Spanish War an Example

Promptly upon the declaration of war with Spain all four were procured by the navy and fitted with guns and naval crews. Because of their speed and steaming radius they were sent scouting for Admiral Cervera's fleet. They were all we had in the way of auxiliaries capable of this work and they were available only because of the mail subsidy.

But even after this we did not learn our lesson. In 1908-09 President Roosevelt, because of certain situations abroad, sent an American fleet around the world. Did American auxiliary colliers and supply ships go along with the American fighting ships? No. The United States Government hired merchant ships and colliers from foreign lines to do this work. Some of these ships were manned by Chinese. Then came the World War and this, is so recent that everybody knows of the money that had to be spent to build ships to carry our troops and supplies across the Atlantic.

At times our naval officers were directing the movements of at least four hundred and fifty merchant ships. In addition to these, the War Department chartered and utilized the services of an immense number of merchant ships flying the flags of our allies and others to carry men, ammunition and stores across. It is a well-known fact that it would have been impossible to have moved our troops in such large numbers or our stores in such large quantities had it not been possible for us to call on ships flying foreign flags. Due to the fact, and I would like to call special attention to this point, that practically every important shipping nation except the enemy was our ally, we could draw upon them for assistance in the form of ships Not only were they in a position to let us have their ships, but were anxious to have us take them and use them, and thereby help out the situation

Enemy Must Come by Sea

We can never expect such a favorable condition to exist again. In any future war to which we may be involved, the enemy must come from the sea in some direction; and, as stated above, the Navy cannot afford to wait in our harbors until the enemy arrives, but must go out to meet him, to occupy the ports or places on his probable line of approach, etc. To do this, the Navy must not only have suitable ressels to accompany the fighting vessels to carry fuel, ammunition and supplies, but there must be suitable vessels to transport troops to hold bases or points on the lines of communication.

Thus it will be sent that auxiliary vessels are absolutely necessary for successful use of our fighting forces in time of war. And it is quite as necessary that these vessels should be readily available. This can only be the case when we ourselves have the vessels under our own flag, vessels of suitable type and in ample numbers. Recent history has emphasized the fact that any form of delay in readiness to attack or meet the enemy in the beginning of the war is not only expensive in men and money, but often fatal in final result.