Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 December 1896 — SAYS NAVY IS INSUFFICIENT. [ARTICLE]

SAYS NAVY IS INSUFFICIENT.

Secretary Herbert Makes His Report to the President. The Secretary of the Navy; Hilary A. Herbert, has made public his last annual report of the affairs of his department. The document, while affording much ground for congratulation, is from beginning to end a warning to the country of the insufficiency of its unvy for the requirements of war. The report contnins tables regarding the construction of the new navy of the .United States. The following is a summary of the vessels authorized since March 4, 1593: Total displac?- ~ ’ No. tons. Battleships .......5 67,600 Light-draft guhboats 6 6,000 Torpedo-boats .*....16 2,098 Submarine torpedo-boat ....... 1 168 Grand total 28 ’ 60.866 The boats commissioned during the present administration are: Sea-going coast-line battleships Indiana, Massachusetts and Oregon; second-class battleships Maine and Texas; arjnored cruisers New York aud Brooklyn; low-freeboard coast-defense monitors Ainphltrute, Monadnock. Terror and Puritan (last will fie commissioned Dec. 7, 1890); armored rain Katahdln; protected (cruisers Cincinnati, Raleigh, Columbia, Mlnpeapolts and Olympia; cruisers Detroit and Montgomery; gunboats Castine, Mnchlas and Annapolis (last will be commissioned Feb. 20. 1897). There are now twenty-one vessels binder construction, among them being the lowa, Kearsarge. Kentucky, Nashville, Wilmington, Helena, Annapolis. Vicksburg, Newport, Princeton, Wheeling and Marietta. After reviewing the naval strength of other nations and our own resources the Secretary says: —(■ —— ; —■— .1...,,,. Whoever may be called upon to consider the possibility of n sudden outbreak of war by the United States, any part of Which Is to be waged upon the high seas, will be deeply Impressed with t|ae utter Inability of any administration under present laws to utilize promptly and efficiently, as we should be able to do, our naval' resources. Congress, at Its last session, appropriated $400,000 toward the armament or our auxll-t llary cpnsers. This sum has been used, but It Is .totally Insufficient. Other sum! are needed to supply gone and ammunition with Which to arm vessels to be called Into service from onr merchant marine, and laws .are necessary to give authority to the President to contract for and call such vessels into the

service, to utilize our naval militia, to enlist still Other men and to purchase supplies that may be needed. Until Congress shall legislate upon this subject and give such authority as that herein indicated, it cannot be said that our Government is in conditldn, as* It should be at all times, to meet emergencies as they may arise.