The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-10-04

L
ted States has increased one. Notwithstanding the
flaming accounts that vahsve lately read in many
OF our journals, of the building and launching Of
ships, &c this is the actual increase in that space
oil time. Two brigs, one at Norfolk and the other
at Baltimore, and an iron steamer on Lake Ene,
are all that have add to the list In the last OIL
hcial Navy Register-from which, however, we
must take the names of the Washington, "a, and
the Concord, "a the former torn to pieces in con-
sequence of decay (there being no dry.dock in New
York repair her) and the latter lost in the Mozam-
bique Channel, which, as we before stated, leaves
the increase ONE, This is certainly encouraging to
the commercial community, and will, no doubt,
become more so when they are informed that, al
though there is one more vesal, between seventy
and eighty guns are lost by the destruction OF the
| two above mentioned ships.
Notwithstanding the diminutve size OF the Navy
OF this Republic,ihe number Of officers is notify any
means, proporonate with that of thevesses and the
stations at which they required. Many ships at
| present afoat have not their compliment of each
grade, and at some shore stations it is with diff
| Guilty that the usual routine of duty can be car.
| ried oh.
The following is the number Of vessels in each
class at present in our Navy,-
| Ships Of the Line. 10 Steamers .........7
sioops Of war....... IL '''p'
| brlgs ............... III Total II
| Schooners ........7
OF these seventy-one vessels of war; eight are on
the stocks, and nine totally unfit for service, and
| should never be sent 10 sea. We have omitted to
make any mention of the unfortunate Grampus
above, as vessel OF her class was purchased about
the period of or Immediately subsequent to her
| loss.
There are, we believe, several more sleeps of
war and another steamer building, but these will
| make no important increase; in fact, hardly sup
ply the vacancy that would be occasoned, were all
the deficient and worthless vessels sold or DESTROYED
With eight on the stocks and nine unfit for ser.
vice, our actual naval force amounts to fiftyfou
vessels OF war This force, it must be acknew-
lodged, becomes merely nominal, when the i'm
mense extent of our sea coast and our vast com.
mercial intercourse with the rest OF the world are
considered. But so it it, and so it is likely to be-
until Congress takes the matter seriously in hand.
and increases and improves our naval marine.
Should any dispute the position we have taken in
regard to nine vessels being unfit for seryice-by
which we mean the service-let them if they are at
all acquainted with these matters, enumerate the
qualities ofthe following Hudson, (frgate) -War-
rem, (sloop- of-waD--Ontario, (ditto)--Pioneer.
(orie)-Consort, (ditto)-Fxperiment, (schooneD
Wave, (ditto)-Phenix, (ditto)-and Poinsett,
(steamer). The Hudson is decayed, but might be
rebuilt; in which case her model, which is truly
beautiul-being one of Henry cktord's-should
be studiously preserved The Warren and Oatario
would make capital store-ships the Pioneer and
Consort would disgrace the tumultuous but molten
sive navy of the Celestial Empire; but as mud
is failure, of course; the Wave and Phenix could
hardly be surpassed fishing or fruit vessels; and
the Poinsett would answer admirably as a fowl boat
for the coal barges of the Delaware and Raritan
canal. To this list many more might be added,
standing pre-eminent among which is the steamer
Fulton; but she, we are willing to admit, might
possibly be made useful IN harbor. The schooner
On.ka-hy-ee-the last purchase into the navy-be-
came almost, If not quite, useless upon her CONVEX.
sion from yatch to vessel of war; Besides these,
there are ships in the navy which are not, by any
means, ornaments to American naval architecture,
nor do they sail rapidly would be actually re-
quislte in time of war, for the purpose either of
avoiding an enemy Of superior, or engaging one of
| inferior force.
We give below the names of the vessels al present
on the stocks, and at what place they are =
Alabama, ship OF the line,) Portsmouth, NH.
Vermont. do. Boston.
Virginia, do do.
ssntee trigate) Portsmouth, N. H.
Sabine do. New York
st Lawrence do. Norfolk.
New Steamer, Erie, Penn.
With the exception of the new iron steamer on
Lake Erie, these ships have all been on the stocks
twenty years and upwards, where they are rotting
and, before launching, will have to undergo extern
sive repairs. However, if no immediate use could
be found for them they better beneath the roof
of the shp-house than sfoat. That use could be
found for them-aye, and many, very many more
in protecting our widely extended commerce, we
are safe In affirming in the most positive manner
and government but ours would allow seven
such magnificent ships TO remain upon the stocks to
rot.
There are now in commission, on sea.service, in
all thirty. eight vessels of war; viz -Shps Of the line
2; fngates, 4; soops Of war, II; brgs 4 schooners
| s; steamers, 3; store ehps, 2.
These vessels are thu, disposed -
Home squadron-l frigate ssloops ofwar, briggs, and
Mediterranean ship-ofthe line, l frigate, and l
| sloop of war.
Coast Of BRAZIL ship otthelne, rigate, soop-of
Coast of Atrica-i frigate, sloops ofwar, and
brig
Pacific frigate, sloops of.war, I schooner, and
| East lndies-l frigste and sloopotwar
Special service-l sloopofwar, briggs 3schooners,
| and steamers
Returning Home frigate from the East Indies
Three frigates, soops of-war, brig, steamer,
and store ship are preparing Tor sea, at various
ports in the United States, to relieve vessels whose
terms of service have expired, and for other pur-
poses; ships of the line, brig, and schooners,
are used for receiving vessels in different ports at
home. So that the average number of vessels of
our Navy kept constantly employed, will vary from
forty five to fifty, which does not leave many, that
are afoat unoccupied And this force is small,
very small, for country such as ours. With sea
coast exposed on the Atlantic side from Eastport,
Maine TO Cane Florida and In the GulEs of Florida