THE FLAW IN THE AMERICAN NAVY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11492, 27 January 1903, Page 4

THE FLAW IN THE AMERICAN NAVY.

The Maritime Association of New York, according to a cable message, has petitioned Congress to "double the Navy," in order to remove the suspicion that America is ••'weakening in regard to the Monroe doctrine. This somewhat excited demand ie presumably -an outcome of the Venezuelan embroglio, the attitude of Ger many in regard to which has aroused a widespread feeling of distrust in the United States. To this anti-Gkrman feeling is to be attributed alijp the clamour for tUe purchase of two Chilian warships now under construction in England, referred to in our cable news thie morning, and the feverish activity of the American naval yards. Public opinion in America, at one time markedly averse from any large expenditure on naval armament, hae veered round in the opposite direction within the last few years. It is now generally recognised that unless the Monroe doctrine is to become a byword, tnie United States must have a navy strong enough to back it up, if necessary, and the recent troubles in Venezuela have served to impress this still more firmly upon the American people. The popular feeling is reflected in the vigorous naval policy which President Cleveland initiated, and which his successors have carried on

with, commendable energy. The United States Navy is now nearly equal to that c-f Germany, and the ambition of the nation is to outstrip the strongest naval power of all—Great Britain. But before the navy can be " doubled," before ite pre sent development can be continued, a serious difficulty has first to be overcome Mr Archibald S. Hurd in an article in the December "Nineteenth Century" draws attention to the scarcity of officers and men in the American Navy, and pointe out that twice the number now serving will be required adequately to man all the ship* alleady built or in the course of construction. lif all the great navies, the American has the smallest number of officers and men. An English battohip has thirty-three officers, , . . , , whereas a first-class American baa only sevente«i, and tlia disparity between the crews is equally niaiked. The fact w that while tho nation Las been demanding a stronger navy, and while new ships have been launched in quiclc succession, adequate stops have not been taken to provide the **assary ciiwy. " Even the existing ships," says Mr Hurd, , . . .. . -could not be sent to sea in Ume of war, •and there no adequate resource, from "which it will be possible to man the vessels " now being built." The difficulty is serious enough already, and naturally the more thips •» built the worse tb« litufttioa be-

come*. Hence the despondent prophecy of the Secretary of the Navy, Mr Moody, who declared recently that unless Congress took speedy and decided action in this matter "it - wotikl not be long before they would see " their splendid alrips decaying in the har- ■ boors, idie as pointed ships on a painted " ocean." It. is indeed a curious situation in a country not only immeriisely wealthy, but ready and anxious to spend its money in building up a navy which ehalS. be the strongest in the world.