Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-09-09

start that was not anticipated and which the public has
been unable TO comprehend. Or all the maritime peo
pie in the world, it supposed that we eminently
could eX.emporze steam navy that We possessed In
our propelers alone urd of vessels from which we
could draw at viii and without exhaustion But the
condition of service for the navy is that the vessel
must be strong enough 10 carry her armament and 10
endure her armament; that her engine mus be strong
il whole aud in parts and that both vessel and engine
must lie sIorg enough to remain at sea without repair
for long frods of time The defect in nearly oil the
popcers which were examined by the Purchasing Com
mitce was weakness OF frame and machinery ior war
purpose and consequently latent liability to be disabled
and TO be suddenly Obliged to quit work ard return TO
port for repcr1 This the case With even the hest
Of the Lake Erie propeIers OF s;de-wheel steamers
and those hayrg wa!kiDg-beam engines, and whose
frames strong enough for the duty, there were
plenty. Bu. their liability to being disabled in their
peus power by its visible exposure to shot, copst
tuted an objection to their use.
Another difficulty encountered by the Depart
ment Policy well as pr udice required that the
vessels SHOULD he armed With modern cannon-oarcR-
arlS the rded. These had 10 be made The large guu
80 pounders aud upward, were wanted most The ma.
chnery 10 get these out had 70 be made and SGT up be-
fore their manufacture could even commence And sl-
though the establishments for making these
run night aud day. the guns cannot be made fast
the vessels arc got ready No delay would have taken
place 10 armng toe vessels Immediately after the
pcntes were out Of tlem il tie old smoothbore, oTdn
range guns had not fallen utterly into disiayor with
sailors "a the olcshioned nuket was ruined for the
use of he volunteers by the Mimic avn and the Epied
and Shapes rifles. And the shslowncss Of the South
ern waters and the possession of rhed by the
rebels afforded for the unwlingnGsa of naval
officers 10 90 TO see without the modem long range
gun'. All that be said upon this pont IS that
bslol falliGg upon as suddenly lightning found
unppared TO suppress iand that the delly IN sup
pressing it Dhe seabosrd has been occasoned by the
inevitable delay Of getting ready 10 suppress it.
But The Secretary Of the Navy has examined and pur
chased ~ vessels has examined and chartered 10 more
has pheed 90 guaboats and steam socp3 OF the
siccfs sud got the engines for all Of them well in hand
is uoE fitting out" 80 vessels, has led home from all
quarters of the globe scattered shrs has clpur
ed over 80 vessels while running blockade and hes
gathered upon the Atlantic ard Gulf n squadron
OF % shpl and placed in the Potomac another OF 25.
This Is great work yet the impotence OF sckened ard
eusring Commerce has broOked pOsponement Of ils
impsrous Il demanded instantly to be provided
with safety and profits and in the nature ot things
safety and profits could not Instantly re given. Cres
ton Is work OF time What the rebel privateers have
done against the good name Of Navy Department,
tho New England priynhers did for the Brit
ish Ministry in 1Sl2-l3. They drove the Bris.
to Hull, London, and Liverpool merchants, fran
tic with the loss Of ships aud cargces and set them
howlirg for the lives w6 as the Cfi;ia resgua.
tons of the pnbc servants WHO not prepred for
the dOwBpour upon British commerce of American priya-
Zee = Blu: would FrSateorinG now against British ships
Oh the coast OF Spain be profitable i
be pref able poss bic vucrprisc against American
conlnieioa on the Uuied States coasts in tho West
Indies three months from nowS