The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-18
UNITED STATES NAVAL SQUADRON LIST.

Lists Of Vessels Composing the Different Squad
rons, Guns, Class and Tonnage-Superiority
Of Our Naval Force Compared with That OF
Other Maritime POwers-New Vessels beins
Fitted Out for Foreign service.
Since the close OF the late rebellion the attention
OF the United States Navy Department has been al
most exclusively devoted to the placing OF our naval
force upon an equal footing with that Of France
England and others OF the great Powers OF Europe.
How well the Secretary of the Navy and his COL
leagues have succeeded our readers can judge from
the squadron list published below, in which will be
seen the names of some Of the finest vessels OF
modern times nearly all Of which have been fitted
out since the close Of the war.
At the termination Of the rebellion onr navy con-
sisted Of over five hundred vessels but threefourths
Of this number totally unfit for any service but
that which they had been previously engaged lnie.,
blockading Accordingly the first step taken by
the department was to dispose Of the unserviceabe
vessels and in very short space of time our naval
force was reduced by one-half. large sum OF
money was thus turned into the treasury of Uncle
Sam, many Of the purchased vessels selling for more
than their original cost.
Having in this way reduced our naval armament
at home, the next consideration was to bring our
fleets In foreign waters up to the proper Standard
and In order to effect this the vessels then being built
were hurried to completion as rapidly as possible.
During the war our naval force abroad was very
small indeed, for the reason that suitable vessels
could not be spared for foreign service but now 1t
is different and Shenandoah or an Alabama would
escape but q very short time from the magnificent
cruisers which now carry flag over every sea In
the world.
Among the vessels now on foreign service are some
which admittedly far superior to any In the French
or English service. The flagship Franklin, OF the
European squadron: the Piscataqua, OF the Asiatic
squadron the Guerrero, Quinnebaug, Contooco0k
and many Others are war vessels ssuch as are pos
sessed by no other nation in the world. not only as
regards sneed, but also armament and strength. The
reason f this superiority is that our naval vessels
having all been built within the past six or seven
years. are supplied with the very latest improvements
in machinery, equipped with guns Of calibre before
unheard Of and possess internally and externally
every appliance which five years Of experience in
naval warfare have taught US to be conducive to
safety effectiveness or comfort.
The establishment OF our European and Asiatic
squadrons has already been productive OF much
of Europe how the United States has In such short
time equaed and surpassed them on that element
over which they have hitherto held sway. John Bull
and Johnny Crapeau cannot help but entertain
high respect for nation which In few weeks time
could place the high seas fleet OF two hundred
vessels such now cruising in their waters, TO
say nothing OF our iron-clad monitors.
The following vessels are now receiving their en-
gines and machinery at the different navy yards and
soon as they completed will be despatched to
Join the European, Asiatic and Pacific sQuadrOnS:-