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Show WAR WITH JAPAN IS I HEAA, SAYSJtSBSOH -I Merriniac Hero Sees Hostilities, ! Between Island Nation and1 ' iH United' States. , lH STRIFE IS POSSIBLE WITHIN . H THE NEXT HALF DECADE JH Makes Urgent Plea for Larger Navy; Still a Handsome Man. i War with Japan! Voicing tho popular belief of all tho . West, Captain "Richmond P. Hobson, the uiniuvho sank the Mcrrimac under tliG lioiujarlen fire of the Spanish forts nt Sd'ruy'go in 1SDS, expressed the belief afc,'"Uiu "University club Tuesday after- Ol nooti ' that hostilities between the, 'H United States and Japan will begin jH within five years. In his opinion tho ijl innninenco of a bitter strifo between jl the two countries is. so much of an tic- jH lualily that it should foree upon ,the jH government and the people the immc- ,H din to necessity of providing a might' --1 navy of "battleships," which, he says, ll will prevent war. "Submarines," vouchsafed Captain Hobson senteiitiously, and it developed' as the conversation progressed, chnrac-toristically. chnrac-toristically. "make a good auxiliary working force, but battleships prevent war. An attacking nation will never ask how many submarines we have, but what is our battleship strength. ' "Bat-tleships "Bat-tleships provide striking force, and that is what the nation needs. That. Con- jH gress did not provide four battleships, !H instead of two. is unfortunate. And Si H is doubly unfortunate that the author- jH ization bf the construction of tho two H battleships carried no money with it. I H fought for an appropriation in order, that, work upon the newiships might be commenced immediately. But the cf- 4 fort was fnt.ile Tt is a. grave mistake. A Qravc Mistake. "Congress carried au appropriation H of $200,000,000 for pensions. There was no remonstrance. It carried service and maintenance appropriations for tho navy and there was no intimation then of extravagance' But the moment u' battleships are suggest ed the cry is ex- tl tr'tvagajice. It seems that. Congress al- ways waits until it is necessary to build, ll new war vessels to- talk of extrava-. gauce. The Congressmen evidently are IH trying lo make a record at retrench-' JH "The United Stales is approaching tjl a danger point: It is imperative that' fl preparations be made to maintain tho 'jl integrity of the natiou. To accomplish ll this a large navy is essential. Japan i-s the country's greatest menace and H war between that nation and the Unit- od States is not remote. t Tt is, as a ll matter of fact, due within iho next' half decade. Wlien tho tune comes the jjl United States must find itself ready." Il Captain T?ichmoud P. Jlobson is not ll a dilletant. The desire to catechize him concerning his feelings when ho , ll was the cynosure of thousands of gen- tie eyes anil the prey of a million pairs 'H of sweet Hps was immediately routed ll by his seriousness of mien. Tall, jH straight-backed, deliberate, handsome, iJH Captain Hobson appeals at once to an iflH inquisitor as a man born to command. tiiH He personifies, elignity. His erect anel- !'-H ample frame is topped by a wonderful 'IfH head, wonderful in its perfect proper- jeH tions. the high frontal and slightly bald crown. From under a clean-cut brow 'BH gleams a pair of small sieru eyes, which jl are lighted with a soft glow as he con- BfH verses anel flash now and then, most particularly as the Merriniac captain ftH I recounted the talc of his reception of a MH man who attempted to purchase his in- FH flucucc in the submarine deal. iH Scorn for Graft. 19H "Notwithstanding statements to-ithe fflfl contrary,-" said Captain llobsoh,'. ,'I?. (SflH went' tej the naval committee voluntar- ilH ily. A representative of the-boat ejonix IIH piinv called on me and said that, if J,. f would favor his proposition he woulel.' IlH sec to it that I was placed on the com7 tH miitoe. as the company had iulluence- H with the speaker. HH "1 told him to 'step ." remarked tho captain simplv. tho eryes sending put IH a streak of light and his lips coming flH firmly together in a wide curve Avhicli .UH was 'symbolical of utter scorn. "L. JHH thought it a duty to make known. 'Bfl the methods of the company, and I told Congress of my experience. J lfl The absence 'of malignity in Captain Hobson 's criticism of tho would-bo bribe-giver rather tends to accentuate BH its potency. There is none qf the in- clitiation to virulent tirado which us- uallv chnracter.i7.os a denunciation. 3HH Speaking in softly moelulatcd toucE, occasionally giving emphasis lo bis, ex-pressions ex-pressions with au almost imperceptible raising of his voice, Captain Hobson leaves an indelible impress or sincerity iifiH on his auditor. He deals almost en- tirelv in epigrams. With admirable Ijl'fl elextcritv he. gets at tho essence of what llrfl he wilio? to say and submits it l or llH consideration in terse sentences which IfH are precious for their economy of time. SftH That ho has a mission is. apparent ff'H from tho beginning. Thai ho is iamilmr AH with everv phase of the particular sub- lm iect to which he has consecrated ins. . life, as it were, is likewise apparent. fl He said franklv when he entered upon his congressional duties that he had a jH 'mission. Iho building up of a groat Heel, of warships, and his utterances '1 todav demonstrate even to the satis- il faction of his critics that, he has evot- ! ed himself assiduously to a study ot the navy. It is doubtful whether a jl lavinan ' or statesman has n better m technical knowledge of naval construe- 'H (ion and administration than this sin- iH I'ular voting Alabama Congressman, H whose whole reputation a decade ago iH wns based primarily upon his prowess . jt as au oscillator. jH Captain Hobson arrived in the city at o'clock Tuesday afternoon. Tie.-. was- mot at the depot by TJr. Henry M ' i V Motto, U. S. rotircd.-and Will Will-' Will-' j Jaco, who escorted him immediately to h i lie University club whoro ho was given ui , iin opportunity to enjoy :i nap of :i sj( 3fov hours. At G o'clock Captain nob-It nob-It son was the yuest of honor at a. din-1 din-1 1 jir, Dr. La Motto bcinr host. The. 1 i 1 mio.fits were A. .1. Wcbor, Jf. .T. .Diiiiiinv, fl John A. Street. M. fi. Wilson, Dr. ll. i i D. Niles and Captain Garrison McCas- - 3r, u. s. a. |