splendid enterprise of the Italian Columbus, which pierced the “Sea of Darkness” and idled tlio Atlantic with the argosies of conquest and commerce. The Sicilians and the Neapolitans are veritab e water dogs. Italy takes pride in everything pertaining to tiio sea. Her great naval establishments at Taranto, at Naples, at Uastellemare, at Venice, at Spezzia, are always crowded with workmen building new ships for commerce or for the protection of commerce. The very lifo and soul of the nation since it was unified in 1871 has been put into tho upbuilding of this navy. And why! Because its chief work, when the great European struggle, so long postponed, but so certain to come, begins, will be to grapple with the gigantic navy of France, and to keep that ag-

gressive nation from changing the political geography of the Mediterranean ■coast Italy's navy is essential to the reborn nation’s life, and the nation has made the most tremendous sacritices to maintain it This navy has been a kind ■of mystification for which wondered how Italy, with only just ordinary resources, could go on year’after year building huge ironclads like the Duilio and the Dandolo, carrying four muzzle-loading Armstrong guns, wearing armsr nearly, twp feet thick at tho water-line and 'eightiiert inches thick on : the' -turrets! 7 Those vast floating fortresses,': with their guns •worked by hydraulic mechanism, these •ships which cost more than *5,00!',000 ■each, are not intended, it is said, for any extensive cruises: but the Italians claim that even vessels like their Italia and Lcpanto, each 400 feet long, 72 feet wide, and with an extreme ■draught exceeding 30 feet, with engines ttwice as powerful as those of any other afinored ship in existence at tho time they were built, could patrol a foreign -cqast and remain absolute masters of •■the situation, sinking any ordinary lighting vessels within an hour. Now let us see how the naval force of Italy is at present divided. The kingdom has: Twelve first-class ironclad battleships, with 132 guns and 5,658 men. Three second-class ironclad battlo•ships, with 23 guns and 727 men. Ten second-class unarmored battlo*hips, with 88 guns and 2,588 men. Nineteen third-class battleships, with «9 guns and 1,927 men. Five transports of the first class, with 23 guns and 1,004 men. Seven second-class transports, with 16 guns and 411 men. Five third-class transports, with 8 guns .and 201 men. Six schoolships, with 40 guns and 1,456 men. Five ironclads, armored and unarm•ored, for coast defense, with 23 guns and 1,200 men. Forty-six ordinary fighting ships, with .Bl guns and 1,100 men. Seven torpedo sloops, with 20 guns. Fifty seagoing torpedo-boats, with 100 fguns and 856 men. Thirty-eight coast torpedo-boats, with 48 guns. T wenty-one second-class torpedo-boats, ■with 21 guns. This fleet, large enough to grapple with such great navies as those of France or England, is manned in time of war -by 1,903 officers and 01,007 men, of ■whom 2,000 are gunners. It must be remembered that Italy has, 4n some respects, a better navy than France or England, because she began building at a late date and profited by the latent discoveries, while England is. -atlli mourning over huge arks which acfen.ee has already left behind. Some -of Italy’s vessels carry the heaviest gunsj -over made —the Armstrong, breech-load-' ing rifle of 13 to 17 inches calibqr. ’ The Duilict and .the midable monftters, and play mis-t chief on the American coast if 'assisted ! by a little squadron of torpedo boats. ■The Dandolo is nearly 350 feet lohg and has sixty feet breadth of beam. She .has a displacement of 11,202 tons, and, : like tho Duilio, she. has four 17.72-inch -100-ton muzzle-loading titles. tftree 4.14ach breech-loading lilies, and fourteen

ARS between nations -often arise from slight ; misunder standings,which occur just as the original quarrel seems settled, and both parties are beginning to congratulate themse'ves that peace will be maintained. Nations are like individuals; it is very hard to make.them upderstand each other. Each nation thinks that its understanding of the other is perfect; when, presto! it finds that it has been mistaken, it loses its temper, and

machine guns, as well as three Acted torpedo tubes. The Ironclad cuirasses of these vast ships are eighteen (inches thick. ' i - Now as to tho ability of the United

States to combat with such a power as 'Ahis the defense would bo simply a question of guns mounted on the land, for wo have not ships enough to hold at bay a foreign fleet. The matter of our plac-

SPAR DECK OF THE IRION-CLAD "DUILIO." [It is said this mighty-war vessel could anchor at Sandy Hook and bombard New York City.]

ing gii'nls in position to resist a naval attack is 1 not, however, quite so simple as it seems. Although tho efficiency of a gun on the land may be ten times greater than that of one on a mobilo baso such as a ship, the United States still labors under disadvantages. We have not got the heavy guns. We could not build them in sufficient number under a twelvemonth, and when a yeaF is stated as the limit of time necessary for tho construction of a heavy pie< e of ordnance, our ingenuity and mechanical abilities may bo vaunted beyond their capacity of execution. Tho fighting power of a navy constitutes its strength, and in that we are now and will be for years to come, under the most favorable auspices, lamentably deficient Even in men we have not enough now authored by law to man the ships already built. Wo have tho test guns and thd ability to build the b,e.st shi| s; but, as a matter of fact, are to day more Doorly prepared, so far as our naval strength goes, than we were fifty years ago, whon twelve line-of-battle ships could have been equipped in sixty days. A navy cannot be improvised or built at will againsj; an enemy that has a navy already constructed. And modern men-of-war, such as wo must have if we have any, are complicated machines, requiring years to build. We cannot light against brass knuckles with kid gloves, and the ability to run away is not the best safeguard for national honor.

The American navy to-day is in a state of transition. It has “shaken oil the old” and is only beginning to “put on the new.” Our twelve remaining wooden ships would be of no benefit in a contest with any naval power. As elements of a fighting force, either for defenso or offense, they could render no service. Of the new steel ships, sixteen have been commissioned. Of these, the Miantonomah is an iron doubio turreted monitor, and the only armored ship we have afloat. are small gunboats. Eight are protected cruisers. One is known as a dynamite cruiser, and is still an experiment. One is- a torpedo-boat, as yet unarmed because the department has not found a torpedo satisfying all requirements; and the remaining ship is a dispatch-boat, indispensable as an adjunct to a fleet, but not a serviceable addition to the actual fighting force. Thus our present naval strength resolves itself into one armored monitor for harbor defense, eight cruisers, and four gunboats. The Mianitonomah is practically the only fighting ship we have; that is, the only one that would be,able to attack an armored adversary as well as to success-fully-defend itself against attick. She is oi£ jonly reliance to-protect our coasts, ovfi; (interests, our rights, and our propei;||,jand is«f 4,000 tons displacement, 260 fepfi ;in length, 55.10 in breadth, and draWs 14.6 feet of water. ' She is of the monitor type —low free-board, two turrets, with a superstructure between for her secondary battery, an assumed speed of ten knots; seven inches of compound armpr on h&r sides, 11% on her turrets, ■fafid an armament consisting of four 10inch 27-ton guns, two iu i ach turret,

I 8,150 and 6,648 tons respectively; one Is an armored steel battle-ship of 6,300 tons; three are coast-line battle-ships of 10,200 tons; one is a coast-defense vessel of the monitor typo, with barbettes instead of turrets; one is a steel harbordefense ram, and four are double-tur-

UNITED STATES CRUISER “PHILADELPHIA.”

four rapid-lire guiifl. two Hotchkiss revolving cannon, and two gatllngs. Five of the eight cruisers, tho Baltimore, Philadelphia, Charlestpn^S»n Francisco and NewarV- are excellent vessels of their class. They have speed armament, and protection against tbe fire of secondary batteries, equal to that of any cruisers, of.aqy nation, of equivalent displacement. They asp armed, and with guns believed to be equal jf not superior to those on any similar vessel yet launched. They constitute the true nucleus of any navy; are the skirmishers, the scouts, the cavalry of the fleet; but their offensive power is only int' nded for use as against an eqepiy’s. commerce or his unarmored cruisers. They are built to maneuver quickly and to run away successfully from armored ; vessels and fighting ships. The three remaining cruisers, the Chicago, Boston and Atlanta, b?long to the same class and are constructed for the same purpose as those just described. They ara also effectively armed. The four gunboats, Yorktowu, Concord, Bennington and Petrel, find their field in war time in rivers and in shhlldw waters, going where armored vessels cannot venture. Of vessels authorized and in process of construction, two are gunboats of 1,050 tons, or 600 tons smaller than the Yorktown class; seven are unarmored cruisers, three of 2,000 tons, two of 3,183 tons, one of 5,500 tons, anu one of 7,400 tons; two are armored steel cruisers of

U. S. CRUISER “CHARLESTON.”

reted monitors similar to the Miantonomah in general characteristics, but one of them, the Puritan, is of nearly double the tonnage, and improved so much as to

rank with coast-defense vessels; making a total of twenty-one ships that will be added to our naval force in about two years, of which twelve are fighting ships, six of them sea-going, and three of these

U. S. GUNBOAT “YORKTOWN.”

equal in armor, armament, coal endurance and efficiency to any similar ships of any naval power. Mauris Hariuxgtox.

GOWNS FOR SUMMER.

to nnj Ladles Slay Ba Congratulated Upon t' o Tutlntn of the Season's Designs. The snmmer girl trill be smarter and more chic than ever this snmmer, for her flannel gown has lost its fullness and taken on new comeliness, says thp

New York Sun. It will be cut severely plaid in front, with plenty of fullness in the back, and will be worn with a little silk or flannel shirt, which belts down beneath the skirt instead of hanging over the belt in a blouse or waist. Now,every girl knows how much trouble it is to keep the skirt band from slipping down, below her belt, so some one, kindly wise, and we think a woman, has invented a girdle bolt with lacings on each side in front to cover the most unmanageable of the waist bands. Her sailor hat will ba a little lower and considerably broader brimmed than last y<ar, her waists decidedly more like shirts, and her brother’s sash arrangement will be generously patronized. Her challies and ginghams and india silks will be sflnplv frilled affairs with paniers and bretelles, or simply flounces of the material with bands of velvet. Every girl that has a pretty neck will be generous of her charms in a modest and maidenly fashion and most cool gowns will have turned back frills from the open neck. Now, the most wonderful thing about the wonderful summer girl who bowls and climbs mountains, flirts and dances, rows and rides the long summer days away, looking divine every blessed minute in these simple gowns of which we are talking, nine times out of ten makes the gowns herself, and that is why the designs are printed just to give the home seamstress some practical ideas now when she needs them.

There’s no girl in the universe except the American girl who can teach or write or sing for her living all the year and act like a princess royal when she gets away for her vacation. All the luxurious, high-bred gentility of the society queen who doesn’t comb her own hair promptly comes to the summer girl when she shakes off her shackles, and though she ba3 made her own dresses and earned them besides, there’s nothing of the working woman about her when her work for the year is done. Now, any clever girl, with a mother or sister to pin up the seams, can make out of simple cashmere or crepe lisse the most fetching kind of a gown with only a simple skirt of material in old rose or stem green with black bouncings, or blue, white or soft gray with white flouncing, and the little coat waist with full chemisette of mull and wrinkled sash of silk. The flounce on the skirt is gathered in clusters with ribbon knotted and fastened below the heading. Almost any clever girl may make the gown, but only the girl with the plump and dimpled neck can wear it with grace. It seems very hard that the pretty girls who do not need pretty gowns to make them charming are the only ones who can wear them.

REMARKABLE CRONIES.

Six Old Men of Mobile* Ala.* and Tlieir Peculiar Habits. Yery curious people inhabit this corner of the civilized world, and perha’ps among the most curious were the six peculiar old men of Mobile, says an Alabama writer. Two of these old men ■were great cronies. They loved to be in company the one with the other, and theymQßr failed to meet once each dafr during the later years of their lives y but their daily meetings were curious. Uncle John sat each evening by Mis fireside reading book or paper, andlabout 7 o’clock Uncle William came intolthe room, gave a glance at John, and pen, picking up a book or paper from the table, sat gravely down in his chair opposite John, and began reading. No word was said. The two old men read silently for two or more hours, sometimes as late as 11 o’clock, when William folded his paper or laid down his book, aud in silence as before, took his hat and departed. These old *nen were never known to exchange a word during their meetings. There were two other old cronies in Mobile. These had the habit of walking out together every afternoon at 5 o’clock. They lived in the same street. Their promenade took them to the'river front, the wharves of which were then, as now, a famous place whereon Mobilians “took the air.” Departing they were in the best of humor, chatting pleasantly of the topics of the day; but returning they were invariably in the worst temper imaginable, abusing each other for every fault possible, and calling each other every name short of pickpocket and horsethief. Stopping at thfeir several front doors, they would shake their fists at each other and solemnly declare that never, so long as they should live would they condescend to notice each other. The anger was genuine, and the language very warm. By the next afternoon, however, the sky had cleared and the old gentlemen appeared promptly at the 5 o’clock hour, and, saluting, would begin their walk and their talk, which always ended in the quarrel above described. There were yet two other men of Mobile. They would be old if they were now alive, but by the time they came into view they were hardly beyond the middle age. As chums they had early in life taken a room together down on St. Francis street; but, unfortunately- during the first month of

their occupancy of their rooms thev quarreled over some trivial matter and resolved to cease speaking. Neither of them would consent to vacate the premises. They had taken the room together, and each one thought he had as good a right to possession as the other; therefore, out of pure obstinacy, neither would budge. So they lived together, and whenever the one had any instructions to impart or request to make of the other, the instruction or request was “reduced to writing” and the written sheet placed on the center table in the room, where later the person addressed found it and left a wrritten reply in its place. This peculiar association lasted thirty-four years, when Anally one of the silent men found a partner in life and went to housekeeping. The other man vacated the room the very next day.

THE MANNISH GIRL.

She 'Will Be Seen at Seaside and Mountain Resorts This Summer, Here is a model for the summer girl, sent out by a New York firm. Ob-

serve the cap, the collar, the coat. Let us hope this jaunty girl will not quite materialize. She is just a bit too mannish.

How He Moved.

A little lad, whose family have anticipated the Ist of May, was seen yesterday personally conducting the transference of his own private and personal belongings. He moved in a large toy wheelbarrow, which contained, as he rolled it briskly along the sidewalk, several sets of blocks, a wooden cow with a broken leg, a model of the Eiffel tower in silver cardboard, two dozen or more tattered picture books, half a dozen gayly painted wooden tops, a “pigs in clover” puzzle,” a red and green Japanese butterfly kite, an elephant with hide of gray canton flannel, a locomotive and train of tin cars, with joints somewhat dislocated, a foot-ball, some roller skates and various other treasures, over which towered high in the air a bright canvas-covered sign purloined from some small dealer’3 booth at a summer picDie, urging humanity at large, and all passers-by in particular, to smoke a certain brand of cigarette, drink a certain variety of beer and shoot the doll baby at so many shots for a nickel. The lad felt Jiimself a man of many possessions. —New York Recorder.

A Bishop’s Tit-for-Tat.

A capital story is told of one of our leading bishops, well known for his good sense and rare wit, says the London Spectator. He was staying at the house of a country gentleman who posed as an ardent total abstainer. During dinner on the first day of the bishop’s visit, there being nothing to drink on the table besides syrups and mineral waters, the host, turning toward his reverend guest, said in an undertone: “My lord, you will find some wine in your bedroom.” The bishop, with characteristic taste, briefly acknowledged this curious concession, and partook of the refreshment placed before him. Some short while after this the bishop received his teetotaler friend with becoming hospitality at the palace on a return visit. During dinner his lordship quietly remarked to his guest: “Mr. So-and-so, you will find some water in your bedroom.”

No One Stopped Him.

Says Judge Richards, of Chicago: “I was once a justice in Bosque county, Texas, when a little man was brought in by a constable and two assistants for the offense of carrying two revolvers. I told him he must pay $2 and lose the weapons. At that the little fellow broke down and actually cried. Finally, with the tears streaming down his cheeks, he said: *Oh, Judge, jes’ let me bid ’em good-by. Ma giv’ ’em to me an’ I can’t go without handlin’ them jes’ once.’ I consented, and the moment he got the weapons he straightened up and, leveling them yelled: ‘l’d like tew see the galoot as can get mil’s pistols now. Now I’m agoin’ on my journey.’ Nobody tried to stop him.”

Mone ?ary Item.

A few nights ago a policeman halted a suspicious-looking colored man who had a trunk on his shoulder. “Where are you going with that trunk ?” asked the minion of the law. “De family I has been boarding wid has been axing for money, and as dev was done gone out ter night I tuck advantage of de opportunity ter git inter some family what has some consideration for de panicky condition ob de money market,” was the reply. Says the Chief of Police of Cincinnati; “We have kept pretty good track of our looal crook*., and I don’t remember a case where a man has gone to prison for a crime, and served out his time, but we had him up again in a year or two, or he was "caught redhanded somewhere else. I’d as soon think of trying to reform old Satan himself as a professional crook,” ‘‘Get there, Eli," is a good motto, but stick there, Eli, is a better one: Many dogs have a larger mouth than the bull-dog, but the bull-dog generally carries away his mouthful.

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