Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-02-03
THE REBEL NAVY.
Its Cost and Achicyements-Damage
10 Federal Commerce.
Iron ~. Esh.o,d s..r1-il-

since The beginning Of the war, does not exceed
$50. 000 1000 as much as Il had cost the enc
nv 70 build its condemned mOpitors up TO June.
1854. What have we 70 show Tor this sum- In
noble efforts. that the open hostility. if not the
secret ~perhdity of foreign powers have frustrated,
we could show enough to do full credit 20 the
whole amount. That, bow ever. would be profit
less 10 all except proofs OF glorious eDdeayor.
Bot We can show this. the destruction Of lsl
vessels. belonging 70 the enemys commerce.
That, for a direct blow, dealt az the very yitals
Of our foe, is much; there Is much more within
IL and beyond il and because Of it OF an equally
telling character.
We have to be concise and cautious. but may
be precise az the same time. Take. then, a bur-
ried resume of some particulars to which We
have gained access. The steamer Sumter, un-
der the gallant Semmes. captured seventeen YES
sells in her cruise, from Juls 3, 1861. to January
II. lo62.- three ships, five brigs, SIX barks and
three Cchooners = for a half years work. The
Alabama, under the same naval hero, captured
sixty three vessels, iron September, le62, to
January, 1864 The greater number Of these
were very valuable ships. and all but nine Of
them were burnt at sea. 10 the number is inclu-
ded the United States gunboat Hatteras eight
guns, one hundred and eight men and eighteen
officers which was sunk, in open fight. on the
18th January, 1863. To this list of the Alaba
- 49,
brought by her tender, the Tuscaloosa. One Of
her captures was subsequently, commissioned as
a cruiser under our fag-as in the case OF other
captures by other cruisers. laff
The steamer Tallahassee, under the command
of the intrepid Taylor Wood, captured 80 YES
sells during the month OF August, 1864. His
dashiDg cruise along the American coast, north
ward, was shorn of its richer fruits by the chill
ing courtesy of the British authorities in Nova
S.,fia or ubnaa unfatr rorAuof NO bod accacf,p
TO animadvert at the time. OF the captures
made by commander Wood. two were ships, four
brigs and four barks. the remainder being. for
the most part, sea going and large tunnaged
schooners. Only FIVE of the whole number were
bonded, and two released, all the rest having
been either burnt or scuttled
The C~hickamauga, under the command OF
John Wilkinson, who has no professional superi-
or in the service, in a short cruise. last Novem-
Der. captured seven vessels-one ship. four barks
and two sch0oners. The Georgia. in u few
weeks, captured and destroyed seven ships aud
two barks. The Florida-but enough of such
details. Here are the shorter mathematical re.
suits OF all: Fifty eight ships, thirty-two brigs,
forty one barks. fftyseyen schooners-pilo
boats and small steamers " extra'-al disposed
OF at sea since the war, by a power which has
popularity 10 navy"
To estimate the value Of these sea captures,
let Us strike an average. The Jacob Bell Zone
Of the most valuable) was set down "a worth at
least 50 Gao 600, ship and Cargo: the Ore'ea al
proven value. S950.OO0; the Star of Peace at
5000 600; The Anglo Saxon at SIS, 600; Others
more and others less. Allow for a few bonded
and then draw a moderate average, saw $500 .OOU
for each ship. and you have about $4,000 ,OOo
worth of ships destroyed az once. The brig E.
telle was valued, under mark at 100000: the
Windward at Si4 600; say for each brig and
cargo $50, 600, and you have 81 600 600 add
tional.a Carrying out the great moderation o.
this estimate, set each bark dow at $40 600 anC
each schooner at S25, GOO Several OF both were
three times either amount and YOU have al
aggregate of S34 COS 900 destroyed directly by
our navy Is that nothingf Ask the New York
chamber Of N and take its dOleiul AN
swer. But that is only as 10 the direct loss in
ticted How are we. to give or get at any sp
prOximate estimate of the indirect damage done
10 the enemy's commercef Only BY indirec
means. and we take these TO be some such.
Ia 1850 the aggregate United States tunnsg'
sold 10 foreigners was 10 467; in 1860. il was
about the same; while. in 1853, it was 81 500,
900. This covers the white wash" process
and has sent more than one line Of American
clippers. usually hasliBg from New York or Bos
ton. or Baltimore. to sea, as Liverpool or Londor
vessels Has that change of figures no tale t.
tell for the little navy? Does it say nothing
elOQueutN wei LOT iIiIeCt loss.
But more: la 1890 there vas employed in
the United States coasting trade (deducting thu
southern coasts an enrolled and licensed tun
mage equal to 496 ,97S tons and 95ths) in lsi(
this had augmented TO 9S3 SIS; ten years later /
stood at | 300, 2l0: and in 1860 it had swollen e
the splendid proportions of l.735, 500. What j
it now? On Yankee semi official authority, il
1863 it had dwindled down to what I, was il
1910. In giving these diminishing numbers. 1h'
Shipping Journal Weymouth, England signi
fcantly saws: THE revages of confedera',
cruisers will soon have frightened the fedora
coasting trade into its narrow Dimensions o
1860"
Still more: The New Bedford STANDARD of
recent date (ss quoted in the United States new
of this journal on the 18th inst tells US that
whereas the tonnage engaged in the whale fish
ing 10 1876 was 23O.2ls. il does not Dow reaci
So 900 tons. In the first of this set Of figure
We detect an under statement; for The official re
cord shows that, in 1916. the American tonnag,
in the whale fishing was 439 $50 Ii would no
60 TO note the vasiness of the fhl-i;s force hat
to be lightened. To allow this fact its full
weight. we should remember that. in 1916
whale oil (sperm) sold at 50 cents; now it sells
according to the above Bedford paper. at 81 .951.
a gallon; and bone, that sold ia 1876 at a dim,
a pound. now brings nearly 81.
To these self reasoning waits add this mos
suggestive one: " ne insurance on vessels IRA
ding with the states is alarming, cries The Port
land Gazette of Sept 81 1854 " None of u
can be blind enough not 10 see that our own di
rect shipping interests are in a ruinOus condition
as well from the effects of exorbitant insuranc,
as from he cowardly prudence Of ship owners
The policy nursued at Lloyd's which sets On
example for the instance officer, is an evil tina
may do us permanent harm if it is not at ono
corrected. Between the poltroonery of shit
owners aud confederate privsteers our shippinI
interests must give way. AT present We know
OF few American ships, genuine American bot
toms. except such as carry guns aboard. Is no
this deplorable >" Very but we hope the COZ
ditien that has been brought about will in"reas
daily until only peace shall make room for othe
genuine American vessels than guaboats-