Washington sentinel., 1855-02-24
sLOOPs OF WAR.

In many respects the present Congress of the
United States has been Just and liberal. Many
measures Of importance to the great interests
of our country have been passed. The Navy
which we look upon as our great reliance in
time Of war, and our great commercial agent in
time of peace, has already, to some extent,
been the recipient Of this justice and liberaity.
Yet the calendar of Congress contains another
bill of immense Importance to this branch Of
the service, and hence Of great interest to the
country. We are admonished daily OF the
rapidly approaching termination Of the session.
But seven days remain for the many import
ant measures still pending before that body.
Even in this brief space we would urge upon
Congress the passage Of the bill authorizing
the construction and equipment Of seven sloops
Of war.
We propose to offer briefly some reasons
why an appropriation for this purpose should
be made. The building Of these ships has
been strongly recommended by the Secretary
Of the Navy, both in his last annual report and
in his letter to the Committee Of Naval Affairs
Of the House. The frames for the vessels are
already in our navy yards, requiring only to be
shaped into ships with the modern improve.
ments, and put aaoat. We look upon the
construction Of these vessels as eminently de.
sirable. Our navy requires these smaller YES.
sells, which, in the language Of the Secretary
Of the Navy, the experience Of other nations,
and recent events in naval warfare demon
strate to be Of great value, and indeed, in
numerous emergencies Of superior advantage
to vessels Of heavier draught. There can be
no doubt that the illsuccess of Admiral Ma.
pier in the Baltic is, TO great extent, attribu.
table TO the bulky and unmanagable size of the
vessels under his control. His success at Bonn.
ersund, and his failure to succeed before Cron-
stadt is due to the fact that in the first case his
smaller vessels we're brought TO bear success
fully, while in the latter their number was not
sufficient to attain any decisive advantage.
But not only are these vessels of light
draught Of immense effect in naval warfare
they are also Of great importance in CONNER.
cial affairs. The steam frigates now in pro.
gress of construction, are, from their great size,
inadequate to our southern commerce. We
are told by Mr.. Dobbin, in the letter 10 which
we have alluded, that "they could not pass
over the bars at Charleston, Savannah, Mobile,
and New Orleans" These, with the excep.
tons Of Norfolk and Pensacola, form the only
ports of any importance on our South Atlantic
coast. The soops, on the other hand, proposed
to be constructed, drawing only seventeen feet
OF water would be fully competent to enter un-
obstructed any Of these ports, thus securing to
the southern coast fair proportion Of our
commerce. The advantage Of light draugb,
will enable these steamers TO preserve an infe-
rior force in shallow waters, or when overpow-
cred by numbers TO escape with facility
Another consideration, which will have great
weight in the minds Of many, and should in
the minds Of all is the cheapness Of these yes.
sells. They can be built and put 10 sea of
about half the expense required for the con-
struction and equipment Of the new steam
if1gaies the number Of men required 10 man