New-York daily tribune., 1861-06-24
Tux sATaQNAL DEPENsEs,


The letter of Com. Vanderbilt to Mr. W. 8.
Bartlett of this city, one of his counsel,
Offering TO the Government his frst-class steam
ship Vanderbilt at price to be fixed by
| Com. Stockton and two other Commodores
to be .elected by the Administrat!on-or if that
be not acceptable, offering to make the
Government free gift Of that splendid s.ea-n-
ship-and proGering further. in behalf of the Pa
cfc Steamship Company. the four steamships
Ocean Queen Ariel, Champion aud Daniel Web
ster, on the appraisal Of three Commodores as
afor, said, will be found in our columns to-day.
| The offer secms TO us very fair one, and We
can rec no reason why it should not be accepted
at once and Thankfully. Ii, however, the Gov
crnmcnt should declne it, We presume 1t can
only do go cn the ground Of having q sufficient
naval force already. Yet If that be the case,
why build new and expensive vessels Of war,
which may not be ready for service till after the
end Of the war That letter incites some gen.
| oral reflections.
We ere in danger Of rnising up Military caste,
through the influence Of this war, 10 lord it
in place of the slsveholding caste, just deposed.
| In this view, we dcplore the extension which has
been given to the regular Army and which the
Navy IL likely TO share. Thousands now boring
for commissions in the Army hoping thereby to se-
euro employment and subsistence at the public cost
for life. We deplorc this aud trust it may yet be-
| counteracted. We give inr notice that we SHALL
after peace, urge the reduction of the Army to the
actual wants Of the service, whatever they may
be. A free people relying maioly for protection
| from foreign aggression or domestic conspiracy
| on Standins Army, is an anomaly which can
not long endure. Either the nation will absorb
the army or the army will give rulers to the na-
| ton. standing army is costly machine
at beat, and very unsafe dependence. Witness
the recent deiections Of Twiggs, Lee Beauregard,
| Magruder and hundreds more who have been
educated aud long subssted at the public cost;
witness the disgraceiul surrender and loss Of
| nearly the whole force stationed in Texas, with
| its vast m0'erid, provisions, &C. Witness the
betrayal Of several small national vessels into the
hands Of tho rebels the destruction and loss at
Norfolk and Pensacola, the shameful desertion of
Tatnal, Hollns, Brushwood, aud scores more of
long pnmpcred officers of the Navy. So long as
| tie Navy was rather ornamental than useful,
they oil stuck TO US like burs; but when they
came 10 he urgently wanted, they took them.
selves off, Aud q good riddsnce We have of
them
All the earliest and some Of the most brilliant
achievements of our Navy we're tho work of ofi-
GERS and sealnen trained in the commercial ina.
rine, which they only left at their coantrys call
to actual service. The vessels wherein Barry,
TruxsoD, &C., won untadiDg laurels, were built
TO carry goods, ard only adapted at need to car
rying cannon. Had we never had the skeleton
OF a navy, We could nevertheless have laid the
whole Southern coast under strict blockade within
q month.
Wnen War comes, Commerce dies. 1t is
stricken as by paralysis. There are now crowds
of versels of all classes aud sizes to be had
almost for tho asking, with hardy tars ready and
eager to man them for the defense of the coun.
try. The Government Of great commercial
nation like this Can pick the vessels IL needs
and name It's own terms. 1t can buy for half
the cost Of building, or hire OF the lowest toer.
able rates. Whether the requirement is for
deep.ea or iu-shorc service, it can satisfy it in
q few great commercia 9orts. Why, then,
sbond ii build and maiHta.n ships to rot use.
lcssly in peace, when it can OBTAIN them on bet
ter terms and Of the kinds just adapted to its
wants on the outbreak of Wari
So of n Standing Army. We need q good Mill.
tary :hool; We may need also Naval School for
gunnery, &c., though we Insist that navigation
and seamonshp are best learned. where oil
nautical nations have acquired them, in the
merchant service. But our vast Western frontier
never was, can or will be half 70 we'll projected
from savage incursions and outrages by regulars
as by mounted rihemen raised on the border
called out when needed, literally paid 80 long
as wanted, and then dismissed to the peaceful
avooations Of pioneer life. Let good staf officers
be trained and stationed on the border, with
authority TO enroll and drill volunteers to be
called out when needed, and we have no need of
even five full regiments Of infantry and cavalry in
constant service. In this ago of the world, men
are too valuable and learning too rapid to justify
the keeping up Of great military establishment