The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-07-05

| supply in the event of war with 6rst-clasa
naval Power? The Secretary of the Navy tells
US that ait is doubtful whether either Of our
present Navy Yards is adapted to the purposes
| indicated" by his letter; but if 90, they will
require considerable enlargement :" and he asks
Congress ito give authority to designate and
procure one or more suitable locations" He il
alive I" to the necessity of making provision for
ourselves by providing the means and conve
niences for building and repairing Navy such
as the strength and character of our Government
and country require, in order to maintain it,
true position among maritime Powers" and he
tells MS that We have not those means now.
agree with him entirely. We have none of the
requisite conveniences for building and main
tanning such Navy as the safety and honor oil
the nation require.
| I ask the attention of the Senate a few mo-
ments while contrast the facilities of the NAVY
Yards of the United States, for building and
repairing vessels of war, with those of France
and Great Britain, our great rivals for the COM
merce of the world, and the only Governments
from which danger may, therefore, be sppre.
hended Great Britain has at
l. Depford, on the Thames, navy yard con.
tanning an area Of thirty-eight acres, with q
wharf front of seventeen hundred feet. In this
yard are Eve building slips with iron roofs, two
dry docks, one of which is double, and wet
dock or basin of two hundred and sixty by two
hundred and twenty feet. 1t is provided with
storehouses of various descriptions of immense
capacity, and adjoining it is the victuallipg yard
with river front of ten hundred and sixty feet
and containing super6cies of nineteen acres.
2. WoolcicA, on the Thames, has an area of
fifty-six acres, and has river front of three
thousand eight hundred and forty feet. In this
yard are eight building slips, three dry docks,
and two large wet basins. The conveniences or
building are very great, the yard containing i'm
mense rope walks, steam-engine factories, foun.
derry, boiler shops, saw mills, roling-mills, &c.
8. Chatham, on the river Midway, has river
wall of five thousand feet, and surface of nine
which adjoins the yard and contains two hundred
and eighty-four acres. In this yard are four dry
docks and ten building slips, two of the latter
covered with iron roofs. The rope walk at this
yard is very extensive, employing two hundred,
and fifty men constantly. The storehouses!
shops, founderies, and timber docks, are of the
most complete character and of immense mag
nitude
4. Sheerness has q surface of fifty seven acres,
has one building slip and FIVE dry DOCKS a wet
basin Eve hundred and twenty by three hundred
feet, With an area of three and half acres.
capacity sufficient to contain ten ships of the
line. Three of the dry docks open into the wet
basin. The building slip is covered with zinc,
and the storehouses and workshops at this yard
are fire proof, with iron beams.
5. Portsmouth, in the Channel, is the most
complete of British dock-yards. 1t has a surface;
Of one hundred and fifteen acres, with front
wharf wall of three thousand nine hundred feet.
There are seven building slips, of which FIVE are
covered with iron roofs, and nine dry docks
fun uot hoai 90
and eighty by two hundred and sixty feet, fur
nishing an area of two and one third acres, and
into which four of the dry docks open; and one
wet basin two hundred and fifty feet square
There is also slip of six hundred and sixty feet
long, with wharf wall on each side.
g. Plymouth, in the Channel, sometimes called
Davenport, contains ninety.two acres, with
wharf wall of three thousand five hundred feet
In this yard there are six building slips, five of
them covered with iron, and FIVE dry docks
There is here wet basin of three hundred by
two hundred and eighty feet; a canal or slip,
with wharf walls on each side, from which trans.
ports can discharge Or take in cargo, and FIVE
piers projecting into the river, alongside of which
vessels of war can lie. Adjoining this yard is
the Keyham steam factory, Government work,
having water front of thirteen hundred feet, a
wet basin six hundred and thirty by five hun.
en- hundred by four hundred feet, and three dry
docks.
Z. Pembroke, at Milford Haven, has an area of
acres, water front of two thou
sand three hundred and sixty-six feet, one dry !
are covered with iron. This is one of the prin. |
cipal building yards of Great Britain.
Besides the seven yards have enumerated, |
there are conveniences belonging to the British !
Government for building and repairing vessels |
at Deal and Yarmouth, though they are only /
used in time of war. They have also the same !
facilities at Gibraltar, at Malta, where there
are dry dock aud factories of various kinds |
sufficient for their Mediterranean squadron, Ber-
muda, Bombs, Ascension, Antigua, Jamaica, |
Cape of Good Hope, Trincomslec, and Hong
Kong
I The French navy yards are of even greater
size and capacity than the English.
Che'6oauy has an area of two hundred and
fifty SIX acres, with twelve building slips, seven
dry docks, and three immense wet basins
Brest extends on each side of the river for the
length of about three miles, has an area of one
hundred and thirty-one acres, with eleven build
ing slips, and six dry docks.
LOr'ent has surface of about two hundred |
acres, sixteen building slips, and two huge dry
docks
Rochefert hes an area of three hundred acres.
extending on both sides of the river, with ten
building slips, and three dry docks.
7oalon has an area Of two hundred and Forty
acres, twenty building slips and eight dry docks.
At Indret, on the Loire, the French have an
immense establishment for making steam ma
chinerv tor the navy, and building iron vessels
but it is carefully kept from inspection by for
eigners, and hence but little is known of it.
At Dankirk they have wet basin and build.
ing slips.
At Hare two building slips.
And at Bayonne several building slips and
basin, which are only used in time of war.
Let US now turn from these magnificent es.
Establishments of France and England to the pig
my navy yards of the United States We have
upon the Atlantic coast six yards, including the
one at Norfolk, now destroyed, besides one at
Pensacola, also destroyed, and one on the Paci-
fc coast at Mare Island, which is in q very in
complete condition.
The yard at Portsmouth embraces an area of
sixty three and one eighth acres. four and seven