The New York herald., 1869-12-08


jscts ior government aid and direction.
| Il viii not become me to dlscuss in this report
pride which press the subject upon us, bal may be
| permitted to urge 1t as an Important element oi
on 70 the acl tnat here are now running from the
ports Of New York. Boston, and Baltimore Tor those
Of Europe over sixty powerful screw steamers aver
ers carrying the English. French and German fags
are most OF them. tue results OF wise Iberaiiy on
now absorb very large proportion OF the carrying
trade across the Atlantic. Their average time
m more rs0'iins 1nan eleven days Any one Of them
could be quickly converted into an eII-
fS sa power and seepng the sea ior sny length Or
| time. Here, then. Is heavy tonnage OF possible
| war vessels larger than that Of our whole navy on
Had our mercantile marine possessed such lines
| at the breaking out OF the late war we mixnt IN.
stead OF permitting the rebels to introduce vast
| amount OF war material before we could collect the
means to prevent II, have quickly closed every
A Comparatively small force Of this kind, appro-
priatey armed and let loose on the ocean. under tue
a DANGEROUS foe to the commerce OF any country.
our was substantially driven from lne seas Dy
two or three roughly equipped vessels mucn INFERIOR
win be tnat IN giving up this Held 70 Inc occu-
| patton Of other nations and yielding TO them the
commercial advantages which naturally belong
| to our own position and resources, we a.
| the same ume reiinqulsh our own weapons and
| arm our possible enemies.
| We are looking with confidence for o ,arvs In
crease the commerce Of the East which VIII re-
qaire IN @ anu IN ina
OF RAPID transportation on potu oCeans, anu, ~ sno
inter.sl SIMPLY oi me naval estaoisnment anu o. 50
mucn OF the national defence ~ depends upon IL
earness,y u,se oaat US ,saSn @ sn,nnu;,dars
| to enter into this deid OF enterprise.
Hnuucemens snouia " hSu % Sus 70 aaoss mnv , arS
| approved by the Navy Department., subject IN case
OF necessity, to be taken py the government at an
those on the route between California and Japan
snouau ue Ane ~ ~ LINES " pto.Hc. ,l ~ ~
aRans1 piantes WIZ pnvaVeo's' anu III Snou'" W "
Giass aVaiaDie III Wax.
l 40 not, o. course suggest any particular pan
on tnis suDJecL ana speak OF " oniy 70 snow NOW
much much @ tne navai estaonsnment; M connon Win ~.
every other national interest, VIII be anected Dy It's
proper solution.
NAVY YARDS.
Among the most Important elements OF naval
esaDilSn'nent are tue yarus Wnere ~ material -
Collected ana ts SHIPS puilt repaired ana equipped.
Wnen these are n0t OF character 10 enaDio thia
worA TO oe done weh and rapidly the estaollsnment
Is weak IN an Important point Ine great maritime
PoWerS OF europe nave immense eStapilShinehts,
built and maintained at great expense, and iur-
nsned with every means for the rapid c0nsIructlon
and lifting out or their fleets.
the nrst oticlal act OF my immediate prede-
cessor was the appointment Of q board TO examine
nave myself visited and inspected most those on
the Atlantic coast They are generally OF small
capacity and iir adapted 10 meet the requirements
OF modern naval construction. some were esIab-
lshed at o comparatively early date apparently
their present pOsItOn snsceptibe of mucn tmproye
nent; and others though OF larger Capacity are at
present poorly supplied with the msans or RAPID
work, III
we nave seven regularly established navy vards
Not more than four of these are capable OF Lllng
ali we ieei the want OF more DOCKS. In our seven
navy yards we have but three dry docks This want
Wond ne severeIv felt IN time ar war al the noatn0
docss used by me mercantile marine a are not snta
bic for takiuv = heavy armored shin out Of the
water and nothing s really sais Ior vessel q war
win arament and stores on board wltnont strain-
ing or danger, Wbile ment,on these thugs as a
proper subject matter OF report do not at TINS time
PROPOSE any large expcudIture for the improyment
In tnese paTticuars Of the wards m actual OPERATION
for the present aud the most pressing need s elsa
Wnere
Tne report of the board appointed to examine the
1t iii De found to be very nstructlye and 10 the In
formation ana suggestions Inereln contained careful
much and suca accurate information on lnIs subIec I
been in Inc possession OF the department.
- Inere are few points, however, to which desire
Pensuc The rst ls the necessity of some action
for increasing our facilities In tue Suif of MEXICO
the yard Al PENSACOLA WAS SO far des roycd during
the war to be now almost wholly useless, and we
| are witnout depot on the Gulf where the vesses
| eau be rentted The station, winch includes the
West Indies and the Gulf, is one OF great and grow
ing Importance. In the present condition OF things
| vessel that station needing any repair il
Obliged to be sent TO the navy yards or the North.
Mare Isi0nd.-The navy yard at Mare Island is our
only yard ON the Paclac coast and on 1t We should
fleet on that ocean ana In tho East This yard 10
very IavoraDiy situated Of large capacity and capa-
Die OF being MADE the great naval station OF the
western coast Much loss OF time aDd money Is
incurred IN sending ships around Cape Horn. and
prompt measures should be taken 10 establish as
Mare Island working yard and depot OF naval sup
pies sumcent for the building, furnishing and relt
ting OF our ships IN the Pacific.
League LstaHd.-The thrd point pressing on
tnls suDJect ID the necessslty oil commencing
at once 70 prepare our great fresh wafer
naval depot Al tnat part or the Philadelphia
station known as League Island. This IL not
only desirable IN view Of Inc present conditioner the
yard at Phladephla, put Is rendered necessary by
he present cnaracer ana iuture necessities 0f the
navy. ..
Sllps are OF course, better constructed and
equipped az large establishments, possessing COM
piete accommodations ana facilities i0r tho eco
nonlca arrangement ana application OF material
me Rrsa. dsiecs Ia she n.aatson OF most OF our