The New York herald., 1868-03-08


science; and In estimating their character as men or
Judging o. tner capacity TO serve the country peace
have associated the American name forever with the
greatest strides towards human progress and human
Tne war WIN mexico, SO FAR as any active part1c.
patton by the navy was concerned scarcely broke Its
pCSps Of Scott az Vera nS Cruz the services
OF battery IN the siege, q few unimportant
skirmishes In California, it was entirely over
shadowed by the army: But the events Of the
awakened attention to the long neglected duty OF
revising the system Of ordnance; and to no man is
aren for his successful abors in that branch Start
Ing out with an insignificant appropriation in one Of
the vacant workshops p,t n tne trns washington NAVY
against the eaousies OF his seniors and the habitual
prejudces OF the foundrymen until he revoutonized
foundation for a school Of accomplished gunners,
who rendered our arms victorious at Hatteras, at
Fisher. Admiral Dahgren was not only the inventor
Of the nine inch gun which bears MS name, ana
which is considered the most eiiectiye piece OF ord
for armed boats and artillery service on shores
besides introducing many Improvements IN rne pro
jectiles, fuzes and primers While the naval vlct0-
res In the rebellion shall hold place In the memory
OF men the name and the eminent services OF Dani-
gren will be coupled with their glorles
The method OF inspecting ordnance for the navy
fs exceedingly rigid, and consists-frst, OF the in-
the noson ssi 20 and Of the Vent the
thickness OF metal &o; second the powder proof,
which Is obtained by Q number Of rounds, hred with
shot and shell at full and reduced charges; and
lastly, the water proof which Is made by hydraulic
press to discover If there are any Indications OF
Nearly all the guns now in use In the navy are fitted
with Dahlgren's elevating screw, the threads OF
gree of elevation or depression. Vice Admiral P0r-
ter, also, is the inventor OF Q quoin fitted with
tons II is Of great utility especially at night when
the breech sights cannot be used, and It Is now the
established quon Of the navy. Tae re- Maarsniy az Or
mounted in broadsde. 1t differs from the old four
truck carriage in sappressing the rear axle and ex-
&C., Is facilitated by roller handspike placed under
the rear Of the carriage. During the late war the
run out, fred sponged, loaded, and transported to
the opposite port and fired again In less than two
and there re many points IN its favor
Most OF the powder used in the navy is manufac-
tured from the nitrates obtained from the Limestone
proofs Of its quality are obtained with ballstic
pendulum, firing service charges in the arms Tor
which the powder Is designed.
The shot and shell are made from gray mottled
iron, soft and of good quality, and are inspected as
passed through ring and cylinder gauges and drop
ped from height or twenty feet on SOHO plaIlorin
or irOn Shells examined with calpers, bellows,
sounding hammers, and fuze gauges.
In addition to the Dahlgren gun and the nfteen.
inch pore sae ~ anH nnr naya gn.
and the war satisfactorily demonstrated their e1ec-
tive character and great merit. Indeed In matters
OF ordnance it may be safely asserted that there Is
no navy in the world which Is equal to our own, ana
there Is no branch Of the Navy Department so ad.
its details as the Bureau Of Ordnance. when the
country overtaken by the late war, while It found
every oei m & arm m @ M arar or to edncats
In estimating naval power we must not accept the
number OF ships and the number OF guns they
carry as the basis OF the calculation, but We
must take the character for endurance OF the
oud fhn wni inhf n ma
throw as the correct exhibit Of the actual nghting
capacity The combat between the Monitor and the tn
Atlanta demonstrated the application OF this rule.
while the destruction Of the Congress and the Cum
berland settled conclusively the heplcssness OF
wooden ships against even a pigmy craft in armor.
These memorable contests inaugurated new era IN
naval warfare and from their % Lessons sons we we
naval estimates for the future-First, that small
ship with few guns OF large caibre Is more enectve
| than large ship with q numerous battery OF nght
guns and, second, that no naval establishment can
be complete without invunerable ships and irresst-
ibe projectiles The Monitor model, with its revoly-
ing turret and the fteennch gun are close approxi-
nations to this great end Hereafter the naval archl.
tect and the ordnance oicer must take counsel OF
each other and the hull must be suited to the battery
| and the battery to the hull. The only subtle foe
| that the Monitor has to fear is the torpedo.
WHOLESOME LEGISLATION AT LAST.
After years Of shameful neglect Congress seems TO
have wal suddenly % to % asa 81 G lbs dmIy s
legislature that exercised more wholesome infiu-
ence upon the morals Of the service than the abol-
ton Of logging in 1850 and the plan OF giving hon.
orableds Charges passed in 1856 These were followed
up in 1851 by law authorizing medals Of honor for
| men who might distinguish themselves In battle or
perform conspicuous acts Of vaor in the line Of duty.
The next great step was to abolish the grog ration
| laws amendatory of the Prize Money and Pension
acts were passed, and the pay OF onlcers and men
considerably increased The labors of the Navy De-
partment were divided into bureaus, grade OF ad-
mirals, commodores and lieutenant commanders was
| created while by the same bill passed midshipmen
| became ensgns and pursers were turned into pay
masters. The rules and regulations for the navy,
which had become mildewed and obsolete from their
| antiquity, underwent thorough revision by board
consisting OF the best officers in the service and thus
classified vdde nsec4fe was produced that cannot
| most efficient discipline Of which man Of war can
| Hitherto much OF the indifference of Congress to
1 the wants OF the navy had been attributed to the
nonpartisan character OF its officers and the impos-
sibiity Of making 1t political machine Be this as
1t may the navy can boast OF Its entire freedom rom
| politics, and the steadfast manner In which It has
frowned down the influences and oyertures Of party
other her h hand 3D. has been continual hotbed for the
growth OF all sorts OF political aspirants The history
less thai two hundred and fty Of its graduates az
having been partakers OF the ''nesh pots" while
there Is not professional politician in the country
| who can claim the navy as his alma mater. Even
now the highest onicer In the military service Of the
republic has become the Fetch Of political party,
| and Is longing candidate for Presidential honors.
l. THE NAVY RATION.
| There is no naval service In the world where the
greater @ '' attention IS paid to the @ subject Of diet
The weekly issue consists OF o certain allowance OF
preserved meats beef pork, -four, tea coffee, sugar,
inoiasses vinegar, pickles, bread butter, beans,
rice, dried fruits and desscated potatoes This list Is
frequently varied In port by substituting soft bread
for biscuit and fresh meat and vegetables for sale
beef and pork. The utmost care is taken In the Sc
lection Of these supplies and to secure the whole:
some character Of the rations issued, the medical
oficer is required to make frequent examination Of
their quality to test the purity Of the water from the
tanks, and TO exercise q constant supervision over
the cleanliness and preparation OF the mems food
NAVAL APPRENTICES AND THE SCHOOL SHIPS.
longer O mooted question, and the country has ap-
plauded the Navy Department for Its revival OF the
apprentice system, the surest means OF providing
q reliable nursery for seanen The first legislation
upon this subject was In 1887; but Of that time the
navy was small, Its discipline lax and there
ships suitable for the instruction proper Of
youth. The law OF Congress was based upon the
plan OF nautical school, submitted by Sailing Master