Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-12-11

EXTRACTS.
NAVY DEPARTMENT,
December, 1850.
Sir--ln PURSUANCE Of tho provision contain.
cd in the naval appropriation act Of June 22d,
1860, appointed Il Board Of Officers, consist.
ing Of Commodore George ". Storcr Com,no.
,lorc S. H. Striag;nau,, John Lenlhuil, Nara,
Constructor and Chief OF the Bureau oil Con.
struction, &C., Samuel Archbold, Engineer in
Chief, 3. f. lslicrwool, Chief Engineer, and
Z. F. Dcland, Naval Constructor, 10 examine
the sailing ships of The navy, in order 10 de-
terIninc ttIe eXpcdicncy o! converting them In.
70 efficient w:r steamers. They proceeded to
tie navy yards 1T Kittcry, Charlcstown, Brook.
Ign, Philadelphia and Gosport, nrd examined
the brig Perry, the sloops of-war Dale, Preblc,
Vincenncs Tandalla, Jamestown, Saratoga,
Germantown, Plymouth, Cumberland and Mn
ccdonian, the (rigatcs Santce, Brandywine, Po-
tomac, St Lawrence, Columbia, Raritan anu
United Statea, and the lne.o-batllc ships Ala.
bar,a, Virginia, Vermont. Ohio, North Carroll
M, New Yo!ii, Columbus, Pennsylvania ard
Delaware. The brgs, sloops and lrisltes then
Mt sen have nnt hcrn examined by them, but rs
they found by The record of the depart
mcnt that in form, dimensions, age and condi-
ton, these were similar to those they had
examined, they included all in the sane opin.
ion.
The result oil their report is thaLit is not eH-
pcdcnt 10 Introduce steam power into the
brigS, sloops and lrigatcs, bu: that it Is expe'
d;cnt 10 introduce il into these ships oil the
line, except the Delaware now 100 defective TO
permit it, and by razecIng them 10 convert
thrm into first class Steam rigatcS. While the
present steam Grigates ol the MINNESOTA class.
carrying mixed batteries Of eight and nine inch
guns, forty IN number cost Oh an average
S723, 900 each, the cost OF converting these
eight inc-of.balte ships into steam frigates Of
the same class would average but S5S3, ,Uu0, and
when thus converted lhey .:ouEd, in the opinion
Of the Board, bc efficient steamships Of war, OF
full steam power. Their report Ii herewith
submitted, aud concur in the measure which
they propose, as in the event Of var no one oil
these line. of-batt!c ships, ii the present state
Of steam nav! CATION, Could 20 10 sea With rca'
sonnble degree Of safety.
or the sailing frigales tic United States is
not worth repairing. The Constitution has
been thoroughly repaired, and would last many
years ut llir Naval Academy, where she Is no"
stationed. Tile Sabine and Santrc are com
parativey new, and can be used as irlgates.-
The remaining SIN, Us they shall require re
pairs, should !re converted into sloops OF war
and finally into s.urc ships, and rs such woulc
he useful Tor stores and for protection III various
foreign ports
The sloops oi-war built piorio 1870, and tht
brigs Bainhridsc, Perry ami Dolphin, require
such an expenditure to hccg' them bit Tor service
| that it will s""D bu advantageous to replace
them with new "cSScl$ They aro not large
enough FOL store SHIPS.
The seven siraiG !rigstrs, with the exception
uf the Fraakll'i. arc now aioat and are re
ceiving repairs thut will fit them for any Ser
vice. 30 steam machinery has been built io
the Franklin, and the engines Of the MerrltDact
should he renewed.
Or the six ncw s.cum sioops. ot.war Of thr
first class, I've are Il. sca, and their perlollnanc
has been satisfactory The other, the peDsa
cola, will suu;1 he completed.
Of the slc-whcc! steamers Of the urst class
the Susquehanna, Sara;lac and PowhHtnn cali
by introducing screw propulsion, DC mad
efficient and economical war steamers. LII
other, the Mississippi, will be worth no nor
repairs Than Sue Is nnT receiving
OF the ucw steam. SoGls-of-war OF tEe secon!
class, four, mounting each two eleven Incl
guns, have been cmncntly successful. Two
the others, mounting each one eleven inch gun
arc OF les drnughl anl their performance
sea has not been equal TO that Of the large
vessels Another of these smaller steamers
mounting eight lire inch guns, is expected il
port aud will be prepared for mere pertec
trial Tie PoCahontas has been remodcllc
and provided with new engine, and is e.
| efficient vessel
The five screw steamers of the third class
recently chartered and then purchased, ar
performing very Efficient ser"ice on the coast {
Africa anu Cuba and are in every respect use
lul vessels. Al the end Of their present cruise
they will require some repairs aud prpbabI
new boilers.
The five Slewheci steamers Of the sma
class are useful and efficient in peace and n
despatch vessels in war, but no s;de.whct
steamer cal be efficient as war steamer.
| INCREASE or TIE NAVY.
While it is the dictate Of sound policy 10 il
crease the efficiency Of our present ships
war, it is equally SO to increase their nu!nos
Tie Constitution Of the United States cor
fers on Congress the power to maintain G naTj