Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-04-13
FEDEsAE NAVAL PREPAEATIONs.

. FEDERAL NAVAL PREPAEATIONs.
The following communication to Congress,
= from the Federal Secretary of the Navy, serves
to show the magnitude oftbe contemplated prep
arations of our enemy. which should be met by
corresponding activity by our authorities:
NAVY DEPARTMENT, March p 1862.
SIR: In my report of July 4, 1861, had the
honor to present to the consideration o. Con
gress and the country the matter Of iron. clad
d steamers for naval purpose. a sum Of money
was appropriated al that session TO build one or
more aTmored iron OF steel-clad ships or floating
steam batteries. This app CprarOn intended as
/ experimental, resulted in ordering three armored
vessels of different constructions. One OF these
three has been built under contract with this
department, and arrived at Hampton Roads IN
time 3 be of great service 20 tie country, IN
driving into port the iron-clad steamer Merri-
mac clad in armOr This memorable engage
ment is the FIRST which has taken place between
vessels protected with iron, and the results to be
deduced from it are so important that feel I'M
PEELED to submit some general views IN writing
to your committee.
!. Steam has become such Al Indispensable
clement in naval warfare that vessels propelled
by sails only are considered useless or war pur-
poses. The last sailing vessel built for the navy
was the Constellation, commenced in 1888 and
| completed in August 1850.
! 2. Steam vessels of war, unless protected 1m
| the enemy's shot and shell, can make but feeble
resistance to- and must surrender when assailed
/ by, an iron-cad vessel
| The Navy, as u exists al present, cannot
| succ asslully contend against power employing
iron-clad vessels, and consequently meet the re-
/ quirments of the country.
4 l deem it imperative that We should forth
| with commence the construction Of arm0red yes
! sels on a scale commensurate with the great IN
tsrests at stake.
5. The department, under date of February
| both, 1862, advertised for plans which are now
! being received developing the ingenuity and
skill of our countTymen; and have faith that
they will produce models for a class Of vessels
for the home defense and for sea service that will
secure to our country equality if not Pre-emi-
nence in naval construction.
8. The heaviest ordnance IN present use Is not
sufficiently heavy and powerful to break and
destroy the srmsture now placed upon vessels
We shall, therefore be compelled to increase the
caliber of our guns until size be attained which
will crush any armature that can be borne by
vessel l have already given orders to construct
fifteen 20-iuch guns, but their manufacture is at
tended with great difficulties, and requires the
highest skill 10 attain success There are but few
establishments in this country willing to under
take the manufacture Of these guns, and they |
can produce but small number. Il is there !
fore. earnestly requested that an appropriation /
of S50O,00O be made 10 extend the grounds and |
to build furnaces at the Washington uavy-yaTd, /
where some of the lathes and turning machines /
are already in operation. In tha1 event the /
anchors and cables now manufactured st that /
yard should be transferred to some other station, /
leaving nothing to be mauutac. ured but guns, /
ordnance stores, and matters pertaining thereto. /
A civil assistant to the ordnance OF the yard at /
a salary Of SlSOO per annum, ami one clerk ct /
Sl4UO, and one clerk at 5000 dollars per an /
mum, are recommended.
Z. The department proposes TO construct few /
vessels Of light draught, great speed aud heavy /
armament, for the western waters also, a class
for halbOr defense, aud to operate upOl the At 1
lsutic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, which /
shall be, as far as possible, invuluerable, each /
armed with fifteen inch guns. Aud, finally, it /
proposes to attempt an ocean steamer, possessed |
Of the same sailing and armOred properties, 4
armed with guns OF twenty inches calibar. The
two latter classes also to be used as rams.
:. Assuming that an enemy can always con-
struct guns and vessels similar TO our own, and /
that he can also attack US upon the seabosrd 1
with a superior naval force concentrated at the
point selected b be attacked, and that FORTS how
ever skilLuliv constructed, aud whatever tine cal
iber OF the guns mounted thereon, cannot be- re-
lied upon TO sink every ir5n-clad vessel which
attempts 10 pass the hne of IRE at high speed it
becomes absolutely essential that should re-
sort to mechanical msaus 10 ciear our ports the
points where the forts are constructed The At
tenton Of our people once invited TO such a pro-
ject viii no doubt give us simple plan 70 DO this
at viii, without injury 20 the bsf5Or 0r hindrance
70 commerce.
9. i ask the committee to consider thcimp1r-
tsnt subject of procuring iron plates iJf the arm
sture OF vessels. Il is believed there are but few
if any, mills in the country capable OF rolling
plates over two inches In thickness, and these
cannot 5e produced in very large quantities.
The demands Of ,Ee goVernmeut will be likely
TO raise the prce OF these plates SO IS 60 render
the vessels more expensive than under ordinary
circumstances would be the case Under these
circumstances, shall the government under pro-
per restrictions, advance money to some well
known establishment, to enable the prOpuetCrs
to put up the necessary buildings andmachneryl [
Shall one OF the navy yards be selected in which
70 erect the works called o-uuler the change Of
naval armament, or shall new point be selected,
and the foundation iGd for an Is "a Dlshmeut meet
ing all the requirements of an non navy FOTg-
ing for heavy shaftiugi is also requisite and some
measure in regard TO such an establishment seem
indispensable in connection with the other plans
suggested. The qualities OF ,f'u tina. iaay 10
used for sTmature Is a maIeer OF great import
ance, the iron produced at some mines being
capable of vastly greater resistance 20 projecules
than oahsrs n investigation, with practical
tests as to the quality Of .foa il d:Ser2rt locsH
ties, with view of selecting thar which is best
adapted to the purposes Of government, would
be highly useful. l would also request an ap-
preparation Of 500 900 for targets and expert
mental pr6c,iee-
Finally, I would ASK that tie sum Of s30,-
100000, including the appropriations already
made the present session, be appropriated for
iron clad vessels heavy ordnance, ana plating
any naval vessels already in the service, shoald
such a course be deemed advisable.
GIDEON WELLEs