New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-29
NAVY DEPARTMENT.

Navy Department, to be found on another page,
will be read with interest by the public. When
the present Secretary Of the Navy took charge
Of HIS department there were in all the ports oi
the North but four small vessels, carrying twenty
FIVE guns. Treachery had done its work as
effectually on the water as on the land. Our
war-sbps we're scattered over the globe, aud the
rebellion brought the necessity of creating o
navy from the very bottom. The difficulty was
enhanced by the want Of legislative authority for
extraordinary action, beyond the legal powers OF
the Secretary, aud the preccdents Of his depart
ment 1t was vastly enhanced, too, v" the tough
resistance presented by routine. To suddenly
create navy was simultaneously {, rocreate .
navy department.
Before Congress met the Secretary Of The Navy
purcha,ed rs many vessels as wes deemed expo
dent by the Administration, and ordered the
construction Of twenty-three gunbonts for hecD
aiding service in the shallow waters Of the ooush-
ern coast. The ink was not dry on the Presi-
dents signature to the bill giving money and
authority for the purchase of additional. ships,
before Committees were appointed in Boston.
New-YOrk, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and
aUothcr sent to the Lakes. TO buy forthwith yes
sells suited to the wants Of tie Navy. Every
one Of the Government yards was immediately
worked TO its utmost capacity. Several private
yards were taken to hasten the alterations neces-
sary to be made in the case Of every vessel pur-
chased The most Of our readers ore not aware
ttst merchant ships, the best Of them, are not
sufficiently heavy in their tmbors and fastenings
to stand the discharge Of large guns without be-
coming in time, as . bOatswain expressed II to
US, /" as rickety az an Old bedstead." About
eight thousand worknen were employed within
week after the adjournment of Congress, in the
several Havy-Yardsj and there was not On Idle
Constructor, Ordnance Officer, or hsrine
EDgibeer, Left anywhere within the Govern.
ment reach. A difficulty was encountered by
the Department at the start, that was not antici-
paied, aud which the pubic has beea unable to
comprehthd. OF all tie maritime peoples ~ tho
world, il was supposed that wc emipeEtlg conld
oxtemrorise a steam nsyy-that we possessed in
our propeIers, olone, a fund Of vessels from
which we could draw at viii and without eI-
haus,on. But tue condition Of sea service FOR
tho Navy lie, that the vessel must bo strong
enough to carry her armament and 10 endure her
armament-thht her engine must be- strong in
" hole ard in psr,S-and that both vessel and
engine must be ssfoag enough TO remain at sea
without repai, for long periods Of time. Tho de-
feet in nearly oil tho propellers which were eX-
aminod by the Purchasing Committees, was
woakness Uf frame an1 machinery for war pur-
poses, and consequent latent liability to be dis
abied aud 80 be euddepIy obliged 70 quit work
and return TO port for repairs. This was the
ease with even tho best ef the Lake Erie pro-
pelers. OF aide-wletl steamers, and tboss having
walk "A. beam engines, and whose frames were
strong enough Cor the duty there were plenty.
But their liability to being 6isabed ia tbelr pro-
pelling power, by i,s visible exposure 20 thot,
constituted an objection to their use.
Another difficulty was encountered by the
Department. Policy as well as prejudice
required that the war vessels shOald be armed
with modern csnaon--particulapy the Saed. 4
These bad 80 be made. The largo guns, 80
FOUNDERS and upward, were wanted most. The
to get these out had 10 b. made and
set mp, before their manufacture could even
commence. Aud elthougl the establishments for
making these cannon are run night, an1 day, the
guns cannot be made as fast us the vessels are
got ready. No delay would have taken place in
armiag the vessels, Immediately after the car
peuters were out cf tscm, il the Oll smooth-bore,
ordinary range guns had not. fallen utielly into
distaVor with saors, ns the Old iol5ioled musket
was ruined for the use of the volunteers by
the MIME arm and the Enfield and Shapes
rifles. And the shallOwncss of tho SoutneSn wa.
ters aud the possession Of riHed caEnOn by the
Rebels afforded an excuse for The pnwilingness
of naval officers TO go to sea without tho modern
long range guns. All that can be said upon this
point ia, that q Rebellion falling UPON us AZ sud
denly as ligbtL ing, found Us unprepaIed to sup
press it, and that the delay in ,rppfsssiDg it ON
The sea5oard Las been occasioned bJ tue meyita-
bio delay of getting ready " suppress it.
But the Secretary Of the Navy. has exam.
ined ard purchaged 7S vessels, has examined
and chartered 40 mOre has placed % euubosts and
steam sbops Of war on tie stocks, and got
the engines for oil Of them well IN hand, il now
" fitting out 35 vessels, has called homo from
all quarters Of the globe our scattered war shp',
Las captured over 90 vessels while rubting our
blockade and has gathered upon tue Atlantic
and Gulf coasts squadron Of 50 ships, and
placed in the Potomac another Of %. This is a
great work; yet The impatienee OF sickened and
suffering Commerce has brOoked no postpone
ment Of its imperou, wants. 1t demanded iu-
stabtly to be provided with safety and profts;
and, in the nature Of things, safely and profits
could not instantly be given. Creation is awork
Of time. What the rebel priyateers have done