The Portland daily press., 1865-03-20


ton only few minutes beyond his allotted
hour. But an hours talk, direct to the POM,
as straightforward and true to its ain' ana
business like as the best speaking IA lne Dritlsn
Parlimept told much towards complete vim
dication OF our Navy from charges made with
ont dna evo,oination and repeated without re-
Fiction.
The present organization of our Navy De-
nartment, with one responsible head, with one
controlling and accountable chief, Mr.. Pike
,howed to be the result Of our experience, our
government having adopted the present sys-
TEN after the trial of several others. And the
speaker very properly avowed his prediction
for America over other. methods of admins
tratioD, for what actual use has commended
as suited to US, over what is known simply as
in use by other governments. With especial
pride might he do SO concerning our naval
history. For as nation of what can the
United States be more proud than OF the sto-
ry of her Navy? Learners though we may
and should always be, yet in naval affairs we
can teach as well as learn. Here we are not
at all behind; we are at least abreast with
other naval nations. And it appears from the
authorities cited by Mr.. Pike that in the mat
ter specially in question, that of organizing a
Naval Department, we are ahead of Great
Britain, whose system, mainly, Mr.. Davis pro-
posed that we should import and adopt. Eng
lishmen acquainted with English naval adj
ministration, would readily abandon their
present system; ard their expressed opinions
go far towards sustaining Mr.. P.'s prediction
for the American system, at least in compare
son with the English.
The French Board which was in part to be
copied in the proposed change, was briefly no.
ticed as having little claim to our adoption.
Then, the speaker passed to brief examin-
alton of the result of our naval system; and
showed that it has in the present met the
enormous demands which have been made
upon it. 1t has produced navy which has
blockaded the ports of our Southern Coasts,
three thousand miles in extent; which has
done its full part towards the reduction Of the
gencies Of the present time would allow, is
fitted for our necessities in case of foreign
war. The merits and achievements of our
Monitors were well touched upon. Admira-
BILE for defence, they have already twice saved
us from the danger of foreign Intervention /;
and in case of a foreign war might be safely
relied upon for the protection of our seacoast
cities. Then he spoke of our naval vessels of
their descriptions, our double-enders, our
swift sea-goers, our small monitors, our large
monitors, our broadside and our turreted
vessels; and Of the number, uses, and merits OF
each class; carrying to those who heard him
the conviction that we have now, as we have
had heretofore, not only an efficient Navy
Department, but also an efficient Navy, fully
able to protect our interests and maintain oul
honor on the highway of nations. Earnest a.
the people of Maine are in their determination
to have this rebellion crushed, and conttibu
ting SO largely as they do to the energy and
efficiency of the Nayy's part of this great
work, this unpretending speachis we'll worthy
oftheir attention. They will find that Names
sons in the Naval Service are not wasting
their efforts through any inefficency on the
psrt of the Navy Department, and that the
navy's reputation is safe in the hands of Names
representative whose post has been on the
Naval Committee.