Mgr. Misuraca, the newly appointed secretary of the papal legation at Washington, D. C.
Harris & Ewing, Washington, D. C.
The talk of war between this country and Japan seems to be subsiding a little. The courageous work of President Wilson and Secretary Bryan apparently has been effective. It would appear also, from all of the facts that can be gleaned from authentic reports, that Governor Johnson of California has been maintaining a very considerate and careful course. He seems to realize the danger to which he would expose his state if the nation were plunged into war with Japan. California, of all the states of the Union, needs to be careful to maintain a strong relation with our central government; for if war should begin between this nation and any other strong naval power, such as Japan is, it would mean the destruction of an immense amount of life and property on this coast. And at any rate, in these times of such tremendously destructive weapons, a nation should think a long time before it drives ahead on a course that will plunge it into war. But the despatches say that our naval board is taking advantage of this flurry to urge again very strongly the rapid increase of our navy. The largest battle-ships under way at the present time are round about 30,000 tons in displacement, but the proposition is made that this nation shall build battle-ships of 40,000 tons displacement. The largest battle-ship of fifteen years ago was in the neighborhood of 10,000 tons. Now they are building them with a three times greater displacement, and then there is the added proposition to make them four times greater. And when it comes to their destructive possibilities, they are almost beyond comparison. The guns are of greater range and power, the marksmanship is far more accurate, and the rapidity of fire is from eight to ten times greater. In recent target practice on this coast, one of the batteries scored 100 per cent of hits. The seven shots were fired at a distance of about six miles, and all within four minutes of time.
