The New York herald., 1863-11-11
The Wooden steam Navy OF the United
states


TO THE EDrTOR OF THE HERALD.
without any intention desire to appear an advo.
cate for Navy Department., will you permit me TO
state fsw facts. Interesting 10 themselves connection
with navy, and the progress which being made to
suit 10 tho requirements Of not only the present out the
fatures
has been matter Of oeusurs the part Of the press
that have vssses-ofwar In navy possessing the
requisite speed 70 catch the Alabama and Florda-ves.
sss constructed especially for speed. Tho truth how.
ever. b, that heretofore steam only introduced
into veesels-of.war as IN lAuxiliary power the
motive power ordinary occasions being sails, and
steam being given simply for the purpose OF enabling
vessels either 70 take position In action avoid the
delay Of oaims None Of old steam navy possesses
what 10 termed "ful powered engines" The wabash and
vessels o her class only lifted with engines Of nomi
usl power Tho steam soops-ofwsr, such tho Hart.
ford not much better Recently tho NAgara has had
engines OF greatly increased power put n her. and
10 70 b supposed when the exiseucies Of the service
will permit, that all our old steam men-of.vsr will
rec! receive powerful mscnne,y: 20 as TO ma make steam
engines Tnus the British lne Of battle ship Nile has
oay engines Of nve hundred horse power whilst the
Immsrss OF tho crack fgates Of the English navy
has engines Of less than eight hundred horse power Tho
French nov In our harbor only fur
Our government, seeing the necessity OF giving our
CRUISERS great 6peou nect nrnt
class soops which will DO "full powered and 10 the
also that thcy may be able 70 carry heavy
mont tbey will be OF great length. To build steam
manof-war with the necessary bearings TO carry her
armament, and also 10 gve her speed, she must have
loug run. Hence tho sutre model must DO changed.
This experience In tho character OF steam cruisers
which the American navy will benefit by practically
before any other nation The great steam navs OF Eng
land and France for the most part either vessels
into steamers by being Heightened aminshps
else built with tho idea II steam simply auxi
ary motive power. Az against steam men OF war our
navy ~could overhaul anything adoat In q short
time wo will have fcot sof cruisers which will not
only far surpass In speed the ships OF any foreign navy
but will also be able TO compete with ships built aiouc
tth q view TO speed.
A for the rebel vessels Is not con,endcd that they
will stand against one Of regular built vessels Of
similar size Ave minutes The government, In building
olwar has 10 tako strength into well
speed Hence tho necessity for constructing ncet Of
vessels possessing both OF these qualities instead OF but
ono heretofore th country and In Europe when ap
piled 20 mon or.war.
The suggestion that the old sailing frzates such
a. the S1bne should be converted into steamers fs
not likely to bs adopted, because not only would
the cost for such changes be nearly not quite equal TO
tho building of vessel (as exemplihed in the case
OF the Franku) but also because the old sailing
do not possess Tue pecesssy models length for fast
steam vessels They would bs a bcst but old fashioned
vessels with auxiliary engines Fortunately, have
not many OF them and what have be used II ne
cesssry as storeshps hospital iepots receiving ships
/ guard ships at the navy yards.
| Der. 2s. 1868