Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-02-09
Report OF tho Navy Department.

The report OF The SecrstaIy OF the Navy re-
couuends the construction Of additional scoops
OIL Mar; expresses entire satisfaction win We
result ct The apprenticeship system AMI we ieS-
lslalon OF Congress lor tie Navy MAINTAINS
ihe abolition Of corporal punishment AMI
tecomments all Increase Of tue Marine corps
aud lhe Increase oi seamen 10 ten thousand men,
he Substances the general action oil the Naval
Retiring Boaid, but inllmates his readiness to
aid In restoring any officers IN special cases
who have tsen unJustiy treated
| Vi the condition OF the Navy, Mr. Dobbin
says - deem it my duty candldly 10 ex2rt 50
the oPiniou thai our navy Is hot only too dlfhlh-
ut!ve to be expected to CONTEND ia.ry with that
Of other respectable nations, is sufficient to give
adequate protection 10 our commerce, but Is,
unquestionabiy loo tcebs 10 command HE wa.
| ters OF our own coast. Indeed, when compa-
| rison is fairly Instituted OF hat would be The
| denuan for service upoG our navy now, In the
event OF wayr with the demand uponi II in the
wal oil 1912, my opinion Is that II VIII he found
| that our country is not now better prepared tor
| Il sudden emergency than IL was then. The az
prenale tonnage OF The United States in 1872
| was 26o ,997, 36 90 tons for The fiscal year,
ending June 80, 1850, /! WIS 52l2000 1895
tons. In 1912 pur Mole coast to be protected,
extended along the Atlantic merely from Maine
! to Florada Since then, not only have Florada
and Texas been added, but Pacific coast Dor
doyiug new county teelnlng with pepu 'a'ioH
and wealth THUS, sir, Is appears That the navy
VIII hav6 millions more vi coininefce 10 P'o
lsct, and thousands OF miles oil coasts 10 defend.
| could not, il would disguise the ruth that
even respectable navy must necessdfially in
vuive large expenditures. But 1t Is equally
true that Without naval strength, six months
| til
would. in the seizure Of rich aud valuable car
goes, in the DESTRUCTION Of iiee,a Of merchantmen
| aud IN plundefing deenceless points along the
coast cost US mole lar more, thai, squadron
| Of invIlcibls men oil war Recent occurrences
IN Europe demonstrate The folly ofreyin9 upon
d navy feeble, SO lmpotent for either assault or
defence, that policy required Ii to be carefully
| sunk TO avoid enrlchine the enemy. The UNI
| ted States cannot by such policy MAINTAIN
rank and command respect. The government
o. the old world yieing with each other in mag
nifying aud pelG.ctlng this arm OF defence
Our institutions, ii they do Tot excite their pos
| live jealousy, are hot the objects OF large
| share OF our esteem and Wedkress sooner or
| later, invite HE interference CT these whose
ideas Of regulating the balance OF power may 50
expand as 10 comprehend lot simply our foreign,
| but Atlantic, Pax ific and State relalons.n
The rs inaes for the support Of
| The Navy and Marine Corps for
the veal ending June 80, 1857,
aud for all objects coming I'm.
der the control oil this Depart
ment are in the aggregate. Sl3,524 800. 81
Being very nearly three millions
| less than the aggregate estinla-
les for the pfesellt fiscal year
from " hch deduct special OBJ
jeets, including tIansrot' atlon
! ut the mail III steam ships and
other purposes.
Leaving, as the legitimate ex-
reni!uees ior the support Of
lae navy and marine corps for
the fiscal year ending June 80,
1880. s.0l5,o59 0.