The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-13


SHOW themselves, II they exist al all in a six-months'
trial But ship may look weI and work well for not
only SIX months but Tor few years. in the construction
OF whch very detective material has been used and very
Imperfect workmanship has been employed. Ships may
not be thoroughly tried Till after service so long that
lew would agree TO wait for their money for great
iehglh oil Time Leave this question, then, you well
may IN The hands oil faithful and intelligent Secretary
OF The Navy He wall enjoy for It's investigation many
advantages which we DO no possess, and will bring to
lis decision all lhe aids which 10 can command He will
probably call upon tue leading ship budets in the United
States; upon Donald Mckay, oil Boston, The builder
o. me celebrated but ill-fated Great Republic; upon
Webb, OF New York, who has recently been employed
BY The Emperor of Russia 10 build ships for his navy;
upon Steers, Vanderbilt, and Others TO furnish plans,
specifications, and prices He will forthwith despatch
10 Europe OF the best constructors in The United
States. TO Investigate into the odels plans SIC, OF The
best ships Of England France. and the other European
nations; he will cause estimates Of The cost OF construc
lion IN our own yards; and when the most ample inor
nation has been obtained he will be prepared TO say
whether it better 10 build all these vessels by
tract, all In our own yards, or some In one way,
and some IN the other, In my Judgment, IL is the
part of wisdom to leave this question where the bill
leaves il, in the hands OF the Secretary of the Navy
n explaining this provision OF the bh have incidental
W. and hope sufficiently, answered the objection which
made by some TO the construction OF new steamers
growing out OF the failures which have occurred in the
last lew years 10 the working OF steamers which have
built. repeat, however, that those failures grew out OF
defects in the machinery, not in the vessels them
selves; and the form of contract employed by the Sece-
taIy Of the Navy will almos, certainly prevent such de-
reefs In Inc future certainly hey may De- and should
be, avoided IN this country, they are in others.
England, has already been remarked, after many fail
ures, and greater than ours, in her attempts 10
good propeeIs for purposes has last fully
succeeded, and have France and other European
tons Surely we are not prepared 10 say that while they
succeed we must fail Ii we need vessels we must
build Them, attempt il, notwithstanding past failures
and This brings 10 inquire whether need this ad-
dion 10 vessels. shall argue that do need
IL from several considerations and if OF them shall
appear simple and commonplace, hope they will be
IN deI
they carry truth and with them Let first
few well known facts in recent history, tending
show the actual need OF greater number OF vessels in
our navy.
When MIR. Flllmote's administration determined 10
send squadron 10 Japan, il with great difficulty
and after much delay that vessels OF the proper deEcrp
on and in sufficient numbers, could be detailed and coll
eced for that service In the mean time, the intention
send out The expedition went abroad and reached
the European nations. who are our rivals in commercial
enterprise lhey thus notified prepare TO dispute
with every advantage which might result.
To come to later event, we all remember that when
the Hon, X }. w Walker was appointed commissioner to
China, he was said TO have accepted the appointment,
and 10 have held himself in readiness proceed his
voyage out whenever government, vessel could be fur
nshed 10 convey him TO his destination but could
be prepared Tor the trip t after weeks and months OF
delay he actually changed his resouton aud determined
not To 60, preerrlng 10 refund the outfit rather than
be held longer in uncertainty.
Let me cite another fact Captain Walker per-
mtted 10 collect company our Pacific shores 10 ad
into Lower California, to subvert the Spanish rule
there, and 10 establish a republic OF his All this
has occurred recently III the broad face OF day, and
defiance Of all the Gesres OF the government that our
neutrality laws should be held invioate Il has hap,
pened because we lack sufficient naval force in the Pa
chc Our squadron there consisted of two vessels With
this we had TO protect our rights endangered 10 the
glon of the Sandwich islands, and discharge all our
duties OF every kind protective and police, on the coast
OF California.
Laler STILL during the present session of Congress-
news arrived here that the steamer San Francisco was
in great distress, and likely TO perish without speedy
assistance, Thousands OF anxious eyes turned TO the
navy and thousands OF throbbing hearts mpoed IFS in
terposition What WAS the shock which produced
when the back, chilling and crushing in its
effects that the navy had no vessels for the service
And now we owe 10 English courtesy work of human
ity which SHOULD have gfaced our own navy But let
proceed TO another species OF argument In all dis
euseions something must be conceded starting point
1t will scarcely be denied that we must have navy, and
that we have never, in years past had TOO large
II may assume thls everything which ask will fol.
low.
Let me take view OF the navy as il has stood al df.
erent periods OF history for The purpose OF
ing it's strength and the need which existed for it,
those periods and al The present
The proper purpose OF navy is TO defend coast
and TO pfo,eci our commerce. and It's strength should be
proportoDed TO The need Taking with these data let
Us proceed with The proposed examination.
SO early as 1899 we had upwards OF thirty vessels,
and a law bad passed Congress 10 authorize the con
sruction OF six more. With their completion, our
strength in vessels would have been little less then than
now Then we had about FIVE millions of inhabitants,
and now about twenty FIVE millions A corresponding
dispropotion would appear upon comparison of our
commerce and tonnage al the two periods But will
lee, later period 10 our history Tor extended and
more exact comparison with The present
In 1871 Judge Upshur, who then Secretary Of the
Navy, represented u 10 be too feeble for necessities,
and urged its increase with that ability which char.
acerized all his efforts. may say, without any dspar-
agement 10 Others that, my Judgment, an ablpr man
never IN the counlrys history, filled that place. Surely
no aber Nglnian ever did. Ia 1S42 he reiterated biz
recommendations, but left the department without seeing
them carried out lie transferred To the higher DO.
ston Of secretary Of State but did moi lose his anxious
desire Tor the prosperity and increase Of the navy and
was while he was out on excursion with the presi-
dent Of The United States his ia the Navy De.
paftmen and other gentlemen, witnessing expert
mens on board the then steamer Princeton that the
sad accident happened which deprived The country OF
many honored and useful citizens besides himself, and
which, II IL had taken him alone, would have been a
calamity be deploIed by all who admire greatness
OF intellect and purity OF principle, dedicated with single
ness OF purpose 10 the country's best service
From The time that Judge Upshur made bis last repor,
all the report Of the Secretary OF the Navy INT Hen.
sbawl IN ls43, bot little change took place in the number
and character Of our vessels-ol- war The Princeton
was comrleed and brought into service and small.
vesses yiZi irigate, Two soopsof war and one
brig But hese constituted, doubtless no part of the IN.
crease which he urging, because they had prob
ably been commenced before he came into the depart.
ment
On the other hand, the Washington, a nney.gun ship
had in the lime been broken up; The irgate Hud.
son bad been surrendered unfit for repair; the soop
Concord lost in The Mozambique channels the
schooner Gtampus lost of Charleston. and the spen.
did steamship Missouri had been burned in the harbor OF
Gibraltar.
II was year OF disasters and 80 far from being
seng benrd the navy in regard to the number OF ves-
sells and guns, was actually diminished From lSi3 10
lS4d u made little, u any, advance