The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-28

wAhe unoer me present arrangement wm seldom
z 1s ~ q Sss
20 dangerous for American vessels that few viii be vii
ling TO embark IT, what the effect Of breaking up the
trade VIII 30 upon the United States or Cnba. not
oessay 70 inquire certainly under the laws OF Congress
and eur treaty Obligations II the duty q the executive
government 70 see that csens shall not be engaged
h, and that dag shall not be used for liz purposes
NmxAm % TIE NAVY.
einoe the commencement Of The present administration
twenty steam vessels have been added 70 the navythr
teen By constructions and the aforementioned seven by
purchase Those authorised 70 bo built by the act OF
March g. 1857, the lancaster Pensaools Brooklyn,
respectively the agshps OF Pacific India squad
rsrs. The Brooklyn s attached 70 the home squadron.
no Pensacola and the Richmond are ready for their ma
chinery, and @ soon ~ II y erected on them will be
ready for sea- These ships have steam power aux
ary TO sails, armed with heavy nne and eleven
inch Dahgren shell guns, and viii have The speed OF
twelve statute miles an hour Il sea under steam alone
Inc seven steam screw sloops Of war, Mohcan, Nara
gansets iroquois Wyoming, Pawnee, Daootah and Semi
noe and the sidewheel steamer Saginaw, which
thorxed b the act Of June H. 1885, have been launched
and are all IN comm ssion except tho Pawnce the Dacoah
In these ships steam Is the principal motive power, and
sails auxiliary The contractors for the machinery have
guaranteed the speedor the Pawnee, sixteen statute
miles an hour; for the Dacotah, fifteen miles, both under
heavy penalties; for The other five, eighty revo-
lutOns OF the propeller In q minute, velocity
has given fourteen miles an hour, Without the use
Of sails The draugh Of four Of them s thirteen feet
Of the other three ten feet and tho armament consists
principally Of heavy shell guns. The sidewheel steamer
Saginaw has draught Of seven feet only and will carry
light armament Of 80 and "a Founders.
The Pensacola and the Seminole have been built At the
navy yard Florida and the first ships Of war
stFncted there They fully equal in construction 70
Sshx oredsbs 70 iSat bas svsn
full proof that Is able 70 build ship owar in the best
manner and that In point Of economy AZ well ~ skill
Of Mexico, in the vicinity Of the where ships
be much employed for the protection Of OF the
certainly much othere, fostering Of Con-
gress The machinery for these vessels has necessarily
been constructed at other establishments.
The Saginaw has been built the Pacific side, at the
Mare Island Navy Yard in California. 1t has been well
end economically built both the vessel and the machine
ry proves the competency Of the government meet
the demands OF the navy both for construction and
pair n the Pacific Ocean without doubling Cape Horn We
undoubtedly construct, repair and maintain Pacific
SQUADRON from the timber aud other of Cali
fornia and Oregon, with but little aid from the Atlantic
SIDE and that aid be furnished without much incon
venence by the comparatively short way of the sthmus.
The around Cape Horn is long, tedious expen
sve though may be often necessary TO be repeated
for many reasons and among others for the advantages
be derived from the presence OF ship OF at vari
points the route yet II s obvious that the efficiency
Of naval force in the Pacific will be much enhanced by
the policy Of maintaining an efficient navy yard that
Although our naval force has been thus in
creased by the addition of twenty steam vessels
yet ] beg leave most respectfully 10
The recommendation which had the honor TO make
year ago Of still further increase Of the navy The cost
lions Of dollars while the retained the treasury by
the policy adopted at the last session Of Congress Of
the appropriation for equipment and repair has
ed during the present fiscal year. than three mil
lions Of dollars and Congress shall continue the policy
Of euspendipg these improvement during the next fiscal
year scoordpg the estimates submitted, there viii
be retained in the treasury million and half or two
millions Thus may be said that the treasury viii
Of twenty steam vessels in the navy by CORES
pondpg reuenchmen. Of naval expenditure. But, nde
Spftb tc thnv
OF our coast and coasting trade the Atlantic
and Pacific sides Of the continent, Of five MR.
lions Of foreign exports and Imports, and Of American
citizens and interests in all parts OF the world impera
lively requires more efficient and powerful naval force
Than now have ut command. Instead OF perpeuatng
old vessels which be made effective in naval
warfare expendipg millions in constructing few large
ships which likely perish be superseded before
they viii be wanted, is earnestly recommended TO
prosecute with vgor the hne Of policy which has been
adopted by Congress, and to add to the navy much
larger number Of steamships, which be maintained at
compaT atively small cost, constant and pressing
necessity home and abroad go wherever they may
be needed and insure protection and security TO
widely extended coast rapidly increasing commerce
and TO American citizens and interests wherever they
may be found; IS source Of extreme regret an.
to sit by passively and see IN some foreign coun
tries citizens Of the United states pundsred
protect redress them beg leave refer TO tn,
repeating them now urge them again With renewet
earneeness.
CoRIS
The increase of the navy which has for years pas
been gradually taking place. and its increased activity
have rendered necessary corresponding increase In s
marine, medical and pursers departments. The marine
corps Is an indispensable branch OF the naval service
furnishes the guard Of every naval station, Of every
receiving ship and Of every ship Of war Of the United
appreciate its prompt and disciplined energy In main
tanning law, order and government against outbreaks
of illegal violence II s gallant little band upon which
rest the widely extended duties at home and every
and clme without sufficient numbers 70 perform them
Very much the same may be said Of the medical corps Of
the navy They designed to be guardians of the life
health Of the officers seamen, marines and others in
this branch Of the public service, not only at shore s
TONS but at sea, when far removed from other medical
aid exposed themselves also TO the hazards Of and
climate. And yet the government has not authorized
sufficient number Of them perform the necessary duty
aud officers and sometimes obliged, while in
mote service to forego the additional chances of life and
health which competent medical assistance usually at
fords In the purser's department we find the de-
fcency Not only duties imposed the naval officer
which not appropriate congenal TO his profession
or TO his position in command but contrary TO our most
from the public treasury and placed in individual
hands without bond or surety. beg leave to refer
10 facts and suggestions on these subjects presented
in the last annual report from this department. and
to renew the recommendations which ! then made.
NAVAL ACADEMY.
The Naval Academy continues under the superinten-
dence Of Captain George Blake, and have the most
gratifying evidence Of the proficiency OF the pupils in all
the branches Of their profession Twenty acting midshp
graduated in June; hundred and thirty three
have since been permitted TO be examined for admission
and OF these eighty sN were ounu quaneu ana ADMITTED
For the purpose of increasing the efficiency Of the navy
without materially increasing the annual charge upon the
treasury, have transferred the new members OF the
fourth class Of acting mdehipmen TO the sloop war
Plymouth, attached TO the academy thereby enargng
the accommodations provided there without the expense
Of buildings and arrangements have been already
made to accommodate eighty five pupils and their nsruc
tors board of that vessel.
This measure is a decided Improvement It has been
accomplished with great facility and at in considerable
pepse subjects the pupils TO strcter discipline and
closer supervision At the outset Of their studies intro
duces and attaches them 10 naval life, and makes every
part and their duties connected with it as
familiar household words II enables the departm en
more fully carry into effect the act Of Congress- Of
August 184S which authorizes the number Of 464 mid
shipment being the time Of the passage Of that act
each Congressional and Territorial district At the
close Of the last academic year there were but one hun
dred and ninety seven midshipmen in the navy. The
deficiency Of so many young, active and efficient naval
officers in this important grade has been felt In the dig
cplne of the service. II has been partially supplied
by rating enlisted and landsmen as master .
mates TO the number Of about hundred and
sixty, at an annual expense Of more than 100000
to perform the proper duties Of midshipmen. II
must be obvious that here wide door open for i'm
provement the expense the Of master
49, L.