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1899.) MARINE REVIEW. 2 w life. Under such a plan New York and Pennsylvania could give two battleships, or one battleship and one armored cruiser, or two armored cruisers; other states, Jn proportion to their population and wealth, con- tributing one battleship or armored cruiser or a smaller vessel. Rhode Island could manage a protected cruiser at least, and no state but what can do as much as that, even if it has to issue short term bonds in pay- ment of the cost. The plan is patriotic, feasible and a time saver. It would tend to stimulate the liberality and patriotism of the interior states, and, if properly presented by congress to the states, could hardly fail to secure prompt and favorable action. To provide a suitable number of officers and men will not be hard. An increase in the number of cadets at the naval academy will supply the officers, and the popularization of the navy by having each state provide a vessel, would tend to furnish a good number of seamen from the interior. In time of peace 5,000 to 20,000 men would be the maximum number needed, as the majority of the vessels of the offensive fleet would be laid up in ordinary, with caretaking crews only, and all of the vessels of the defensive fleet either in ordinary or in charge of the naval militia of the various states. It could be made a sine qua non before a monitor was provided for any port, that such place should provide a sufficient number of officers and sailors to take charge of it or them, as the case might he. Any seaport would be able to provide a crew for one monitor, and the state in which a port or ports were situated could no doubt furnish enough naval militia to man the defence fleet allotted to that section. All vessels being sheathed and coppered, they would need no fresh water station in which to lay up, and frequent dockings would not be necessary, while the fleet of destroyers and torpedo boats can be hauled out of water and kept under cover at the various navy yards, save as required to be used to practically teach torpedo boat work to young officers. The increase in the navy will be gradually needed and no large number will be required in one year. The personnel act will provide a good number of officers for command; rank and additions can be made as needed. We require one thing, however, we are not likely to get, and that is a supply of high ranking officers--admirals and vice-admirals. We should have at least one admiral and three vice-admirals, with a sufficient number of rear ad- mirals to fill the important sea and shore commands. The admiral should be the technical commander-in-chief of the navy on duty at the depart- ment as the official adviser of the secretary, and two of the vice-admirals should be on duty at sea, one on the Asiatic station and the other where- ever an officer of his grade should be found most needed from time to time. The necessity for this lies in the fact that other nations have their important fleets on foreign stations under the command of a vice-admiral, and we should be in a position to demand for our fleets and commanders all the courtesy and consideration afforded to any nation, and at the same time have an officer of as high a rank as any he is likely to meet with on the station, so that his opinions, counsel and wishes may carry as much weight as those of others. It is really more necessary that we should do this than that we should have ambassadors instead of ministers, for our naval commanders are generally in a position where they are forced to deal with people who are susceptible to the influence of titles and without the assistance of diplomats or regular diplomatic proceedings. The ex- pense 1s a mere trifle, and the exalted rank is worthy the magnificent officers we have educated and entrusted with the command of our floating fortresses. The increase of the navy demands provision for .its care and repair. We are now about as ill equipped with yards and docks/as possible, and the docks lately ordered are not, in some instances, of a permanent order. For durability we need stone dry docks and plenty of them. Each navy yard should have at least one large enough to take in the largest class of ships and two others capable of taking each two of the smaller vessels, so that five ships could be docked if necessary. The cost for maintenance of a properly constructed dry dock is practically nothing and its need is great in time of war. Proper defences have to be provided for our foreign naval stations as well as those at home and a suitable force provided to defend them. The marine corps is the proper body to be charged with this duty and it should receive such additions to its rank and file as will enable a sufficient number to be detached at the various stations for proper care and protection. The habitual procrastinator argues that we have plenty of time in which to get ready for our next war. The over-confident citizen who thinks we can whip any nation under the sun, does not see the necessity for prompt action, but surrender to the desires of either class is liable to leave us in a serious position at any moment. It is true that we awakened the envy and admiration of the world by the conduct of our navy during the war with Spain. Other nations, however, feel confident that they could give a better account of themselves than did the Spaniards, and this is no doubt true. The feeling of respect we created will not stave off hos- tilities, and the present conduct of certain foreign nations indicates that ere long they or we must do some giving in. As we feel that we have ex- cellent grounds of offence against some, and as the differences are sure to be over trade questions, where neither power will care to give in with- out a trial of strength, the danger of collision is great. Our motto should be "Ready, aye Ready" for whatever enterprise may come to us in the future, and the people should see to it that the politicians provide the sums needed to place the navy in a state of preparedness to take advantage of any exigencies that may arise. Hugh Ramsey of Perth Amboy, N. J., wishes to sell his old ship yard located at that place. As Mr. Ramsey has leased half of the yard for a period of eight years to a Vulcanite company, the remaining portion of the yard is small and suitable only for the construction of small vessels. Thanksgiving day rates via the Nickel Plate road are available Nov. 29 and 380, good returning until Dec. 1, inclusive, at one and one-third fare for the round trip within a radius of 150 miles. A Peerless trio of daily express trains. 166, Nov. 30 A SPECIALTY: Ouy-=IM > 2 So oaz-S0-4 amar OUMNSDPI THE AMERICAN MANUFACTURING CO. 65 WatLLc STREET, NEW YORK. Boe THE LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF FIBER IN THE WORLD. A SPECIALTY : 4-STRAND PLUMBAGO HEART