The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-03-16

THE AMERICAN NAVY.

has accomplished, and at what trifing
cost, compared with the sum of the
rebellion's burdens, is given by Mr..
Blow, as follows:
1t is now the most potent in the
world ; surprising in all the elements
Of effectiveness that Of France or Eng
land. II now controls more than
twelve thousand miles Of inland va.
ters. giving confidence and support to
our armies, which are seldom beyond
the reverberation of its guns, and at
the sane time successfully scours tie
ocean in search Of AngIo-rebel pirates,
and maintains a. blockade which is
the wonder OF the world.
This truly gigantic work has been
accomplished without ostentation and
with an economy which has even ex-
torted praise from >the hostile and
mcrcenary presses Of England, and as
our investigating committees have
shown, with less fraud and peculation
than any other undertaken By the Gov.
ernment. Notwithstanding the mag
nitude Of the results that have been
accomplished, the Navy Department
has been repeatedly assaiIed in the
most unjust and unreasonable man.
ner, and its able chief ridiculed and
caricatured until one would suppose
that his principal occupation had been
to pass his official hours in comforta-
bly, DOING in an easy arm chair espe-
ciaIIy provided for that purpose by
himself at the Department. Friend
and foe TO the Union have alike been
led to believe that what was SO per.
sistentIy asserted by bis detaners
must be true. ......
Treason, in mistaken security, ridi-
culed the efforts of the old man Of the
sea to shut up coast equal to one
seventh of the worlds circumference,
and made thrice difficult by the rich
fringe Of islands, bays, peninsuIas,
sounds, and inlcts bordering it from
Cape Henry TO the Rio Grade, and
whose endless labyrinths gave friend
ly shelter to smugglers and pirates !;
but it has now awakened amid the
terrors of starvation and the hopeless.
ness of despair TO see this stupendous
work accomplished.
z 4 !: 4 =
When we contemplate the enormous
cost of this war, estimated by many at
not less than $4,000 100000, we can
form some idea ofwhat the cost ola war
with those nations would probably be.
If we compare thecost OF this war with
the cost OF our entire Navy S39G,O00,-
600, which includes its maintenance
for 1our years, we find the latter is
only one-iourteenth part of this out
lay. And this enables Us TO form some
idea of the great economy of the navy
in a struggle like the present, when
we compare the results it has accom-
plished with the costs of similar re.
suits when achieved by the army
Nor has this S39O,0O0, 900 all vanished
in smoke and cannon shot, in shoddy
clothing, or the commissary supplies
, that have been consumed; ), bat it is
to. day existing in substantial ships Of
war that arc defending our foreign
commerce, blockading rebellious shores
or battering down the strongholds ol
treason, and bidding defiance to un.
friendly Powers. These six hundred
and seventy one vessels, at the low
E average of 100000 each, would rep.
, resent value of sl34, 100000, or near.
ly onc-half of the entire outlay
The balance s159,000,000 in rounC
. numbers, will represent the cost o
maintaining it for four years = nj
" average OF S37 100000 per annum.
). X ::
r When the history ofthis war is written
q Mr.. Chairman, no proudcr record 0
able administrative talentand compre
: hensive cooperation will gild its in
0 structivo pages than that WHICH re
:, cites tire management Of the Navy De
O partment during the last four years
The utmost efforts of ridicule and de
iamation have been exhausted in vail
endeavors TO weaken the cOu6denc,
= OF the people and the President in tn
S ability OF its Secretary. From tn
y moment of his installation this gentle
. man seems to have pursued, with
fixedness Of purpose rarely witnessed
v a policy having for its object the throt
c Ting of treason and the domination
e of the ocean. Calling at once to hi
y counsel the ablest talent in the service
y and confidently trusting his reputa
: tion to the keeping of the loyal peopl
s of the land turning neither to tn
e right hand nor to the left to delen
e himself from the scurriiity and mis-
representation which has assailcd hin
he has devoted his talents and encr
p gies to the consummation ofthis gran
is object with the modesty which attend
8 tt ue merit. Measured by the criterio
r of success, tho only touch stone whic
, nation, involved in a mighty strug
. gle will trust in, the honorable Secre
tary has naught to fear. The stupen
G dous work accomplished by the navy
q the soul-tbrilling victories it ha
n achieved, and the remarkable goo
fortune which has attended its under
takings during this rebellion, bear in
controvertible testimony to the states
Il manship which has directed its opers
O tions, and stamp the admininstratio
!. of that Department as eminently sue
d cessful.
THE ENGLISH NAVY, r.
In contrasting the capacity Of tn