Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-10
THE AMERICAN NAVY.

we have not seen for some time so full and as
we believe correct, notice of our Navy its mate
rel and condition, the following, furnished by
the Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia
Inquirer
The subject Of Navy recently attracted general
aenuon and an impression very correctly exists upon
the pubic mind that IN its present state il is entirely
insufficient for the wants Of the country even under or
binary contingencies, and quite below the standard which
the immense commerce Of the nation requires and is also
disproporuoned to our large maritime resources The
fault of this state Of things exclusively with Demo-
cratic Congress- which has for years past steadily refused
to grant the estimates of the Navy Department for build
ing new vessels The consequence is that Navy is not
only not increasing but far vessels concerned
has actually retrograded and such have been the
sites of the service that there appropriations
for vessels the Department been obliged to take
the money appropriated g for repairs" and it to
rebuild old ships and though this operation goes under
the name of repairs it is really entire
ton You may readily imagine what sort of repairs they
are when the old Congress fgate, which originally
of SO guns and about 100 TONS is double banked
gate of 600 tons, mounting go guns The old Franklin
"A is undergoing of these repairs, which will
consist of stripping her of mbers and plank down the
very keel by using all her good and sound mber for the
reconstruction of Franklin go feet longer and
much broader than her old namesake, giving her
propeller, and mounting her battery of Paixhan
guns throwing 10-inch exploding shells. She will no
doubt be the finest and most powerful ship in the Navy
am very glad that the present Secretary Of the Navy
has decided this plan for greatly want just
kind Of vessels and hope the completion of this ship will
induce Congress to authorize the building and equipment
| OF dozen similar
! The three heavy 44gun frigates which were in our
Navy dsring the last with Great Britain he Pes;-
dent United States, and Coastuto) have been the imme-
date Of changing the naval architecture Of all the
maritime nations of the world. In order to cope with
these vessels after first victories during that war
Great Britain hastily raced of her small seventy
fours by removing their poop and spar decks and leav
ing them with their twodeck gun batteries complete and
she Also for the purpose, built five six what she
called 50-gun rigates but actually mounting 60 guns.
At that period the ordinary tonnage of 74gun ship
1000 to 1900 tons of 36gun frgates 1000 to 1905
and of sloops-owar 400 to 600 The frgates that
the United States began during the Gurriere Java
&c) were 1900 tons After the wS and when Congress
determined to make large and permanent increase to
the Navy, the neofbatte ships moulded for ships
Of 1000 and 1920 TONS the fgates lGo0 $780, and
the sloops-ofwar 700 The European nations of course
adopted the system and at present have soops
of-war, like the Germantown, JGmest0Wn, &C., of 1000
tons frigates Cumberland Potomac &c of 900 tons,
and ne-ofbattle ships of 600 TONS say nothing of
the Pennylvana, of $500 tons. The Macedonian,
which is flushed deck ship, is believe nearly 400
TONS and cannot be designated under any other class
than sloopofwar she has only her spardeck bate
ry and none of her guns under she is in fact
heavy 38 gun frigate to dimensions but with the fri
gates spardeck removed, and her former gundeck is
her spardeck; but instead of mounting lS-pounders
her present battery is 2pounders Only to think of
sloop-ofwar of 400 tons mounting long thirty-wos
and with of three hundred men
Mr.. WALKER has returned to Washington, and, without
knowing the fact, much inclined from cir
cumstances to believe that he has given up the missonto
China, intends to do l think this is much to be
regretted, he is well qualified for the station and
viii bet lemonade suitable will not be selected
to take his place As general rule the very worst APP
pointment made by the General Government its D
plomato agents. and make exception this charge
in favor Of the Wings. thought Mr.. Folks appoint
ments bad enough, and they were, but Mr. Pierces
no better or course there exceptions and
some very suitable selected great
bulk ofthem entirely unsued to present the
try abroad, from most profound ignorance tho sub
ect Of foreign relations and foreign commerce. gene
raj ncapacty, and total of tact and re-
CURED for the proper discharge of their official duties
say nothing the subject of their general ignorance Of
any language but their
Did you notice the very sensible and correct view
which the Richmond Enquirer recently took of the Kosta
affair at smyrna 1t more to the point than any thing
have yet the subject and should be republshed
throughout the country The Richmond Enquirer Justly
says should have hands full of business if every
refugee from Europe, who thinks proper come to this
country and make declaration OF citizenship and then
return carry his plots and designs against
his native country should the he gets into diff
Guilty, conceive that must step forward protect him.
and if needs be involve ourselves in expensive and
bloody war.