Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-04-01
f,om The National lutcillsencer
AN IRON.CLAD NAVY.

ftNm Tue -fNNilAl iui'l'ifNh'''f
AN IRON. CLAD NAVY.
Mr. Secretary Wclles has a,llres ed to the
Naval Committee ul the senate a ummuairntion,
10 which lie urgea the Necessity Of providing
iron clad vessels Tor the navy, to he afnicd with
guns Of large ealihre, for tho manufacture ot
which he asks for five hundred thousand dollars
to extend tho grounds mud build additional
furnaces in the Washington navy yard, lle also
asks for thirty million dollars for the construc
tiou of iron clad vessels heavy ordnance, aud
plating naval vessels now In service. We give
the Secretary's letter, which is addressed 10 the
Hon. John r. Hale, the Chairman of tho Naval
Committee:
Navy DEPARTMENT, March %, 1867.
Sn In my report Of July 4, 1861, had the
honor TO present TO the consideration of Congress
and the country the matter of iron-clad steamers
for naval purposes. \ sum Of money was ap.
propraled At that session to build One OF more
armorel iron or steel-clad ships or floating steam
batteries This appropriation, intended as ex-
pcrimenthl, resulted in ordering three armOred
vessels of different constructions. Onc Of these
three has been hnlt under II contract with this
Department. aud arrived Mt Hampton Roads in
tune IN he Of great service to the country, in
driving into pott the iron cAd steamer Merrimac.
This memorable engagement Is the first which
has taken place between vessels protected with
iron, anil the results to be de,lured from it are
so important that feel impellei to submit some
general views in writing to your committee
First. Steam has become such an Indispensable
element in naval warelare that vessels propelled
by sails only are considered useless for war pur
poses The last sailing vessel built for the uasy
was the Constellation, commenced in 1853, aud
completed in August, 1850:
Sscond Steam yessell o.war. useless protect
cd from the enemy's shot and Shell, can make
but feeble resistance to and must surrender when
asaailed by irOn-clad vessels
TAird. The Navy, as it exists at present,
caunot successfully contend against n Power
| employing iron.clnd vessels aud consequently
cannot meet the requirements ii The county
foWM deem it imperative that we should
forthwith commence the construction 0l armni ed
vessels on n scale commensurate with the great
| interests at stake.
/ rum. The Department, under date Of Fehru-
nry 20, 1867, advertised for plans, which arc
now being received developing the ingenuity and
skill Of our conntrymen and haye faith they
will produce models for a class of vessels for
home deicnco and for sen service that will secure
to uur country equality ii not preeminence in
| naval construction.
Seeh The heaviest ordnance in present use Is
not sufficiently heavy and powerful to break aud
destroy the armaiure now placed upon vessels
We shall therefore lie compelled to increase the
cllihre ol CUR guns until si2e be obtained which
VIII crush my uIuHtuIe tnhl can DC borne ly II
vessel have already eiyeu orders To Construct
fifteen and twenty. y.inch gum, hut their nanulnc-
lure is attundcd with gltat diliNucs, md re
qurGs tle highest Aall t' ttin succcsA. There
are hut few establishments in the country Will
ing 10 undertake the manuiucturr of the4o guns
and they eau produce tut a small number II
is therefore earneslly requested that an appro
printiun Of five lnndicd thousand dollars be
made to extend the grounds aud tn build furnaces
ny t...4p Vut Il tuI.f ~ ~
lathts and INNING machines ne alrcniy in
operation. la that event the anchors aud cables
H0w manufactured TT that yard Should be trnne.
lefred 10 seine other station, lowing uotlint to
be manufactured but guns, ordnance atGfrs mud
matters peitaihiug thereto. a civil ass & nAt IT,
lhe ordnance of the yard ut salary ot y | ,sDC
per aunuul nu One clerk at s 400, aud unC
clerk az Sl,2OO per nnnnm, are re 'omniunded.
SsrsaM. The De Departnent proposes 10 construct
n few vessels Of light draught, great speed, nnC
heavy armament. Tor the Western waters also
n class ior Lnrbur defence, and u operate upon
the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf OF Mexico
; which shall he Az far ma possible invulnerable
each armed with fiteen-inch guns And, finally
it proposes 10 attempt an ocean steamer, POSSESS
ed of the same sailing and armored properties
armed with guns Of twenty inches calibre--tht
two latter classes also to be used as rams
Lighh. Assuming that an enemy can alwny.
construct guns and vessels similar to our own
and that he can MISC attack us upon the seaboard
with superior naval force concentrated nt th,
: point selected to he attacked, and thnt forts
however skilhlly constructed, and whatever the
cubre Of the guns mounted thereon, cannot bl
relied upon to sink every iron clad vessel which
attempts 10 pass the line Of fire Rt high speed il
becomes absolutely essential that we should
resort to mechanical means TO clenr our ports NJ
the points whore the forts are constructed, This
attention of our people once invited to such q
project will no doubt give n simple plan to dc
this at will, without injury 10 the harbor OF
) hiudrance TO commerce.
NINTH ask the committee to consider the
Important subject Of procuring iron plates iof
the nrlrature Of vessels. IL is believed there are
hut few, If nny, mills in the country capable Of
) rolling plates over two inches i'll thickness, and
these cannot be produced in very large quaint
= ties The demands Of the Government will I've
likely to raise the price Of THESE plates 80 az To
render the vessels more expensive lhnn under
ordinary circumstances wouli be the case.
Under these eli cumstlncGs shah tho Government,
under proper restrictions, ads Ince money 10
/ some we.known establishment to enable tie
proprletors to put up the necessary buildings
and machinery? Shall one of the navy yards
be selected i'll which to erect the works called
for uuler the ehlnge in naval armament, oi
( shall now point lie selected. aud the foundation
laid for an establishment meeting all the require
menis OF nm iron navy? Forging or heavy
shaTtlng is also requisite, and some measures in
regard to such an establishment seem indispen.
sahe in connection with the other plans suggest.
t cd. The qualities of iron that may be used for
! nrnature is u matter of great Importance, the
iron produced at some mines being capable oil
vastly greater resistance 10 projeGtiles than
| others. An investigation, with practical tests
as 10 the quality OF iron in different localities
with view Of selecting that which is best adapt
. ed 10 th1 purposes Of Government, w0nld be
highly useful. would also request an appro-
] priation Of 100000 for targets aud experiment
9 al practice.
. Finally, would ask that the sum of $50 600.
oOO, including the appropriations alrea,iy made
Il the present seasun, he appropriated for iron clad
. vessels, heavy ordnance, and plating nny navu
vessels already in the SERVICE should smch d
course be deemed advisable
utpEoN WELLHs.
q The naval appropriation bill being under con.
sideraiion in the Senate on Friday, that holy
on the motion of Mr.. Hale, from the Committee
! on Naval Affairs, inserted an amendment nppro-
priatiug the sum of $l3 1000, 900 TO enable ths
Secretary Of the Navy io construct ron.clad
steam vessels Of war, nud another amendment
, 0ppropriting S250,0U0 for casting heavy onl,
nance at the Washington navy yard 10th oil
these amendments having been agreed TO- The
bill was passed. The amendments have YET tc
receive the sanction Of the House Of Representa-,
iises