The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-12-18


greatest of all naval triumphs The in,
dustrial necessities and The commercial
eupidity of all The principal maritime ma
tions, armed aud empowered as they arc
by the resources OF modern invention. are
kept at bsy. A multitude of island har-
bors under foreign jurisdiction, looking
nearly upon our shores and ailordiug the
most convenient lurking places from which |
Illicit commerce may leap forth 10 its pro-
hibiJed destination aud purpose, are so
closely watched as TO render the peril Of
all such ventures far greater than evt
their enormous gains when successful.
And finally, vast line OF sea.coast ns4r
" three thousand miles in extent much of
it with double shore and almost honey.
comb with iulets aud harbors, has been SO
beleagured and locked up that the whole
immune foreign commerce. which was
tho very life Of the industry and opulence
Of the vast region which ii borders, has
practically ceased to exist.
(Here follows long and clearl y written
history of the distribution of the navy and
of its operations during the past year.)
The A!ab ma was built AID fitted out
in British porls in Aagrant violations Of
British law and If the royal proclamation
Of neutrality and lave reason to believe
that her crew is composed almost exclu.
sivel " OF Brltisb subjects. ...... ...... ....
Before this pratical cruiser left Great
Britain, the authorities of that country
D We're informed by the recognized official
agents Of this Government of her charac'
ter and purposes. The British Govern'
3 ment, thus invoked. came too late to pre-.
8 yeht her ealing. To what extent, under
a those circumstances, the Government o.
, Great Britain is bound in honor and JUS
tcs 10 make indemniiicatiOn TOR the dts
'ructlon Of privat- property which thl'
Nwless vessel may perpelrate, is ques
u, ton that may present itself tor disposal.
!. WhcnI becam- Secretary of,ht Navy
" only 42 vessels were in commission, ant
out Of 1000 seameu, only POI were a
10 hand March 10. 1876 10 aid. US agaiLs
d the rebels. We have now. including
y those building, l04 ST am vessels an 32
. sailing vessels in al! APT, of 34O,0 ,016 tuGs
carrying 1898 guns, a ....
=. (Here follows statement Of the step
taken in building 40 iron cl'd navy, an
st an account of the combat Of the Metrim !
- aud Mopitor) -
r AS between League Island and Ne'
London as site for navy yard for iro
vessels, the former is best, because safes
from attacks, having fresh water, whic
is in dispensabe for an lion navy yar
and being close to supplies of iron an
=, coal.
The Government should have estal
lishments of ts own for building ro
ships, just as it has has Or woode
ones.
=, Our former policy Of keeping lar
supply Of shipbuiding ma'era has gol
out Of use for the sake of temporary ecoT
omy. We have suffered from ii dnTin
the rebellion. The old plan should
restored
A naval depot should soon bS .esta'
lished on one of the rivers in the Missl
siPpi Valley.
The forts at our hqrbors were built
defend them, and tho navy has not bea
expected to do that duty balore, nor bee
used for it during the war.
We have but three dry docks all sma
for vessels of the largest class. We shou
20. have sufficient ones at once.
NJ The reorganization of the Navy D
partment under the law Of last session
he working well.
all (Here is given summary Of the ope
,ss alton of the recent acts modifying grad
-, Of naval rank
IL The Naval Academy was left with m
to ny vacancies, through failures 10 noni
aih ate from the rebel and other districts.
70. now has $40 pupils and l39 vacaucie
ian wLioh it is proposed to fill up. allhoug
:. there is some difficulty about the wor'
M u Of She law. The Academy is importa
ely and useful, and should be well cared fo
mo Last years report gave the number
ell prizes to the bockading squadron as 5
EN- Since that time, 800 more have been t
ken, in all 543. Only 45 of the who
no. number have been got through the court
,ht and of the number Of millions Of dolla
CIV 10 be distributed, only about half milli'
nal is so ordered.
els The marine corps should be incrers
the by 500, aud should be made either cutir
is. ly naval. or entirely a land force.
is sither, now, according to the place
at the men, on land or at sea. Its comma
Oh. der should be made brigadier.
he The navy employs about $4,000 M
. on board ships, and aboutls, 600 mocha
60 les and .latorss at the navy yards Al
an. stations; thees numbers do not iuclu
those at work undor private contracts O.
un. in private yards.
Sbs lHere follow brief references to the
,th. potts and operations Of the several B
sad reavs, especially OF Yards and Docks, Go
ild. struclion, and Ordnance.)
,rp. The expenditures for the year endi
June 80. 1862, we're SAC, ,2o0. .529,9
leaving of the appropriation for the san