New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-03-10
DAuLGREN ONCE MORE.

L De lheFitADle Impression lett upon the mind
after reading Dahigren's Report is that wa
are the most nefiiciently governed people in
tho world. That our rulers have been hops.
essly blind and besotted, without caution and
without foresight. AT the commencement Of
the Rebellion we Lad but few good guns, and
were obliged to fall back upon artillery which
hadsbeen discarded from the service. Dapl.
gren acknowledges that our Navy was not al
that time "on a footing commensurate with
the obvious wants OF the country for orGinsy
PURPOSES" A clear acknowledgment that our
Navy, even as peace establishment was not
up to the proper standard. We had scarcely
any inter- all article so important in the man.
ulactdre OF gunpowder that, as Dahgrsn says,
1T may be said to be gunpowder tself.".
Almost our entire supply came through Eu.
gland and its expectation thence was entirely
stopped during the Trent excitement The
scarcity Of so important an article mus! have
been known to the Department; aud yet
altLou.h armed rebellion has been stalking
through the land for two years, We are told in
November, 1852. that che Bureau las secured,
after rrsorting to all possible means, " a stock
of inter. domestic and foreign, sufficient W
place our Navy beyond the danger of immediate
nac--sitIes" Cold comfort this with possibly
serious complications looming up In the imme.
date future.
The efficiency OF our Navy, that arm OF
public service which has been oar particular
pride aud boast may be judged from fact re
ntcd by Capt Dahlgren himself; namely, that
out of q detachment of three hundred able.
bodied seamen, placed b. him to defend an i'm.
pOrtant point, it found that only Ten Of JttteeS
of The men had erer ssrred at gun beforst
Dahlgren naturally suggests that some course
of instruction in gunnery may be instituted
part OF the system of the Navy" Aftx
century Of national existence as one Of tho
foremost maratime powers Of the earth, 1t 10
suggested by high official. that the handling
Of gSns should be instituted as part Of our
NardI system! Upon what q shallow founda'
ton have We rested the boastiul glory OF our
Naval powers Upon this subject OF iron-clads and
ordnance, Admiral Dahlgreu Acknowledges the
whether the nrmor for ships should be one
solid plate or many thinner plates He does
not know how the plates should be fastened 70
the wood backing He does not know how V
economic the open space of the ports wnea
the gun is Out, or close it when ia lie docs
not know the number OF cannon, being ~
daced to Il third of the number be is accuS
toned to rely upon, how he shall supply toe
loss of force, by the weight and kind of thOw
which remain! lie does not know whether 10
shall use rled or smooth.bore, breech or muz1ls'
leaders He does not know whether it would
be better TO pierce or crush and break bolts
and strip oil the armor, or 70 attemp. to percs
the interior with shells
principal ordnance officer does not know; aud
yet, with all these acknowledge under hn
own hand, no states. with rare GOODNESS, in Q
on following page, that "Ths
operations that have been conducted here with
reference TO the power of different cannon and
proectiles as We'll as the resistance OF iron
plating, have been so for satisfactory that ina
results derived have been consistent ResuiS
consistent with what : We look in vain Tor
single result derived from tho experience
Ordnance Officer DahIgren. We, however. ar
claim any emotion of surprise, for we oouia
not reasonably expect practical re'ul' i''"
an officer who. after trying guns OF hs o"a
invention, manufactured under his owa supS'
vision left 1t to accident to discover that shey
we're capable Of bearing double tho charge Oh
powder that no considered safe! 1t should -
remembered that to this fatal ignorance may
be traced the failure Of our arms before hlea
mond; for had the Monitor destroyed the Msf'
rimac in their first encounter, which Gao
could have done had her guns been charges
and shctted to tho extent X Il now Assumes
they can bear. tho jams River would hs':
been free for our gunhvats to have coopeFs''.
in victory, instead of arriving just in tune "
cover defeat.
We hr.so reasonable sympathy with 'sa~
rance wb,ch IL unavoidable thsoush 'aSe'''