The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-05
THE AMERICAN NAVY.
AN ENGLISH VIEW OF IT.
Britain ssCOuId DO In a Tyvelvc-m Ontil
Five Times as Much as tho
Americans have DOne.',

<AhACTACAHS nave DOhCs>
From the London Times. Oct. 1S
Nobody can refuse to the Federal Amer
leans the credit of resolution and constan-
cy. In spite of continuous defeats, or VIC
tories scarcely less discouraging, they have
now persisted for eighteen months in fight
ing outa game which every body sees must
be a losing one. We have recently learnt,
indeed, from the publication of remark
able letter, that the views of the contest
universally entertained in Europe were
presented to the Government Of Washing
ton by the oldest soldier in the States be-
fore the struggle began. Gen. Winfield
Scott put the real prospects of the war be-
fore the President and Mr.. Seward when
as yet not battalion had been raised or
shot fired, and the experience of the cam
paigns has proved that the prognostica-
tons of the veteran commander fell even
short of the truth. Yet, for all this, the
Northerners are stubbornly bentupon their
hopeless task. To prodigious army,
maintained no longer by volunteering, they
are now adding very large, if not pow
erful navy. The numerical strength, in
deed, Of their active squadrons is especial
ly notable, and, in these days of recon
struction and experimental fleets, we should
be unwise if we omitted to observe their
proceedings.
In January, 1861, the Americans had
forty-one vessels of all rates in commits
sion. There are now two hundred and
fifty-six men-of-war carrying the Federal
flag, so that the navy has been multiplied
skiold in less than two years. This, how
ever, though denoting wonderful effort
on the part Of the nation, is not very ex-
traordinary result when the circumstances
are reviewed. On the same conditions we
could send thousand cruisers to sea in
even a shorter time. The fact is, as we
have before taken occasion to remark, that
the Americans were driven out of their old
tactics by the sharp pressure of instant ne
cessity. Instead of concentrating their
energies and their expenditure on one or
two monstrous specimens of their respect
i've classes, they pressed at once into their
service every floating vessel that could be
found. River steamers, ferry boats, mail
packets, merchantmen and coasters were
all bought up, hastily armed, and sent to
sea under the pennant. The result, of
course, was an astonishing increase of the
national marine, and, as it happened, an
efficient one, too. The Federals were
fighting against an enemy who had no navy
at all, and consequently any fleet was good
enough for the purpose. A really effective
squadron might have made short work of
these makeshifts, but the Confederates had
no squadron of any kind, and so the ex-
temporized fleet of the Northerners sue
ceeded in keeping the sea and blockading
the ports of the helpless South. Although
the Federals acted with this judicious
decision on the spur of the moment, they
lost no time in putting some better work
in train. They accepted very promptly
the conclusions of European governments
respecting the iron-cnsed vessels, and Or
dered a good many ships on the new mo-
del. At the present moment they have
between twenty-five and thirty of these
vessels actually atioat, and no fewer than
thirty-seven building. Yet even here we
must not delude ourselves with the belief
that the "iron-clad steamers of the fede
raj navy list represents anything like such
vessels as are now included in our own
squadron now at Lisbon. The same ur-
gency in the demand and the same peculi-
arity in the contemplated service have been
at work here also to affect the efficiency of
the ships turned out. We know by expe-
renee what is required for. such construc-
tons; and when we hear that even i'm
proved and powerful models are launched
in a few months, and for ESQ, 900 piece,
we can form very good idea of their gen.
raj quality. -.- e.
With these qualifications, however, the
new federal navy may certainly be regard
ed as remarkable creation. That very
government which, a few months ago, had
but forty men-Of-war aflOat has now
blockading squadron of fifty-one vessels in
the South Atlantic, and another of forty
three in the North Atlantic. Ithas third
squadron Of fifty-seven ships in the West
Gulf, and fourth of twenty-one in the
East Gulf. Besides these there is fotilla
in the Potomac numbering twenty -four
vessels, and another in the Mississippi COM
prising twenty-nine.
Upon the whole, the new federal navy
has been designed with so peculiar and ex-
ceptional and object that it is hardly safe
to draw any general lessons from such an
example. The Northerners wanted a fleet,
not to encounter the fleet of an enemy, but
to take on the instant and keep possession
of an uncontested sea. They required gun
boats for the navigation of broad rivers,
and tlotillas to cooperate with an army in
the field. These necessities of their posi-
ton they not only discerned, but accepted
without an hours delay. and the result GER
tainly does them credit, as it has, indeed,
done them service Measured, however,
by European standards, their squadrons
can hardly be regarded as effective, unless
we are to presume that other nations have
expended upon their navies large amount
OF superfiuous pains. We could do in a
twelyemonth not only what the Americans
have, done, but five times as much. By
pressing every species of craft into the
service, and setting every building yard to
work without stint or scrutiny, we could
soon multiply bya considerable figure the
number Of our, ships in commission, but
their quality would not remain such as it
is at present. - 60
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