New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-04

Dskn d Moody and Gilbert IL Secor, for the con
sifuCtion u a Floating sectional DocS oa the u .
of Gan Francisco 10 oe completed ana hehVers ! ioi
the sum Of 500 go This work Is understood 70 DC
IN ? course Of speedy execution, the contract 70
curing is completion N two yssIS from TIE mont,
IL MAY Last lis precise location cannot be deter
min, until the selection Of a site for Navy faTd
Oh the aiers On that hay, for which purpose CON
mission will be sent out early IN the coming Spring
II viii be Necessary % pluElce per or basin 10 rem
der the COCK capable o. use. 1he location oil TIE
dock HAVING not vet been determined, the Depart
ment pOsipOnes the question OF preference pet ween
these twOsTucures until the report Of the proposes
Board shall be received ard full local information
Cb'a ned
II being generally expected and desired By The
owners OF American merchant vessels that the use
Ofthe dock IN question shall De allowed for the re-
pairs Of such vessels when not required for ships OF
war, It is proposed that Congress shall determine
the proper regulations for The purpose, ard direct
whether the dock and fixtures shall DO leased wita
that view, or whether the Government shall carry
on the work through It's own agents, and on What
terms.
The necessity Of Navy Yard arr station on that
coast is so obvious as well TO secure and work the
dock as for general naval purposes in those waters
az to reed 10 Illustration. | therefore recommend
that Congress shall authorize such an establishment
there, and make adequate appropriations therefor
According to the authority conferred on the De
paTtmeDt. and an appropriation OF sum not ex-
cee6Dg $S0,0e0 for that object contract was con-
cluded with MesIs. Wells & Gavan Of Boston, 70
remove the Wfeck OF the steam Tlgdte
from the Bay of Gibraltar, foI the sum of $4,000.
Security was taken for the flhnmen OF the contract
and the contractors are engaged In the work, with
no doubt, on their part, OF success
or the four steamers rated as frlgates dEected
to be built by the act OF Congress- approved March
,, le47, the Saranac was put IN commission during
the last year the Susquehanna and San Jacnto
during the pre- sent, and the Powhattan remains IN
finished. Measures have been taken 10 expedite the
completion OF this vessel, and 1t is now expected
that she viii be ready for sea in the course OF the
ensuing Spring. The Fulton and the Allegheny,
Of the first class have recently undergone
extensive alterations and repairs and each near
ly prepared for service and steps have been taken
10 rebuild the Princeton, steamer also Of the first
class The steam frigate Mississippi, IN her long
cruise of near two years and a half in the Medl-
terdnC3n, underwent 10 repairs except such as
were effected board. but yet retained her entire
efficiency as a man-of-war, and the general conduct
and management Of the vessel and her crew reflects
the highest credit on her commander. She will be
transferred to Philadelphia for the purpose of test
ing the dock already noticed at that Navy Yard,
and to undergo such repairs and Improvements as
may be found necessary.
Having taken occasion, year since 10 review
the legislation of Congress In reference TO the grad
ual increase Of the navy and to demonstrate that no
system Of naval policy had been adopted, defining
the number and description of ships supposed 10 be
required by the wants OF the country esteem i
now only necessary to remark, that while l do not
concur III the policy sometimes advocated, that the
United States should aDpOrtOn their naval vessels
and force to those of the navics OF the principal
nations of Europe with which. by possibility, they
may have collisions, We should by no means omit to
avail ourselves of all the aids afforded by science
and experience in the improvement of our naval
establishment, and, at the same time enlarge our
capacities for increase to any needtui extent when
the public eXigencles shall require II. in
everything pertaining TO the building armament,
and equipment of vessels of war the scrutmizng
and active mind OF the present age has not been
idle. Merchant vessels of large drah have been re-
Gently built and rugged III our country which have
sailed by the force OF the winds alone, thousand
statute miles in three days, and with an approach 10
the like rate Of speed IN long voyages. Improve
mentS and discOy cries IN ordnance and eunnery
have been introduced, by means OF which, IN The
opinion OF well-informed officers, ship of interior
Iating-say Of % guns-may be so built and rgged
and armed as TO Prove more than match Tor the
stouest line of battle ship of the old construction
and armament. How far the power of steam may
be added TO increase the superiority OF the modern
vessel in speed, destructy and other points OF
man ofwar is, also, fruitful theme OF specula-
ton and experiment
With these improvements, whether fully realized
only in prospect before our eyes, II wee vain to
rest content with the old models, and armsments,
and appliances Of vessels which, no viewer excellent
n theIf day. may have been superseded by more
cent inventions. While therefore, all proper eau
tlons are observed. and nothing. however specl0us,
should be adopted without full investigation. II APP
pears be obvious policy to continue TO build
Ships not only to supply the place Of those decayed
or lost, but TO test and Keep pace WIN ms improve
ments of the age. has been suggested as amatteI
of economy. that such experimental shlps De punt OIL
white oak instead of live oak, that being the cheaper
mate nal and generally used III merchant SHIPS. In
illustration OF one Of the Improvements IN war steam
erS II is repIescniCd to the department that the
boilClS OF the Mississippi planned hiteenyea since
and with the best intelligence OF the cay may De re-
ducCd nearly one halfnthoir dimensions and weight
and al the same time, made to double the power OF
the vessel with about the same expenditure OF iue
as At present The letter OF the engineer discussing
IN detail this particular Improvement and us recon-
menCaiion on the score of economy Is herewith SUP
ut,f Oh Therefore recommend
given to build, every year TWO new vessels, one san
and the other steam, upon such models as shall he
approved and as old vessels may be found unsery-
ceabe from fault OF model other cause, they may
be sold or broken up. In this connection invite
tie favorable consideration of Congress TO the re-
commentator Of the Chief of the Bureau OF ards
and Docks, that machinery be erected IN one or
more OF the Navy ards of The country Tor the eulo-
ing Of steam engines and construction OF war steam
ers complete
A class of small vessels Is much wanted to give
employinen mt IN command 10 senior cutenants, many
of whom KEEP, In long and tedious inactivity pc
fore their promotion TO commanders, and would be
highly useful crizers, especially those propelled
bv steam BY reason of their ability 10 penetrate into
harbors and rivers inaccessible 10 ships OF larger
class
Having also, IN my last annual commune alton,
presented for the consideration Of congress, propo-
si,ons to reduce the number ofofcers IN the grades
of captain. commander and lieutenant Of the navy,
beg leave respectfully to refer thereto, Tor The re-
view Of the officers in those grades ana ihe com
called in the present state of the service. W ME
the number in those grades might be appropriately
reduced, il is worthy of consideration, whether the
number of masters should not be enlarged, and the
grade Of second lieutenant established.
While, although master is recognized as ne
cessaTy officer board OF every vessel IN commas
sion, and at every Navy Yard, TO 20 vessels ana
Navy YARDS, there are borne upon the register tRe
names of but 30 masters, and OF these ~ are out oil
the line Of promotion, and many oil them are SUI
perannuated or otherwise incspAeiiated ior oaV
at sea. -.
II the number Of masters were raised 10 nifty, ex'
elusive OF those not in the line Of promotion who
must needs be removed by death in the course OF a
few years) and the grade of second lieutenant IN
terspersed between them and that OF first lieutenant,
all Of which could be arranged without adding TO
the number OF officers below the rank Of commander
now IN the service il would not only be an improve
ment in the proportions OF the siferens grades,
but would exert a cheering influence on the younger
officers who are now doomed TO linger IN the Infe-
nor grade Of passed midshipmen, until the erdor OF
youth is passed, and professional distinction mas