The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-12-09
WASHINGTON CITY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER Q, 1858.
TWO CENTS.


fever Assistant Surgeon Rose of the British navy,
volunteered to attend the sick in his place and to
company her TO New York The department communi-
Gated TO him its high appreciation this noble and gen
act of disinterested philanthropy On those who
were left at Port Royal every attention bestowed and
every provision made for their comfort by the authorities
To Admiral Stewart, Commodore Kellett, Captain Hay
DIR. kinnear, of the hospital, and the medical officers
under him. the department expressed through the Brit
| sh minister at Washington, its warmest acknowledge
ments for their prompt and efficient assistance For the
expenses incurred in the treatment of the sufferers at Port
Royal, the Lords Commissioners of Admiralty have de-
/ clined 10 make any claim upon hsgoycmment
The five steam soops war authorized by the act OF
March 3 1851, will soon be completed The ono built at
New York, by Mr. Weservelt under contract with the
government will be ready for trial Mt during the pres
ent month That built in the navy-yard at Philadelphia
has been launched and will be ready for trial in March
Those built the Charlcstown and Gosport navy yards
will be ready for launching during the present month
and for sea by July. The other built ut Pensacola will
be launched in the spring. The machinery OF two OF
| them is under construction at the Washington and Cos
port yards that Of the other three at private cstab
lishments They all soops of-war Of tho first class
aud be employed TO advantage any of the foreign
stations instead Of larger and more expensive vessels
The seven steam screw sloops-of-war and side
wheel steamer authorized by act of June IL, 1858
are in state of great forwardncss Five of them will
be launched during the present month and be ready for
sea by May next and the other two crew steamers will
be launched carly in spring, and be ready for trial by
june The sidewheel steamer is being built at the navy
yard in California, will be launched in the ensuing spring.
and be ready for in August. They all within
the limit of dlugt prescribed by the act of Congress-
and the steam machinery of all of them has been
raced for with private establishments after public add
| vertiscment.
In the construction Of the steamships authorized by the
acts of Congress referred to- il has been the aim of the de-
partmen to combine speed and power with strength in
the highest practicable degree for vessels Of their class
Accordingly models have been selected with particular
reference to their adaptation to the greatest aainable
speed and contractors for the engines and machinery
under the act of last session have been required 20 guar
any the result of their plans by spuating for the
Der Of revolutions to be performed in given space OF
time. In combining the skill of the constructor and
gneer for the accomplishment of the paramount object OF
extraordinary capacity for speed have not confined my
self to the limits of the navy but have looked elsewhere
beyond that boundary, that the country might
have the benefit of the highest skill wherever 1t might be
found
In placing estimate upon the value Of high speed,
the importance Of it has not been too highly appreciated
OF two war vessesthc equals of each other in every
other respect which has the greatest speed has
decisive advantage the other, and in contest
most sure to win The time has gone by when steam
be regarded in any other light than the principal
motive power on the water for warlike purposes 1t
impossible any longer to regard the unsteady and
tain power of the wind anything more than an auxii-
ary power, subordinate to that of steam.
In the construction Of a vessel, everything
nece with it has ultimate reference to single point,
the use Of the gun; by which alone, the
instrument of power, important results to be accom-
pshed To place it in the pres nee Of the enemy
beyond his reach in the shortest possible tme and to
it with the greatest possible effect is the great object to
be sought for in the construction OF navy the main
tcnancc of its auxiliary establishments 1t is to attain
this ehect that the skill OF the departments of ordnance
of construction and of engineering, is taxed to the Mt
most In the first place, have aimed to select and
adopt the which combines the greatest strength range
accuracy and power In the Dahgren gun have found
what want and it is believed there gunn any
vice that supasses it in these qualities In the of by
training corps OF sklful gunners by constant nsruc
ton and by universal practice ut sea- according to the
est perfection in celebrity of movement and accuracy of
aim. Having these advantages in the gun and its use,
have next endeavorcd to that model of
vessel propelled by steam which would encounter the
least resistance in its passage through the water when
of course far the form Of the vessel is concerned
the greatest speed will bc attained. And finally, as
side wheel steamers scarcely admissible for fighting
purposes, we have endeayored to apply the power of
steam to propellers in such manner to give the
vessel the greatest capacity of rapid movement that
whether it be the object to overake enemy to
cape from superior force, to seek its safety in any
emergency may be able to exert its capacity for speed
to the utmost extent WHILE on the other hand at other
times it may use its steam power very sparngly not
at all SO great the zeal of those connected with
this branch of the public service that feel assured they
will not rest satisfied until they have given the service
the fastest ship which skill and science produce.
All past experience has cvnced the necessity of
Increase OF the navy. 1t is impossible, with present
naval force to give adequate protection to the persons
and property of American citizens pursuing their various
avocations by land and in all parts of the world
What especially need in time of peace larger
number of vessels capable of entering the rivers and har
bors of all foreign countries, well Such
is the condition of Mexico, and of the Central and South
American States that it is ndispensaby necessary that
should be able to approach them frequently, and ut
every accessible point There is other mode Of cx-
tending eecua protection to American interests in that
any other quarter OF the globe where the existing gov
enmens lack stability, or, for other causes be
relied for the performance of international duties.
The frequent presence of shpofwar though not of the
largest class exerts powerful restraining influence and
will generally citizens from the nhction of gross
injustice There still other for considerable
augmentation of naval force.
The commerce of the United States has increased with
such unprecedented rapdity that already of
ing all and visiting all countries it is vain suppose
that it be protected by few ships of the larger classes
The only mode of doing it in effective and economical
is to give the navy greater efficiency by multi
plying the number smaller vessels light daught and
powerful armament capable of following into
whatever waters il may frequent and of which four
five be built aud maintained in commission for the
cost of single frigate shipofhelne Twenty effect
i've vessels of the smaller class be built and kept at
for what il would cost to build and keep four or
five vessels Of the larger class And when this is
considered in connexion with another that well armed
ships of this description taversng the high seas visit
ing the ports of remote nations displaying national flag
rs tho representative of great confederation of free
States usually in time of peace, powerful for oil
protective and preventive purposes any other while
they useful and formidable in war; the argument be-
comes irresistible for the employment of much larger
number of them.
This view does not vet exhaust the subject We have