The New York herald., 1862-12-07


the sea, which renders place OF security The oo-
Jccticns 10 its how allavia soil, The cost OF raising
II 70 proper grade the depth II will be necessary 20
peneHae before reaching safe bottom and the expense
OF Fling on which 10 erect These aru
weighty objections and will require inconsiderabe
expenditure 10 overc me them In addition those above
enumerated the fact that the the Della
river Is sometimes obstructsd by leo, injury II
sometimes caused by floating ice but there is no
east or north OF il whore the objection not much
| greater
In regard the location naval depots and the ueces
sfy OF having them secure from foreign enemies cannot
more distinctly apd clearly present what the rcqui
sites Than BY quoting rQD the report Of very able board
eminent officers aud engineers on seacoast deiences
security against attack by sea or land is undoubt
cdy tho first condition required for the destruction
establishment Of this nature involves with il the desruc
on OF all those elements OF naval force which have been
collected long time beforehand during peacs, TO the
calouiabe loss oi the public. Such mis- %
severely felt during the whole course OF and ot
wel DO repaired whilst il continues This indispensable
quality (securty) must be obtained well localities
will admit without having artificial ortica-
ons for these must be very costly and II that expense
can be avoided the same SUNS will be much more
advanage0asy laid out in improving and aeSran dzng
the establishments Of the depot Thus r equal in other
respects place whose site is naturally str,ng, and
whose position with respect 70 the general frontier Is
should be preferred to another that requires
to be fortified t.F4 ...1
The great essential here specified OF security from
tack BY foreign enemy, appertans to League Island,
which has, in that respect strong Typographical advan
tagcs It's interior location might have constituted an
objection at former period when only sailing vessels
we're in the naval service but the introduction OF steam
has wrought revolution in this respect rendering the
movements Of vessels independent OF wind and
tide Immediate contiguity TO the ocean is no longer
deemed advantage, but a disadvantage. Steam,
riaed cannon and modern Improvement in ord
nance, have rendered harbors and depots ifline
diatey the seaboard insecure In recent debate
the british Parliament il was cnphatea!ly urged that
Portsmouth and its inmense ana costly works must he
Abandoned for the that naval depot should
be within the range Of dre six miles Il an attacking
force b, then, fresh water be Indispensable for navy
yard for the construction. repair, and dockage OF
vessels and vessels that clad with iron there
position east OF the delaware where the difficulties from
ice do exceed those urged against League Island
his any place ben proposed that presents equal avan
tages, or - secure from attack While there some
obvious and admitted Objections 10 League slnnd, NO
iacc has been proposed that combines many advan
ges unless IL be The contracted and altogether made
gl4tc yard at Philadelphia That yard may perhaps be
extended 50 rs 70 double It's present CAPACITY but besides
involving large expenditure, il would then be insult
cent for our future iron navy.
thc number ef navy yards that we now have,
for, when once in Operation the discontinuance OF
the present site at Philadelphia would take place as
matter OF COURSE and the avas could be- and doubtless
would be- devoted to the Improvement Of the new loca
on, Whereas the adoption Of any other site would be
the addition oi another yard similar in character to
those we now have, which is not required.
The conflicting reports, aud the conditions annexed to
the law authorizing the Secretary OF the Navy to receive
and accept League Island have occasioncd embarrass
ment and have therefore deemed II respectful TO delay
action until Congress should convene As neither the
habor OF New London the waters of Narraganset Bay
adapted TO the purposes and wants or navy
whatever may be their advantages other respects and
risy from external enemies, aud proximity 70 iron and
coal propose 70 receive and accept for the government
the muncent donation OF the city Of PHILADELPHIA unless
Congress shalt otherwise direct.
The time has arrived when in order 10 maintain
selves and true position nation, must have
formidable navy not only OF hight draught vessels to
guard extensive aud shallow coast bat that with
vessels always ready for the service, and Of Sufficient
to give them speed seek and meet enemy on
the In order TO obtain the steam power
essential TO great speed We must have vessels Of the
greatest magnitude.
Vessels OF wood will always he built; but the causes
that have operated to reard the introduction OF iron yes
sels are disappearing. The working Of iron has been
smp,ined its application facialed tools and
machinery for working constantly being invented
owed artisans skilled in its manufacture be-
coming more common, and the material more easily
wrought.
The progress of events renders it certain tina,
iron viii hereafter enter largely into the structure
of vessels for marine service, although il will
never entirely supersedc wood Our country
produces the material in abundance, and we
While our forests are disappearing ineshausiibe
OF iron being developed That is for the
change the material and structure our naval
need not be repeated. II must provide tho necessary
yards ana establishments for EACH and have them pro.
perly located, in which build ships Of war; ana at
least one OF them should be specially adapted TO iion No
private establishment undertake such heavy work as
the government requires for its armor and steam pur-
poses. Possessing advantages that other nation
Joys should avail ourselves Of them Our iron aud
coal are found in the same region and we have fresh
ter rivers in which iron vessels can c dockcd and kept
clean, and from which all enemies can be excluded.
10 the construction 49, f the iron aud IRON. ron.
in progress every effort has been made 10 have
them promptly completed. II is believed that nearly
every rolling mill has been engaged that is able do the
work and yet these vessels scvers months behind
the time within which they were TO have been completed
The department. that the contractors have
done their best aud yet is with great difficulty that
these comparatively small vessels and the moderate sized
required be for them wanted,
much does the demand exceed the capabilities o the
mills To supply These facts demonstrate the necessity
public works where vessels OF great magnitude
he Had the government been prepared ter
this heavy work. much OF the delay which has embar.
rassednava operations might have been avoided. Pri
vate establishments would have been relieved, and ena
bed to furnish larger quantity within the scope OF their
own manufacture.
II is important, that the government should build its
ships OF iron OF wood. II the apparent cast in
either greater the actua, value also greater.
II ot The irst importance that the material whether
of iron wood should he u tho best quality
and regards ron this be insured and made certain
ouy by ~ being received and rewofkcd at government
cs,ab mcnts Tbearge quantities required will always
enable le government TO purchase on economical terms
II well unders that qualities OF greatly
aud The OF interior kinds will be both injurious and
expensive. Experiments with shot target practice
demons that qualities have much greater powers
than others, and therefore better for
araure Other qualities may better resist corroson.
sud be suitable TO the action Of water and still
oists may he adapted the internal parts exposed
different chemical action These qualities aud dcnomina
wi be ascertaed by observations ana tests tha:
the government alone well make and faithfully apply
In the construction oi It's vessels. Contractors and
private cSiablisurncntS VIII vgilaut
careful making the prtcr selections and assortings
estblr hment such as the department bias view and
has hetctorc recommended will enable the government
10 have all the advantages OF the best aud suitable
descrptns the construction OF vessels OF iron aud OF
iron artnaiure Steam machinery, anchors, chain
cables aud nesyy iron work for the naval would
be manufactured at the same establishment TO ad-
vantage.
The necessity Of such dockyard and establishment Is
becoming important that deem u proper again 70
prcsent the subject IN the nsdera OF Congress As
yet hagc bot few iron vessels and these chiefly of
foreign constr,Ction but have bli and building
clad vessels al private estabishmentsnot
our public yards
In sustaining position n naval Power must be
prepared Tor that may bcta battle by
caiam'tics incident to ocean service wise precauton
viii always provide reserve NJ shps 10 take
the place OF those that may be injured destroyed.
Vessels should be in different stages of progress
struction thereby giving constant employment to
tain number OF skiul MECHANICS. stores OF material
can well be accumulated in days OF peace FOR the
gencics Of war.
such the former policy OF the government and for
msny years an annual appropriation was m,de for the
gra.usi Increase OF the navy. Under this policy there
times Of peace large Accommodations material at