Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1865-01-12
OUR NAVY.

OfauCu OF the government, are dlepO6ed I'd
nnderfate its advantages 70 the Conteder-
acy. 1t is not generally recollected that
for certain prudential reasons, Congress
has constantly y refused to publish the Off
cial reports OF the Secretary, and, there
fore, that the public has been left in the
dark AS to the most important naval mat
tcrs 1t Is not our purpose to drew aside
the veil i'll which, Congress, tor reasons
satisfactory to itself, has shrouded the Ma
Wy Department. But there arc cetrain
facts which may be made public with adj
vantage to all concerned.
In the first instance, it has not been the
expensive establishment that many people
suppose. The entire expenditures, tor all
purposes connected with the navy, from
the foundation of the government, do but
little exceed eighty FOUR millions OF dol
lars. This includes everything. Its sue
cesses OH the ocean and in our harbors
and rivers, considering the overwhelming
naval power OF the enemy, have been
marvellous. Our cruisers on the high seas
only about halt a dozen in number
have captured and destroyed quite two
hundred OF the enemy S MERCHANT ships,
with their cargoes, worth, st 4 moderate
computation, sixty millions of dollars, or
quite two thirds the cost OF our entire ma
w. While this has been going on. the
navy at home has not been idle. 1t has
engaged the enemy in more than thirty
lnbats-many OF them the most, brilliant
III naval warfare. It is true we have had
reverses. 1t could not be otherwise, con-
the odds against as. 1t must be
borne in mind, that our war vessels ut
home have been compelled, in MANY ca.
ses, TO fight the land forces Of the enemy
as well as his ships OF wa- and, iii sever
al cases, as that OF the Virginia at Nor
folk, they have been compelled to suc>
cu1nb to superior land forces after the
most brilliant successes on the water.---
And, after all our losses, the navy is still
growing in strength. We DO not deem it
wise to state that strength, but there can
be no harm intsaying that it is far strong
er than either tlie yankees or cur own peo-s
pie suppose tito be, and it will be- twice
as strong six months hence as it istnow. H
Is The great service which our little navy
aGoat on the ocean has rendered the cause,
has not been simply in capturing the ,en>
emy>s merchant ships and destroying
them it has been in bi eaking up his com
nerce, and SO harassing his shipping as
to drive it from the seas tits computed
by those having the data and competent
to make up correct conclusions, that the
injury inflicted in this, way amounts to
quite ten times the cost OF our entire navy
Ii by sinking one. dollar ourselves, We can
make the enemy sink ten, it strikes ns we
are fighting him to advantage. But" We
are doing better Than this-attel' all our
losses, we have largely. over half OF our
navy lett. One competent to judge, says
we have lost abont thirty yfive millions of
dollars by the way Of shiI's and naval
stores, and we have inflicted quite eight
hundred millions of dullars in the way OF
damages on the enc,ny's commerce. and
We hope these hints will be
by those who are disposed to
find tanlt vita our gallant little navy.
There are many facts which, if it were
proocr to state them, WOULD tend power
fully to make our people as proud OF the
navy as they justly are Of the army, All
we can say at present is, that when there
shall no longer be a motive for secresy,
the public will be surprised TO see through
what labyrinth OF difficulty the navy
has struggled, aud how handsomely 1t has
borne itself amidst all the troubles that
have surrounded it., The country, we are
sure, will one day do justice to the navy,
and to the enlightened gentleman who
its affairs. For the hour, we on
" crave. tor both a little generous forbear
ance- Caroli,siaaa. ........
Ioamember the words Of Edn'd Burke,