Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-04-10
THE SECRET ESTIMATES.


Navy Department to the CommIItee Of the
House Of representatives, aud which Mr.
Thomas Butler King, member OF Iha'
committee, attempted TO lay OelOfe the
House on FriGay bul vas forbidden to du
10y the majosity-lhFse estimates, itseems,
have leen got at by The correspondents OF
our contemporaries, and (Ihe chiei items
at Ieasl) made pubic. We find Ihem sIa'
ted in the BALTIMORE American as follows,
and, from the precision with which they
are given, We pIesume them 10 he correct
According to these, u was proposed that
the naval force should Le increased
In men, TO S6,8C0
Steamship. 10 40
Frigatps,to 40
Slools Of war, TO 80
In all, an increase Of fifty eight vessels OF
war, and requiring an estimated eXpendl-
ture OF fCeRiy miiitoHs QC dollars. Pretty
well Tor a beginning. but far short OF what
will be required, should the country he blum
dertd into war, which nothing, howev-
er, tut gross msmanagemenlo Oh both sides
can ring about.
The following more particular account
OF these pectng which an
unnecessary mystery has heightened the
public curi0sity-we extract from The cor
respondence OF The Baltimore Pariou
"The House Committee on Naval Al
fairs addressed Il request TO the Secretary
OF the Navy, that he would inform them
what increase it would be necessary and
proper to mJke to the naval force OF the
country. The letter of the conmiItee was
dated the 22nd of December last, Sew
Pntcen days thereafter, TO wit, on the 8th
of January the Secretary replied, He re-
commended an accumulation OF naval
materials and stores, the repair and equip
menl oi all the vessels in ordinary, and Of
the irgales and sIoops on the stocks, SUP
pension, for definite period, OF the Iinl-
lalon Of seamen, in the service TO 1900,
so that further enlislments might be provi-
ded Tor, aud the construction OF three steam
frigates, five steam sloops, and TWO steam
ers OF d smaller class.
"ie also sent to .he committee the sug-
geslious Oh the subject OF the Heads Of
Bureaus in the Navy Department, signed
ty Commodores Morris, Warrington, Crane
and Shubick, without an expressed APP
provaI or dsopprovul OF the same,
"Ihesp Heads Of Bureaus, after speak
ing of the relative naval lolce Of the Uni
ted States aud Great Iritam, and giving
their united opinion Of what one nation
could or could not do against the other,
were hosllIltjes to onsur, proceeded TO re-
commend fist the construction of two
! classes Of wal steamers, parIlruIarzlng as
follows: Oae Of the larger class Tor lakes
Michigan and lluran, and twenty seven
for the Atlantic coast, and twelve OF the
smaller class for the Southern coast, be-
sides those which are row aVuIldLie; that
supplies OF ordnance ard ordnance sloreo
be lodged at different points on the Lakes,
ready iOr private steamers 10 be speedily
armed in ease Of need; that the uumhrr OF
SEA steamers, like the Mississippi, but ra-
| ther enlarged, should he increased to five;
| that our ingales should bp Increased to thir.
! ty; our slQops uI war to iOrly; lhal FIVE OF
! the ilgateo aud SIX OF the sluops should he
! liued with such steam arrangements as
may best he ad ,pIed to use in aid OF sails,
wuhoul motetpl y affecting lhetr qualities
us sailing vessels: and IhaL force, beside,
the officers and mogiues, OF about $3.50
viii be- required 10 property man 50 many
YES Is
"Nei,her OF these documents contained
any estimates as TO the cost nl tins great
mum er OF vessels of war, and Of tho ord
nance and other supplies necessary TO iil
| out and suUsisl them On account ol the
abs nee OF tins important and most esSru-
ia requisite, Mr. T.. Lu,icr King, IA mem.
| har OF the committee, and a devoted friend
to the Navy, paid visit TO the Secretary
Of the Navy, and requested that the prop
cr estimates should he made out and lur-
nish'd the committee, AZ dala upon which
thry could frame such bill as might be
| deemed rNped'ent.
"Iome lmc alter ibis, the Secretary lu-
ni.hrd to the House Committee ,he desired
estimates ul the Heads of Bureaus of the
Department before named, which had pre-.
vonsIv been sent TO the Senate's Commit
tee,
The Heads of Bureaus specified certain
add lionuI supplies that would be necessa-
ry 10 the itringout of he vessels in Quc,- =
ton, aud estimated the aggregate cost at
Sl0,CO00U0,
"Thry stated that lhe augmentation
which II Wps believed the proposed objects
mperaIWeIy required, would he The add-
ton oi three sea steamers Of the class OF
the Mississippi; OF five lIigatea nnd SIN
sloops with steam propellers IN aid otthcir
saisj twenty eIghI eoast stramels al about
six hundred tons, with aWdbgemenIa Tor
moving along the coast with safety, 10 ear
ry Two hravy guns aud eight OF ten days
iue'; twelve smaller coast steamers, caicu-
Iated 10 carry one heavy gun, lor the navi-
guUou snd ProIccllon OF tbr sounds and
passages which ekut the Southern Allan
&c a'utes, AMI those Of the States orGer-
ing on the Gulf OF Mexico; that ONE sttO-
nrr be provided for the protection OF LAX, !
Michigan and huroi ard twelve new
sloops to b, h'lcd with sails only, or with
sajts aud steam confined.