New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-06-26

Noafi I'M mon
gstrinS within twenty or thirty yards OF her anu
Hammered away with round shot without erect
/ Had she been armed with Whitworhs, Armstrong
Cr Ames's guns, everv shot wouid NAYS 'oiu "i'n
deadly effect the Rebel craft ana Der OBSTRUCTION
| have been rendered certain. .
/ We next come TO the late naval expedition against
Charleston which was attended with such vast OK
pense and in which many OF our lroD-clacs ICON
rart The IL and 15iuch guos with which they were
fitted ont bad only u point blank range OF ooo ya1us,
so tina, they were really beaten before they couI 10
brought into SETON by the superior guns OF EneNn
manufacture which the Rebel foriihtatlohs moui''eu
The l5-iuch guns OF tire iron-clsds threw is lrue
shot of the enormous weight OF 400 Pounus,, Wv a.
these were propelled only by charge OF ID poupus
of powder Hess than fourteenth OF their WeiRn'b
tbsv lad bnt ltle effect upon tue Rebel fOrtIhca
tons while our vessels were exposed 10 proJectIes
hurled by frou ons-blrd to oneourth OF the,r weight
of powder The only Glance OF success our MonI 0rs
| had was by the doubtful advantage OF running oy
The batteries OF the enemy ana taxing 'ne Guy WIN
out reducing tie stronghold s which guarded its ap.
proacn.
II wa. made a subject Of congratu alton in regard
TO ibis expedition il is true, that nobody was hurt
on our side which would have been the case had
there been 10 engage ment At all, and about equal
damage would lave been inflicted upon the enemy
bat safety either side is not exactly the object OF
costly expeditions Of war. We are ioformed that
gentleman Of large experience in gunnery predicted
al the Navy Department Just the result which hap
that Charleston would fall fifty hours after the
attack was commenced" /, i, melancholy TO reflect
upon the folly of building and equipplug these mag
nfcent and costly iron-cads aud giving them an ar
mauent Of only cast-iron, smooh-bore ordnance
We have no question that With rfed cannon of half
the csliber they would be beyond all comparison
formidable and efficient
There is no earthly reason why our vessels of
war sheud not be armed with guns which would
throw proeotIe of from 100 To 200 pounds weight
o. ne TO do effective execution at the distance OF from
to five miles, Until such ordnance liz introduced
iGto our navy, expect nothing but successive
Iepulses and ignouipiou defeats. Let our vessels
| have such armament and shall then have zone
COT dence that they will be able to reduce Chares
ton, Vick,burg and other stroDgholds silencing
one battery after another, by concentrated lire.
| We Gre no crOakers aud no slarmlsts. We take
great pride in our Monitors with the exception
ierred to) and in the vast increase OF our navy;
| but we must confess that We could not look upon
tie prospect Of a war with England withou; serious
apprehensions, In view OF the respective naval ar
mament Of the two na,ions-not for the ultimate re-
suit upon the ocean, but for the severe lesson
we should have learn by reason Of our neglect 60
provide suitably against such n contingency. Old
smooth-bore cid gallant work 10 the war of 1912;
| but in any future contest be would lind that he
must give plnce TO his spiral competitor.
| But the inquiry 10 made, and with great peril
nence why if these things are so-i the superiority
| OF the rif1ed gun 10 no alparen--wby Is the old
fashioned, csst-iron suooth-bore gun continued IN
ase in our nsvyl At any rate, why is not tie old
gun superseded by the rfed Iii our new vessels and
those IN the cour.e Of construction Why are not
| he new improvements which have been adopted by
| foreign powers accepted by our own naval authori-
ries Some have eoneho far III their surprise and
indignation nj this state Of things Us TO attribute
WORTHY and disloyal N )tives 10 persons who have
! bad charge Of our naval interests. But we need
not resori TO such injurious npula'ious. IL shCu
be remembered that TWO years ago, when the rebel
hon broke out and after the canksr Of long peace,
We comparatively ignorant about these matters.
Experiments IN naval construction and gunnery had
o. en- left foreign nations, especially those two
traditionsily warke and jealous Of each other
Enc land and France. Sin. then we have taken
vast strides in these departments OF naval science
by virtue Of the experience and experiment which
the war ha, called forth.
The real csuse Of plain, IT, no; that an nienor
gun was in use then. but that II is clung TO with
such intense pertInaciiy-we might say perversity-
\ IA though the reputation OF those connected with
this branch OF the public service We're identified
with it, not that ,bese ofhcials did not know much
then but that they will not Learn; that they VIII
not Keep up with the times; that they let private
Intelligence, skill ana enterpns' sc. ahead of ,hem
that they do not avail Themselves Of the new do
coyeries Of science exhibit come interest In The new
inventions which are oyerturung the old order OF
things institute thorough experiments aud -Nince
readiness 10 adopt improvements the merits OF which
the world finds no difficulty vi recognizing.
|
more fully illustrated than IN respect 10 naval
d mament Something, Of course, Is ~ be allowed
! 10 d cpartmen al routine and red tape. new In
v-riion Or Improvement must be- referred 10 board
for a committee 10 report upon its merlis, and the
expedieDcy OF its adoption into the public -eryice
We mutt confess to bu. little faith III Bosrd-, from
tho-e Of eology up down, the care may be- 10
| Naval Boards. 1t would be somewhat SIN plar II
there were not found 10 any of them not little
weak # no, worthless timber. But the unfortunate
k.f.t H. gftd
it. Gu all sides II has 10 encounter adverse aud de-
pressing mfusnces-mentai dullness, excesry- ven
Grafton for the pact, aud dread OF all innovation,
professional pride, iavOiilsm, interest, Indifference
proc preconcevrd opinion and pre- lldice
committed 10 d different theory, that the approval
Of the invention it 10 feared Will he taken "A con-
ieesiOn OF previous error Some persons prefer
10 grow wiser han to admit that they ever made IL
mistake in their lives. as though II were not the
mark Of a really great mind TO lie able and willing
TO profit by experience.
THUS the evils OF the public administration are
perpetuated, and vital public interests sacsiiced by
Official weakness and prejudice. The Only remedy
in suca cases IL in time, which sooner later set
all things night. The only appeal left il TO the judg.
meut OF practical men, who are unemtaIrassed by
theories TO private competition which slowly but
surely compels government recognition, and To the
comnOu-sense OF the people, which III time works Its
way up even unto Official brains.
The only formal and stated off cial objection to the
wrought-iron ri1ed ordnance II IT'S e1pentiveness.
Well, economy is good thing in every branch OF
the public service, but not OF the penny wise
pound foolish sort The saving which necessitates
defeat il vastly costly thau the expense which
pives reasonable assurance Of victory The Engl sh
,portsInan pays literally its weight III gold Tor his
fowling piece, and thinks it cheap Tor a gun 10
which nature has contributed her bss. material and
upon which art has exhausted her highest resources,
gun which gives the pleasant feeling OF protection
against accident and oss OF life winch It's proxlinaie
Il. i'm A Ind
guards a nations life 10 constructed with less care !
or shall any sxpense be grndged which will enable