The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-08


that just voted against negro suffrage, or shah
the South give the niger more than the North
does?
The Navy Report-Thc Summing Up OF
Secretary Wclles.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy,
which we publish this morning, furnishes very
5interesting and gratifying summing up Of the
operations of his Department and of the naval
service in the subjugation of the rebellion. He
details with commendable pride the good
work of the North Atlantic squa dron, under Ad-
miral Porter, in the reduction OF the defences Of
Wilmington the services of the South Atlantic
squadron, under Admiral Dahlgren, at Charles
don and along the Southern coast Of the West
Cult squadron, under Admiral Farragut, at
Mobile, and touches upon various other opera
tons, at home and abroad, of the gallant Jack
Tars of the Union-all going to show that they
have done their full share in the glorious and
successful struggle for its preservation.
The Secretary next details the reductions
made in the various fleets since the close of the
coast from four hundred and seventy-One in
January, carrying two thousand four hundred
and ffty-fve guns, to twenty-nine in December,
with an aggregate Of two hundred and ten guns.
There are now five efficient squadrons in foreign
waters-thc European squadron, under Admiral
sGoldsborough, seven vessels the Brazil squad
ron, ten vessels Admiral Godon the East
India squadron, four vessels, Admiral Bell the
Pacific squadron, Admiral Pearson, eleven YES
sells, and the West India squadron Commodore
Palmer, nine vessels. The prizes captured DUR
ing the war, of all descriptions, number
eleven hundred and fifly-one vessels, including
two hundred and ten steamers, chiefly English
blockade runners, with valuable cargoes; rams
and gunboats, seventeen, in addition to three
hundred and fifty-Gve vessels Of all sorts,
burned, sunk or otherwise destroyed. The
value Of the whole lot captured and destroyed
.(nearly all English property is set down at
thirty-one million dollars, prizes to the amount
of over twenty-one millions having already
been condemned, with other cases still before
the courts.
The resources of the Department for the last
fiscal year were over one hundred and forty
millions, and the expenses nearly one hundred
and seventeen millions; the balances on hand,
including appropriations untouched, foot up to
one hundred and forty-two millions, and the
expenses of the ensuing year are set down at
the greatly reduced figure of about, twenty-four
millions. The report abounds with valuable
suggestions, looking to economy, retrench-
ment, efficiency and discipline. The perfdious
neutrality Of England is handled without
gloves by the Secretary, and we think his facts
and statistics upon this subject would be very
useful to Mr.. Adams, in the event of a resump-
ton of his correspondence with Earl Russell
on the question of indemnity for the doings of
such outlaws as the Alabama and Shenandoah
Mr.. Weles has been generally regarded as q
slow coach; but his report shows that he has,
during this war, got off an immense amount of
work. AT the beginning the men in the naval
service numbered seven thousand six hun
dred; at the close, ffty-one thousand
six hundred, in addition 10 sixteen thou
sand eight hundred artisans and laborers
in the navy yards. Two hundred and eight
vessels have been built during the war, all
steamers, and four hundred and eighteen have
been purchased, mostly steamers; and Of these
three hundred and twenty have been sold since
the close OF the war and restored to the pursuits
of peace.
The report is good strong American State
paper; but the special feature which will most
commend itself to the endorsement of the
American people will be found in the out
spoken sentiments Of Secretary Welles of that
European neutrality which gave countenance
and encouragement to rebels engaged in q
causeless insurrcction;" and that beautiful
neutrality which, the rebellion being put down,
I" no longer denies to our national vessels those
supplies and courtesies which were refused in
the days Of our misfortune" And so while we
congratulate the Secretary on the successes
which have attended his services through the
war, we rejoice with him that "our men-of-
war; released from the blockade, will soon be
found in every sea; prepared to assert Ameri-
ON rights and protect American interests"
The ENGLISH GETTING ON THE RIGHT TACK
ABOUT PRESIDENT JoHNsoN.-We publish this
morning some significant extracts from edito-
risis in prominent English papers concerning
tho aoiItty uhu ntulcSLnanshp vi ITcbiutHt
johnson. II will be seen that the English are
getting on the right tack about our President,
and have begun to open their eyes to the fact
that all American talent was not confined to
the leaders in the late rebellion. This was
their blindness and their error in the dark
hours Of our national troubles; and 1t is graft
Tying to find that now, without stopping to
Enquire the cause, new and refulgent light,
casting radiant halo around American states
manship, shines before their mental vision.
But, so far as President Johnson is concerned,
these suddenly enlisted sympathies and notes
of admiration for the Union champions might
have been exhibited long ago. As Senator in
the United States Senate; as Governor and
a 'gislator H. his own State for manv vears. No