Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-09-13
THE AMERICAN NAVY.


We have time full, and > believe
correct notice Of Navy it's matere and condition.
the following furnished by the Washington correspondent
of The Philadelphia Inquirer
The SUBJECT Navy has recently general
tenton ind mp sson very correctly exists upon the
public mai that In lis present sta ia entirely insufficient
for The wants OF The country even under ordinary conrin
sencies and quite below the standard which the immense
commerce OF The nation requires ind also dlspropuoned
large maritime resources. The fault Of this state Of
ihnpe exclusively with Democratic Congress which
has for years past steadily refused 10 grant the estimates OF
the Navy Department for building vessels The conse
qucncc IL that our Navy not only mol increasing bull
Tar vessels are concerned has actually rctrogra
ded; and such have been the necessities Of the ser
vessels, me Department mas been Obliged 10 take
the money appropriated "for repairs" aud use il TO
rebuild Old ships aud though This operation goes under The
oil repairs Il IS really entire construction
You may readily Imagine what OF repairs they are
when The old Congress rgate which originally of SO
guns md ahoni 100 tons, double banked fripare
OF 600 hons, mounting Gu guns. The old Franklin "a
now undergoing one {" these repairs which will consist Of
stripping her Of timbers and plank down very keel BY
using a her good aud sound timbers the
OF Fansin 81 feet longer aud much broader than
her old nlnesakr giving her propeller and mounting
her battery Paxhan guns throwing lU-nch exploding
shells she will doubt be The finest and most powerful
ship III he Navy. very glad that present Secreta
~ OF III Navy, has decided this pan for greatly want
Just that Kind Of vessels and hope the complexion OF this
ship viii INDUCE Congress authorize The building and touo
ment OF dozen similar
The three heavy Al gun fgates which we're in our Navy
led States add Constuion) have been immediate cause
oi changing &c naval architecture all the maritime ma
nns Of tie "Ud. liz order cope these vessels If
ter ouf i victories during that usr Great Brilan hastily
raced OF her small seventy fours BY removing their
poop ami spar decks and leaving them win their !. deck
gun batteries completes ana she Also for The same purpose
built five OF sN wnat she called so gun gatcs but actually
mnuhtlha ou guns Al tina, period the ordinary Of
~ gun sap vas oGJ 10 1900 lnns 2ugun lrinlcs loco
10 TOO nj u slops war 400 900 The new .ups
mat Inc 'ht States began cuiin. The Guerrero ia
~ De we're aUO tons After til. var when CunGr,ss
determined 10 make large aad permanent increase IN
the Navy the ine-o battle slips moulded for ships of
@,UUO aid 2UO tons, The fugaies 600 10 500 and thr
sous Uima 100 The European nations of course adoo
ted me same system and sloops var
like The Germantown, Jamestown &C., of 600 tons
sates tCumberland Potomac &c) OF 600 tons and line
lic ships OF ZoUO ions 10 say nothing he Penn
sylpd7d, of 1870 IONS The Macedonian which IA
1ushed deck SNIP s believe nearly 400 IONS and can.
mol De designated under other ella snop of war
as she has only her parderk battery none of her guns
are under cover she is In fact heavy 3sgun eae ns 10
omenslons; but with The figal spar-deck removed and
her former cun.deck is her spa-deck but instead of
mounne Is poubdes her present battery 10 30 FOUNDERS
ony 10 thns OF soopofwar OF 400 Ions mounting lopp
'hirV-!~os and with of three hundred men