New-York tribune., 1866-12-05

A
at any Yard ard bot throe in on ofthcm. With .hesc
limited aud dndor these Disadvantages e Department
period Of great oKsctlsg tiL Had we wer viii
maritime power where naval eomase would be frequent and
The supple Of timber at the different yards have been
hsus,cdSurBg the Rcbeion and viii be true economy 70
provide an abundance thai in future emergencies the d
cutcs and cmbanassments rcconty experienced may he
annual ucrsasc Of s Gcr and s other coUe have wisely
Furnished themselves this material Commodore Siecd
writes It Is an interesting there s stoe ef
florida timber In this yard which came from Florida while 1t
In tho CONSTRUCTION Of shipsotwar iron may ultimately to
great extent superede wood but such Ahe csouroc OF
timber in country that wooden vessels wi fOr some time
| to come. constitute iarge portion OF our navy.
For the construction Of iron and armord vessels can only
be cpe0tcd that although our country has tho material an
great Abundance and possesses many advantages In TINT re-
gard we almost wholly unpreparcd In future maritime
acy the will be determined chiefly by roncd or ar
mored ships Our tuctod vessels monitors viii be power
fu and effective for habo and deonse but n'conhct
with any European powor our connymcn VIII hardly oc eoa
tent with merely defensive warfare. . /,
Armored vessels for cruising must necessarily io OF
largo which cannot with the requisite strength 30 secured
timber must apd decay asd c cost resulting from
alton will be such as no economical ana prudent ha.o W
70 sustain Ships for cruising and offensive operations
such sails for vessel can long keep he
under steam lone Such vessels as are here
should be built NJ Government establishment for thoug
enterprise do much in aid Of the navy the peclares
Of iron vessels for naval purposes are such hat pyae %
cannot undertake. the work unless at prices Vc VIII an
the outlay for tho establishment well as the vessels Tor
there DO other customer than tho Government TOT 'h
work :,
Iu this yowf tho subject Is plainly the interest Of tho
Government rcc its shops and machinery and TO possess
srmOrcd naval vessels Several years preparation VIII be
qued provide the necessary appliances for such an ea
shment and special and location with ample
area should be promptly selected In cacbo the navy Yards
dry Indispensable and for steam navy there should Oe
Tho Navy Yards at Norfolk aud Pensacola which 'were
almost totally destroyed during the war require large eHpnd
lures 10 place them condition 10 be efficient They have
occupied stations since the Government recovered
possession ansone repaiayo been made Of eaoh but the
diaplated walls an OF the former eabshmeuts 10
main in condition which rcndeTs them scarcely NJ Tor oco
panoy This more particularly tho case a Pensaeos
oy few outbuldngs and stables escaped destruction
These converted into temporary quarters lot the ON.
which have been made progress has been effected toward
restoration Norfolk Tho destruction at tins yard was mol so
| thorough and complete Is at Pensacola.
Tho yard Norfolk is B'a national point OF View ono OF the
important well one OF the best located In thc United
States II the only southern yard on the Atlantic coast Is
accessible in oil seasons has one OF TIE beat haro IN iho
country aud Is ncycry respect hI9raoy situated WIN many
naura advantages for naval establishment There Is at this
yaa permanent dry dock which under all the entege'
that existed has been Of mmense service 10 TIE Cover n
and additional expense that would have been incurred send
ing them further North the termination OF the war; most
popns of put in operation But In order that this yard
may be pacedn proper working condition Of oil comparable
wants Of the service. much yc1 remains TO be done
ThSyard Norfolk and Ut Pensacola sro as essential 10 hc
navy and tho eor Of the yards at the north and IN
the OF foreign could better dse wli one OF
the yards north OF the CheaPeako than WIN either q" 'sese
SlapIsSd condition was OF great vag to the Union
After then recovery he Is,'e snn S.
repairs with loss OF service dpg Their eosenee Oef'
and crews bat retained their stations Tho repairs
thus Effected we're made without many Of the rcquT facilities
but notwithstanding great disadvantages cohierRbe saving
ensned the Government and the blockade was thereby made
The suppression Of the Rebellion and the reSssbshmeut
that pe and unty which constitute oucacouny ani
peop make II duty these national establishments
10 their former efficient condition In 80 Tar ~ there
son during the Rebellion for refusing to do this because insa
rccton fcyeilcd Ia the region where the yards suned
that reason longer exists True the oxPendarc VIII be
made In States which in rebellion bat the Rebellion has
passed awny the States parts the Union aad the eab
hmcnts which are e renovated national In hor char
acer and Of general interest 70 oil Upon the Pensacola yard
even In It's present runc mus, depend Tor repairs
and supplies any squadron We nnJ employ 10 guard The
whole coasi bordering the Calf ronsec % Pui that yard
proper condition sonld b 20 ncgleS Ssa Illinois and tho
In the eventsofs foreign war With The gTsai maritime pow
ers country would labor under eoas disadvantages
without Navy Yard or naval station ia heGgt naval
force Of stcsmers-snd all hghiiug vessels mus, heoaer ~
sesmer-cod b. mananed n The Gull Without feqncni
repairs and supplies With Navy Yard Ia ihe Gull the dis
Aed vessels would necessarily b. wihdmp from their STALLION
and compelled proceed TO Nohen yard Tor rrhmen lie
sides The pc incident TO voyage under 'eso circumstances
with enemy on the coast the services o. he ohee sha
time she mgtsbe~sni going and rcurang from North
yard ~ Rebels and tho waste Of va, have hs
Vice and obligations OF the Gorornmn not ess n
peratlve whcn peace end Union ara restored 70 pc.
liberal srProrria,ions VIII be made ior hst pgrpo's
..,nees of he failure Of the sonais tdei or the b
which Rcd he Representative FOR te acceptance
without depot o. station irolsand naval rc
Most Of them have been Perzcd 10 remain in The bek
channel League Island where they placed
close o,the the best aud mot ayaas location for
hsr security and I h, 4 5'se sa . 1Ia 70, D lgJ
delay is passage through the senate should receive the
early action OF thsi BODY hn ihe hee .ay epppso my
b. made ior deepening the channel preparing slAe docks
ond making other necessary arrangements ni esrnry period
for the proper and protection OF The large number oo
vessels which are there In pcoaIous condition and IRON
they liable o, any time 70 be warned away by The
prople,pIHo ., no .ya,''t % u a i'' @ Ing H " - n
easoaii that they should 10 aid Ia rsh water and In
s9s o Il 9 selected & oson as by a the
eligible the country for that purpose They there how
ever under many disadvantages for no preparations or i'm
proyenen for them have been made the Department
auho1eSo make for the safe koephg protection aud
cra millions Deterioration and permanent injury must IL tho
consequence Of this delay and notwithstanding every pre-
been taken bnt reasonable 20 expect that they
have already been damaged to some extent from their exposed
ESLAEonuBr oP sAvY-YARDs
The purchase OF Scnvcys island adjacent the nayyyard at
Kilcy authorized by the net OF April H. isGG has been
nayyyad This acquisition enatges the heretofore restricted
limits that station aud will obvae Of the difficulties
room shops sheds and orehouses which wnnted TO
store materials The annual loss at this and ohca by the
deterioration OF materials unhyoaby exposed 10 the weather
or stored with much temporary sheds has
very great The Of site, for tho erection Of add
| one additional story to the present building.
Operations Of tho yards have been much embarrassed
for Of room but at has there been much d
Guilty and inconvenience from this rs Philadelphia
Until the Introduction OF steam the Philadelphia yard Of
secondary importance account OF its interior location which
rendered ngTess anj eess 10 vessels prOpcsd exclusively by
sails difficult aud datory. But this revolution wrought by
steamhc manufacture OF iron vessels and engines and arma
trethe advantage OF interior location which formerly
obctionthe aciy with which iron and coal can be OBJ
tanned the Delaware and the necessity that iron and
aTmOrod vessels should he laid up In fresh water VIII mako the
navy establishment on the Delaware Tyer important beyond
other In the country. Is impossible however 10
The operations which are essential ~ this central point within
the limits Of the present yard which has scarcely sixth OF
OF 9th all
the present yard which within the ckpopuaed part OF
the city Of Philadelphia be enlarged except which pre-
cdes the idea s accomplishment Another location must
obtained Ten times front and twenty