New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-12-11
NAVAL SECRETARIES AND REPORTS.

If our successive Naval Secretaries differ in
the details of their Reports there is point they
are uniform upon and that Is an increase Of the
Navy. A Secretary, being democratic" Of
course deems it bis duty to multiply the most
perfect form Of despotism-that Of men. ofwar-
and to maintain peace by Increasing the resources
and provoca.ions Of war, both by beltgerens ar
ray, and by wasting the resources of the nation to
whatever extent, and hence increasing the
chances Of damned good war;" and promo
tions for naval gentlemen up TO that yet unas-
tanned roseate vision, an Admiraship. That the
augmentation of the Navy sweDs the expenses Of
the nation, and opens gulf for jobbng, dshon-
esty and waste, just in proportion to its extern
sion, no more occupies the thoughts or interests
of men so paid from the public purse, than the
desolation of agricultural laborers at seven sh-
lipps week does the Archbishop of Canterbury
in the pursuit OF his dues. But it is precisely by
such men, whose professional vision generally
blinds them to the politico-economcsl truth, that
the Secretary Of the Navy is surrounded, day and
night If on first leaving his ccuntry-la Fyer's
Office, as lie generally the case, to be seated 10 the
wonderful chair Of Office, the Secretary is sane
on the point Of the Nays strength, he soon loses
his reason. A chorus on the inefficiency OF the
Navy, and the exposed condition of our coast
with a refrain about the stars and. stripes ever
meets bis ear-hoary age and Joyous youth-the
commodore and the midshipman being agreed on
that point. Fortified by the twaddle of newspa-
pers and by the froth of Congressional common
place, (tbe Navy is so popular,) the Secretary
comes out in maiden Report on the actual and
comparative DEFICIENCIES Of our Navy-quotes
England and France as examples Of provident
care of the service-forgetting that the taxes
which create military forces invariably beggar
the people and lead to war
Moreover, that the Secretary's stereotyped
cry for an increase of the Navy has anything to
DO with size of the Navy we absolutely deny.
When we had ten vessels, the cry was for twenty;
and when twenty thirty were required; and now
we have sixty, naval men would like hundred;
and if the hundred should come, there would not
be wanting report in favor Of two hundred.
The increase, too, of the Navy is most demanded
at times when there is the least prosperity to
warrant expenditure. Thus, at this moment,
when the mails are laden with accounts of fac
tories and workshops closed, and tens of thou.
,snds deprived of the 'means of procuring their
daily bread, comes the proposition Of increase of
naval expenses-the same policy which has 20 de-
stroyed our means and industries being neces
sarily the warlike idea contained in the recon-
mendaiion for adding to our ships.
As for the argument that peace depends upon
such preparation for war, it is Of piece with
the following nonsense Of Secretary Dobbin,
quoted, with cordial appreciation and uncommon
emphasis in last Fridays Times:
Every dollar" in building Navy, " ia expended
smorg our own people in the purchase of material
and pa men Of sborers it brings into exercise the
mechanical skill Of our country promotes, and
thereby perpcuates class in midst essential too
national independence. He who visits navy
yards, and fingers moment in beholding the giant
frames Of the noble ships aow being constructed by
the genius the labor, AMI with the material of our
own country will find that the money expended not
merely results in presenting floating battery to pro-
tect our property and our dag, but but gLldieH the
hearts OF hundreds Of cheerful artisans, rho pay Il
tack into The Treasury rHh tourfokd interest II is
not wasted capital il is no. like the millions annually
sent abroad TO foreign capt asts to pay the debts
tracted for schemes of extravaganza leaving embsr
rassment in its trail"
If Mr.. Secretary Do5bin will jingle dollar
pieces from one tr0wsers pocket into the other,
it will have more effect on the prosperity of the
country than such forced operations. Beautiful
doctrine-that the prosperity Of the country is
to be secured by artisan, hired by Dobbin and
paid out of the taxes What next