The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-06-27

what would be the difference IN the expence
OF keeping one more frigates on our coast,
it be considered expedient to keep any armed
vessels in the Mediterranean seas
y Upon the foregoing points the committee wish
sou to give as full view as you can, from such
data as you now possess.
Is it at this time expedient to make any mo.
,ification of the laws of the United States, in re-
lation to the navy department!
IF so, what are the notifications you deem
expedent, so far as you have had time and op.
portunity to examine them!
Accept assurances of my high consideration
JOS: ANDERSON,
Chairman Of the Committee
NAvY.DEpAarMEHT,J June 6, 1909.
!, have received your letter Of the 2oth ult
requesting information which have now the
honor to give, upon the points therein stated.
There have been built, under flle existing laws
one hundred and seyenty-six gun-boats & bombs
and the average cost Of Building them may be cal
culated at 5000 dollars t ,584, 0001
The paper A. herewith sent, affords the re.
quisite information, as to the situation in which
these boats are no " placed !, the number laid up
the number in actual service, and where station.
ed.
Paper B, is an exhibit Of * the annual expence
oftaking care of those laid up"
Paper c. is an exhibit of the annual expence
of maintaining one gun boat and IS Of them on
one station; for instance, New. Orleans, in ac-
tual service.
AS to the " probable state Of those g,n-boats
Mt the end of one year, which may be laid up, or
unemployed I will observe, that with all the
care that can be taken of them, they will una
voidably decay in a greater or less degree
those built OF green, will of course decay much
sooner than those built of seasoned timber. To
keep aIgun-boat IN state of preparation for SER
IL Il
the exPence of repairing her an cXpcnce to an
amount which cannot be foreseen. The sails &
standing and running rigging at present belong
ing to those laid up will probably, at the end of
one year, be SO much injured as to be unfit for
use their small hoa.s and water casks, unless
well protected from the rain and sun, will sus
tain considerable injury IN the course of the same
time and they Cannot be so protected without
expence. If gun-boat is suffered to lie in
port for one year, without giving her any repair,
she win probably be found, at the expiration of
that year. wholly unworthy of being repaired.
Withlrespect to those kept in service, they al
30 will decay, if not occasionally repaired tho
itis observed by professional men, that vessels
IN service, especially in salt water, are less sub
ject to decay than they are lying in port /; and u
UNIVERSAL experience does, believe, sanction this
idea.
In reply TO your query respecting the gun
boat system, as relating to the interest OF the
tiatlou Ahu Oi l-hc NAVY department. ana as 10
the proprety OF continuing that system or the a.
bandoning of by sale ofthe boats, am to OBJ
serve that much must depend on the species of
policy which in the event of war may be adopted.
If that event should shortly occur, and it is de-
termincd thae plan of operation merely defen
sive shall be pursued, there can be no doubt
that gun boats will aid materially, properly sta
toned; but if on the contrary, our marine
should he directed against foreign trade and to
the conveying and protection of our own, sys.
tenn of well armed fast sailing frgates, and small.
Ter cruizers, would OH every principle, be pre-.
ferable in point of elect and comparatively ra-
ted per gun and number of men to be employed.
would be much less costly. 1t must also be OBJ
served that it is only on board of vessels suited
for sea service, that good seanen are to be form.
ed, and that those calculated merely for ports,
afford no opportunity for improvement in naval
science. As to the expediency OF selling or re-
tainjng Ofthe g,n.boats, reference to the precc-
ding exhibits, affords some information but
beg leave to remark, that nothing short of know
ledge Of the policy which events may induce,
could enable me to give decided opinion on this
point
+" The difference Of the expencc of keeping
one or more frigates on our coast, and sen
ding them in the Mediterranean would in nv
opinion be inconsiderable.-On our own coast,
they will, especially in the winter and spring
months be subject to numerous accidents from
causes universally known, and not existing, il is
believed, in equal degree in any other part of
the world, such as frequets and sudden heavy
squalls OF wind, numerous shoals, thick fogs, <
the irregularfty of the motion Of the gulph stream
which in misty weather renders the approach to
our coast peculiarly hazardous. For our YES
sells stationed in the Mediterranean, we should
be subject to the expence of transporting certain
articles pf provisions and navs! Stores not to be
obtained in that sea but this is, believe, the
only additional expense to which they would be
subjected, and this expense may be more than
counterbalanced by the accidents to which our
vessels would be subject on our own coast, and
the comparative cbeapness of certain supplies
which be obtained in the Mediterranean
ports & am persuaded that if Congress wo.,ld
buthorise the building ofa suitable vessel for the
transportation Of provisions from this country to
the Mediterranean, for the use of any Of our yes-
sells that might be stationed in that sea, the ex-
Jense OF maintaining them there would be less
than the expense Of maintaining them on our own
coast.
AS you have not required my opinion on the
exlediency of sending some of our irigates to the
Mediterranean, ! will only venture to suggest for
consideration, that we have in that sea, q valua-
BILE trade at stake, subject to the depredations
ot-s lawless people, whose dispositions might be
efFectusliy restrained by the presence OF few
vessels Of respectable force and that I.consi.
der pr0fe ssjonal knovlcdgc nv, f,,c mart &c 49,