New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-07
XdRLNE AFF.1IES..
TIE UNIrED STATES NAVY AS IT IS.

! IHt lNllED clalES NAV AS IL II.
! II the sInusl laval Register published by the an'
thoritis at Washington could be relied on a. correct
representative Ct the United States Navy, there woald
be little necessity for this article became severa Of our
contemporaries, Sin order TO furnish their readers with
"nfoma.ion touching this particular brancl Of the Cn
/ "ted States service "a full and complete possible,
have actually copied into their editorial columns every
item in the book referred TO- Bot it happens thst
New.YoIk City Directory for 1919, could no. possibly
be more incorec, guide to New-York in 1879, than
the last namber Of Register dated 1858 bCt printed
in the latter part of 81 s TO Navy at the present
day. Accordingly we proceed to lay before The resders
of THE TRIBUNE an accurate eStimste Of our naval
forces their distribution at home and abroad and their
sctual not reputed strength.
LISE.OF.BsTrLr-sHIPs.
! We have seven ships of the Inc sfoai, not one Of
which viii ever be on. Of sight Of land again unless il
be raced into ryste or soop os.wsr The largest
OF these ard indeed one Of the largest vessels Of her
k1d in the world Is the magnificent " liner Pennsy
vsris g, present the permanent receiving.ship at
/ Norfolk. Although she cost the country cesry a
million of money, and is over twenty yesrs OF age,
she was never al se, indeed, the only occs.ion ou
which size ever passed harbor light, Was when she
sailed from Philadelphia to her present location. She
is past all servce now. There not many sound
plsiks In her huge hull as would make good fishing
smack. TIE " "New-York." a nominal eighty -four,
he's been on the stocks ST Norfolk nearly hsf csntu
~ moropolizing immense ship-house, becoming
mody, loose snd rotten the frame. With the ex-
eepton Of brief Correspondence originated by each new
Secretary when he takes the helm at the Navy De-
psrtme1t nothing is ever heard or said about the
large amount Of public money invested il her, the
splendid nsp oi-war, Of any size or rank, she
might be made, or the valuable space she occupies.
TIE New orleans" another ship-of tie line, has
been over twenty years On the itocks at Sscketts
Harbor ard is far from beiug finished, or
ver,ed into anything usefsl, as she ever was The
Alebsn. the third Of the De. Of battle grade, hss
been thrice ten years anl one beside in q similar
predcsment et Port.mouth, y. H.; ard tie
"yrgris," No. 4, Of tie same grade, ha, been
tweI ty-fye years on The ttocks et Boston.
person ro. well informed respecting naval mat
ters would think on reading the Register above
refentd to, that, doubles, each Of these ships
wss lying in the stream, Of some Of tie Navy
Yards waiting orders 10 prepare for service Even
ole Of editorial neighbors, in late article eApaa
ting national resources, s.stst confidently that
I'VE have s'so ten ships of.tte-in., which could bs
made ready for ses duty in few weeks if necessi
"ty required it, In pott Of fsct, il wouli take
more time ard money TO complete any Of tte yes-
eel. named than to build and equip three steamers Of
thirty guns escb, making large allowance for na-
shineIy.
The Columbus, tie Ohio, the Nortt- C arors tie
Delswsre, and the Vermont, are al pas. dong say
good, ard, If they were Immediately taken il HAMS
the whererithal to build and splentid ...s-er
could b nsie out of each OF them Thus on. o. tie
ten lit.-otbste ship, set down IS belonging 70 tie
Navy ioar have been the stock. a, an average over
80 year, and TIE other siI are II every p..ticula.
worhles. for seA duty.
THE FRI6ATTs.
We have fourteen sailing frgs,es Of which q, isas.
four mis ht he converted into seicable scopsofvs,
tut which viii revsr be any a. fss.es again. Ths
t1rsrien, 10 successfully tried the ssvsrnsh sn1
the jamestown, couli hardly prove other rise II 3,
beneficial Il sppied 70 the Pc.orsc the Cclunb: tre
Rar,ar. srd TIE Brandywire. The s.. Lawrence, tie
Co7gres, the Sable, tie Cumberland, and probably
the Ccpsttuton might De rendeled good enough with
OFT razeeirg for fer years; and cDnsierns .h.t we
81. employ ealing gs.es as dsg :hips where ihs slave
trasic pIsdominstes, any Of the above would be
admirably calculated for the COSTS of Area snd
Brazil. Indeed The Sabire hss aresiy gore % tie
latter rsce ard tes- tia. the Congress vii 70 %
Area The S.-.ee Is 6 chip that never did suy
serv:ce a hone abroad the United States ani ths
Constitution are the two Oldest ves.els in the Navy
having teen bulk in the yea, 1871. Gu: Of Dlr.een
gstes tteiefo-e 81 their present esther orly sI .re
capable Of beng made worth anything and il woali
cos. as much 20 e: OF. even these q. 10 co-rre tbs
same runber Of rew .tesn gun-bo..s on keel to
sovepile.
IRE sLooPs-oP-wAs.
Oar ealing slcop.-of-wH count twenty, snl a-e by
far the uo,t useful, valu.ble sai efficient vessel, in
the eervice Fifteen of them are N commission, aDd
ory FIVE dle The Constellation s tbs beat Of al,
ard Der fne proportions and splendid equipments
gained for hsr few ye,u sgo the universal oonren-
ds.on Of the British naval authorities. Her xr snert
|. heavier than ths Of macy fgst.. and her strength
and soEdiy are urequsled. The M.c~ionisn, Jsne.-
town, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Germantown, Cyane
and ST. Louis, also good for several years duty,
but tie zen s'Lirs twelve WI scoc Lave Sols theu
fts3it fEIH