September 10, 1898.]
"There are two classes of commentators, one comprising those who overrate the navy-as to ships, guns, and their number, not as to the personnel of the navy. The calmest critic must admit the obvious fact that that cannot be overrated. The second class comprises those who under rate the navy. Even this class rarely if ever criticises the personnel If there is a middle class which estimates this arm of the United States military service accurately I have never met it. The nearest approach to it is in the nava ranks, where every officer and man has not only the respect due to the service, but fully appreciates the fact that our navy is not nearly so large as it should be. There are rea- sons, which must be sought for in the founda- tion of the Republic, why a formidable military force, upon either land or sea, is not viewed with the same favour that it is held in under monarchical forms of government. However, that is foreign to the present proposition. We are discussing the American Navy as it is, and not as it might, should, and I firmly be lieve, surely will be,
"Take the ships first. We have already thirteen battleships of different classes, some of them of the first class-that is, what European nations would call first-class. Some of these vessels now nearing completion will in point of fact rank as the most formidable floating fort resses in the world. Some of our armed cruisors, such as the Columbia, Minneapolis New York, and Brooklyn are of the first rank in their class. Some of our minor cruisers, gunboats. and monitors have been and will be in Chinese waters, so that a good idea is to be had of our vessels of the third class, and I think and assert with patriotic pride that we have more than sufficient cause to praise our Asiatic Squadron.
The Spaniards who have been dabious as to the power of these ships are now at last no doubt enlightened. The modern American guns with which these ships are armed bave shown, 80 far as can be told from tests, that they are the most powerful as to efficiency and strength ever designed.
"It is to be remembered, too, that the United States is the home and birth-place of the steam- ship, that came almost full fledged from the brain of Fulton, of my native state of Pennsylvania. The powerful propeller used by the ships of all nations is Errickson's ever- lasting monument. America is not only the birthplace of heavy naval artillery, but superiority in naval gunnery is a birthright of the American Navy. While we now have guns 80 powerful as to throw a shot through the heaviest armour plate in existence to-day, it may be confidently claimed that even better styles of guns will appear promptly when the need for them is demonstrated.
•
It is a truism that 'execution is the swift child of thought in American juvention, and if occasion demands it, natal architec- ture will be rapidly revolutionized. This is not an overdrawn statement. In truth I am sup- ported in my claim by no less an authority on the subject then the past-master in the art of Philadelphia ship and engine building, my friend, Charles H. Cramp, known the world the Father of the New Navy by reason of the fact that he designed and superintended the building of the best battle-ships and cruisers of the American Navy. From Cramp's ship yards came the famous record breakers the St. Louis and St. Paul of the American Trans- Atlantic Line. These vessels were couverted into cruisers by the U. S. Government and rendered most effective service in Cuban waters against the Spanish ships.
over
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Cramps also built the latest and most power. ful men-of-war of the Japanese Navy. Most of the war ships of the South American Republics and many of Russia's modern men-of-var were built at Cramp's on the Delaware.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
my highly esteemed, distinguished, and learned friend Mr. Francis, Q.C.
"I do, however, desire to invite your atten- tion to and speak of the history of American naval gunnery in the crude small navy of our forefathers in the War of Independence. It was then demonstrated most satisfactorily that not only would our American gunners shoot well, but that they would fight with coolness and intelligence. What was done when the American Navy was born in the time of 1790 to 1800 What was done ?
Did we follow traditions? Ob, no, indeed, not a bit of it. New naval types were designed and now naval armaments mounted; the efficiency of both were so well demonstrated-as history shows-in our Mediterranean War and our short, sharp, and decisive action against France, that even the British Admiralty were amazed at our audacity and subsequently convinced, some twelve or thirteen years later, when this poor insignificant Yankee navy' which would be swept from the seas in a month or two ‘—I quote from a London newspaper of that day- demonstrated to the world that not only was gunnery a science and an art, but there was a science of naval warfare as well. To be sure Collingwood and Nelson did, years before, try to teach the British Navy that this was true, but the British did not appear to realize the fact until the Yankee fleet proved it in every battle.
What was the result of our victory over the British The designs of the British ships were changed. Even before the war of the rebellion in the southern states of our country our naval artillery was more formidable than that of any other nation; and this war for the Union de- veloped not only the greatest and best naval ordnance then conceivable but also an accuracy of gunnery unheard of before. Even at this late day Spain raised the same old cry against us and clung to the delusion that there are so many foreigners in the U. S. navy that the gunnery will be bad and the fighting worse." See what that Spanish statement implied. They feared Americans but not other foreigners. The same material is in our nary to-day that carried Admiral Farragut and the mild mannered midshipman Dewey past the belching forts of New Orleans and took them into Mobile Bay. This criticism is more than langhable, for the American marine would always fight if there was but a shingle to stand upon.
This Spanish episode is a blessing in dis- guise and will stimulate the development of our Navy, increase and expand our commerce, and place us in the front rank of nations."
THE PUBLIC WORKS REPORT.
The report of the Hon. R. D. Ormsby, Direc- tor of Public Works, for the first half of the current year is published in the Gazette and gives full details of the progress of works during that period.
KA
NEW MATERIAL FOR MACADAMISINO. Under the heading of * Maintenance of Roads in Victoria Mr. Ormsby says
Queen's Road Central, from Ice House Street to the Supreme Court, has been macadamized with 3 inches of the hard blue crystalline stone (gneiss) of which there is an abandance in the colony. The general use of this stone would result in harder, smoother and better roads, not liable to become a mass of greasy mnd in wet weather; but owing to its extreme hardness, contractors demand double rates for breaking it, so for the present it has only been used ex- perimentally; other arrangements for utilizing stone-crushing stone, by obtaining this machines, are under consideration. The intro-
duction of a steam road roller will result in street repairs being much more rapidly and efficiently done.
A NEW ROAD TO KOWLOON CITY.
The changes and improvements in naval ar- chitecture are but examples of how history repeats itself. I don't propose to quote naval history from the British point of view as in Under the heading of “Forming and kerbing "the following occurs :---“ The new road 'James History of the Navy, or from the streets American in Maclay's History of the Ameri- from Hung Hom to Hok Un is nearing com- ,can Navy," nor even attempt to dissert upon the pletion. It bounds the land recently acquired philosophy of naval history after Mahan which for the establishment of cement works, and was so intelligently reviewed in a most interest-opens up a number of excellent building sites ing, entertaining, and instructing lecture on the for which, no doubt, there will be a demand in subject of Sea Power in History before the the early future. This road should be extended Odd Volumes Society of Hongkong recently by to Kowloon city next year."
221
DEVELOPING THE MACDONNELL ROAD
DISTRICT.
The approach to the bridge on MacDonnell Road from Garden Road has been raised and much improved, and will be of benefit to the tenants of the numerous European houses now being built in this locality. The nullah west of the tram liue is being arched over, to admit of the construction on it of a road to Bowen Road station from MacDonnell Road; half the cost of this work is being met by the Hongkong Land Investment Company.
PATH BETWEEN WANCHAI AND WONGNEI-
CHONO GAPS.
A trace was made between these gaps, touch. ing Middle Gap on the way, and a two-foot wide path has been cnt along it for the use of pedestrians. If funds are available this will be opened into a 12-foot road in 1899.
The Mount Kellett Road has been much im- proved by filling up a deep depression beyond the Gap between "Wageningen" and Des Voeux Villas. The cost of this work was borno by Mr. Ede, who thereby got rid of a large quan- tity of earth from the front of "Myrtle Bauk.”
VICTORIA JUBILEE ROAD.
The survey for this road was finally completed in June. It was delayed for several weeks by the serious illness of Mr. Hughes, who con- tracted fever while working in the swamp near Aberdeen. The length of road traced and sur- veyed between Shaukiwan and Kennedytown is 18 miles. The plans, which comprise some forty sheets of survey and cross sections, ai e well in hand, and calculations for the prepara- tion of the estimate are in progress.
A very satisfactory trace, with good gradients, has been obtained, and it is hoped that a start with the work may shortly be made.
THE PRAYA RECLAMATION AND THE
NEW PIERS.
From the section of the report devoted to the Praya Reclamation Works we make the follow- ing extract:-
Sections Nos. 6 E and 7 W.-Work on these sections has been in progress since May, 1897, under contract No. 11 of 1897 with Messrs. Chan Ying Cheung and Chan Tong. This contract included the construction of the New Pedder's Pier and Pottinger Street Pier, on the original designs, but work had been stopped for three inonths last year by order of Government owing to the decision to substitute open steel or iron piers. Eventually, Pottinger Street Pier was completed as designed, and opened to the public, while the work of lifting the blocks of the Ped der's Street Pier which had been set in the foundations has proceeded departmentally. This work has proved very difficult and expensive and is not yet sufficiently advanced to admit of the contractor proceeding with the superstructure of the base on the new and approved design. It involves the removal of 34,000 cubic feet of con- crete blocks and 17,000 cubic feet of rubble heart. ing, and replacing in another position 16,000 cubic feet of blocks and 20,000 cubic feet of hearting. Up to 30th June, 11,000 cubic feet of blocks had been removed. The earth work on this section was well advanced during the half-year, practically rendering available for public use the whole area from Ice House Street to Pottinger Street and out to the line of new harbour front.
A FRACAS ON THE PRAYA,
PORTUGUESE V. DUTCH,
mander Hastings, A. C. Botelho (40), clerk, At the Magistracy on 2nd Sept., before Com- and J. L. S. Alves (50), clerk, appeared to answer charges preferred against them by P. C. Kent, the first defendant being charged with using abusive language and assaulting P. C. Kent, and the second with assaulting the cop. stable and attempting to rescue the other mán from his custody. Mr. Francis, Q.C. (instructed by Mr. Wilkinson), appeared for the defence.
P. C. Kent said—I was on duty on Pedder's Wharf at 11.30 pm. on Wednesday when launch No. 7, belonging to the Dock Coṁ. pany, came alongside the west side of the wharf with the Dutch Consul-General and In the meantime the Star ferry launch party. came on the outside of the dock launch and
the passengers commenced to scramble cross. Before they could reach the step the dock
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