Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-01-23
The American sayy.

Praise Of anything American from
the London Times is praise indeed; and
il gives very warm praise 10 oar Navy.
10 commenting on the Report Of the
Secretary Of the Navy, i. says
Mr.. Gideon Welles, the Secretary Of
the Federal Navy, is undoubtedly euli.
tied TO claim credit FOR the exertions Of
his Department during the great civil
war. He falls into the exaggeration
characteristic Of his connirymen when
he ascribes to the American marine
achievements without parallel or preee-
dent in any naval history Tor good Ad
mirals have lived before Farragut,
though they did not 60 into ba,tle with
iron-elads, aud great naval expeditions
have been undertaken, though the means
were adapted 70 tbs age and occasion.
But it We look imparsiaiiy at the work
which devolyed suddenly upon the
American Admiralty four years ago.
at the RESOURCES which then existed for
lis perform anee, and 1T the manner Ia
which il has been actually performed,
We must admit that the tone Of gratula-
ton pervading the Seeratary'a report is
by no means without Justification.
In the month Of March, 1861, when
Mr., Nelles entered upon bis duties rs
the head Of The Naval Department, the
navy of the Uuited States contained
but 70 vessels Of all descriptions availa-
Gle for service. Il now contains GIL,
large proportion Of which are newly con.
struesed, on tho principles suggested by
modern warfare. In this powerful feet
there are no fewer than I iron-clads,
and $50 ships out OF the 57f are propell-
/ ed by steam. At the commencement
/ OF the war the Government had but I 900
seamen 10 its employ, and Of these only
207 we're In the home ports In the
/ present month the number Of men borne
on the estimates Is 81 900, while during
the present year, though 25 vessels have
been lost 10 the Federals By shipwreek,
battle, or capture, the navy list still
shows an Increase of s3 vessels over the
Heet of 1868 Nor has this provision
for the exigencies Of the war been upon
any excessive scale The blockade
maintained By the Federals extends
over 3 coast-line of $500 miles, and
this service, at any rate, is really unpre-
cedented in magnitude. The squadrons
maintained on the several stations oe-
cupied by the feet deserve the epifhet
Of ''immense, which Mr. Lineola gave
them.
If Mr.. Lincoln's statistics are cor
rectly reported we may say some
thing more Of the Federal navy, and
admit that il has been economically
raised and thriftily maintained The
Presidents message gives the entire
cost Of the navy, rom the beginning ol
the war to the present time, a. less than
ESQ, 600, 900, which would represent an
annual expenditure Of some E12, ,000,-
900 only-a charge hardly exceeding
our own. But there Is either some mis-
take in these figures or the Federal navy
estimates must be increasing at an enor,
nous rate, for Mr. Welles nov informs
as particularly that the charge for the
approaching rear viii be upwards oI
E22, 900, 600, or nearly double the
averages Of former years. STILL, even
that sum appears moderate in eompari-
son tsith fAS prodigioass expenditure
upon The army, especially if we reeol
lect that the American estimate inciudel
the cost of the ordnance stores, which
in our estimates are separately provided
for. Mr.. Welles, however, contemplated
spending no less than Ell ,000, 900 il
: the construction, repair, and equipment
Of vessels during the coming year.