The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-02-14


fculties between us; and it is te be hoped that
false idea OF economy will not interfere with Wis
action in this matter. Congress should never Tor
get the advantages Of preventive over q renee!
that a few millions properly expended In peace
would render more benefit than many millisns II
war. We should have at least one half their forc'
in commission 10 ensure us security from aggfes
sIons and TO effectu ally protect our commerce ant
citizens, spread over the globe. With such iorc'
at all times ready, and our arsenals well provided
il coald easily be extended TO meet any emergen
cy..
Bes ldes the war steamers which England has IN
commission, fourteen new ones have lately been
launched, for packets in peace, but for war steam
nomical means Of providing coantry with the
most powerful means Of destruction, England Is
adopting on large scale II was fully explained
by report Of the Navy Committee tf the House
OF Representatives, last session, and our govern
ment was urged by the most forcbe reasons, 10 Of
fer inducements to merchants to enter into si-
milar CONTRACTS. When the plan shall have been
adopted by our merchants, we will then be able to
compete with England in this mode Of CONNER
cal enterprise, and our navy in war would be
most efficiently reinforced by them. But in
peace we should not have less than twen-
~ steamers for the various duties Of common.
cial prote ction and coast defence. BY them our
venue laws could be guarded and snug ling pre-
vented Other countries assign this duty 10 their
nav:es, and officers are able and desire TO per-
form it. They could most effectually do it with
steamers the whole line of coast. The little fair
weather schooners employed by the Treasury de-
partment are Inefficient for al the services that
should be required Of them on our coast, either in
peace war, as the old gun boats were. Their ex-
stence is, in fact, allowing the Treasury depart
ment to keep up miniature navy at an enormous
expense, without an appropriation by Congress, in
opposition TO the legitimate navy. But it is not
the less expensive b. cause the people do not see
the money expended The same amount added 10
the navy would nearly cover the expense of the
- IL L.. r.
steamer of the navy would be more useful than
half dozen schooners Of the revenue service, al
lowing them to be as well conducted as they pos
SHY could be, exclusive Of the coast steamers,
each squadron should have steamer attached to it.
70 keep pace with the rapid Intercourse and i'm
provement Of the age, steamers are indispensable
auxiliarles to all naval operations. Though they
may never superscde sail vessels entirely, as they
cannot cruise or sustain a blockade for any length
of time, for want Of fuel still at times and under
certain crcun. ances, they would be the most ef-
fective vessels that could be employed. By the
few frigates England and France keep in commits
sion, and the numerous steamers, Is manifest that
the latter are fast taking the place of the former.
Formerly frgNes were used for despatch VESSELS
to tow liners in or out Of the line of battle
when necessary, and to act as tenders TO fleets.
as well as TO fight; but this duty is now performed
SO much more readily by steamers, that frigates
are likely to be altogether supplanted by them, un
less frgates in future should be built sufficiently
strong and large enable them TO fall into the line
Of battle with liners. To do that, they would have
to mount at least seventy long guns, thirty five
and briggs are quite large enough to destroy CON-
merce, and frigates be dispensed with for that
purpose to great advantage. Except steamers, all
vessels should be built the largest OF their class to
fight with success any Of their rate
One halfthe force which England has at this time
ready for immediate action, would be sixteen liners,
eight frigates, thirty corvetes, thirty steamers,
and thirty briys, &c. What would probably be
more services Bile the United States would Be to
have but ten liners, and increase the corvctes to
sixty-thrty corvcttes would supply the place Of
six liners, with thirty steamers and thirty briggs
Weshopld then probably be able to preserve peace
with all nations, give efficient protection TO our
our citizens abroad; and if forced into war in
defence of our rights. we should be able to make a
good beginning, and better ending The large
proportion Of small vessels would enable us to de-.
stroy The commerce Of an enemy in war, and prac.
A good commander Of corvette will not be an in
different captain of ner-the latter being east
" commanded and fought, ss the former.
Bat we have not yet established national can
non foundry, so ably recommended in the report
Of w. Cost Johnson, chairman Of q select commit
tee in 1889. appointed to inveitigats the subject.
report, has been but little improved since that
time either by quantity or quality. The expert
ments at foundries necessary to the improvement
of cannon, which has attracted so mach attention
private fsundries; the consequence is, that We
behind the age Of Improvement, for the want Of a
national foundryte experiment on the construction
of cannon, and supply more readily the best quail
mand be greater than the supply of our national
foundry, private ones could be engaged 10 make
up the deficiency after the most approved models.
Ordnance and ordnance stores are lmPerishable ar
tces, and there s no excuse tor not supplying the
national arsenal with enough to meet any exigen-
cies Besides numerous Notifications wholly un-
,upplied with ordnance, and ordnance stores, not
more than one half the few ships we have butt,
could be properly armed, il called into service.
This il certainly a serious matter. and deserves
imme date attention. Some benefit was derived
from the appropriation for that purpose last ses-
sion: but iamentable deficiency still exists, and
never " II be thoroughly remedied until national
foundry is established.
For the want Of a prsperly established observa-
tory, we are wholly dependent on Europe, and
n ore directly on England, for all astronomical OBJ.
seryatons and calculations, and nautical almapacs,
without which our ships could not navigate the
froGa supply so indispensably eccssary to navi-
saticn, and forced To grope our way on the waters
without knowing our position, or being able TO
avoid dangers, we owe 10 all commercial nations q
contribution Of astronom cal and nautical science.
Many Of the instruments necessary to an
observatory are already collected at the
depot Of charts and instruments in Wash
ineton, where some attempt ~ made to imi-
tate real observatory. Shoniu DulICIrg Ue erect
ed fer that purpose, with the necessary officers
10 conduct il, il would he doub!y useful to be 10
Gated in the compass of the Navy school, where the
mids could be practced o. classes at taking astro.
nomical observations in night watches, which
would give them thorough knowledge Of all nau-
teal instrumen ts, asd make them proficient in
lunar and other astronomical observations, so es-
scptial to naviratcrs before they commence their
sea service, and without loss Of time.
There is also small steam engine at the WASH
inoton NAVY Yard, built by the order If the late
Captain Stevens, for the Instruction OF mids in
steam engineering but instead OF being sent to the
Naval school in Philadelphia ii is locked up in the
Navy store house at Washington, by order Of the
NAVY comm ssoners, in their usual spirit Of dis
SC 10 mating knowledge in the Navy. The school
engine - beautiful specimen OF machinery, con-
strue ted by the acc omplished engineer, Mr. Ellis,
Of tn. Washington yard. II is one horse power,
and the Fireplace boilers, and all tn. machinery
coul be sent toAPhiladepia, without being taken
to pieces, in box three feet by four.
Bat Of all the wants Of he Navy, laws for the