The New York herald., 1870-05-31
tn E N AV ~.
Letter from Secretary Robson in Regard to the
Present Requirements Of the Service.

WASHINGTON, May 80, 1870.
The following letter from Secretary Robson 70
the chairman OF the House Committee on Naval
Affairs relative to expenses for MATERIAL officers anu
men for the naval service, has just been printed
NAVY DEPARTMENT, May Il. 1870
SIR--f beg leave to offer at this time lew sug-
gestions on the subject OF the naval service and its
necessary expenses for material and for officers and
men. which may, perhaps, throw some hsht upon
subject seemingly little understood.
In the lrst place. let me say that there can be no
fixed proportion between the amount or expendi-
lures FOR maLeral and necessary purposes and the
The officers and men In the service cost neither more
nor less than the aggregate OF their pay wages pro-
visions and medical attendance while the estimates
and expenditures for material purposes must vary
each year, according to the actual state In which we
find the navy material and the condition TO which IL
Is desirable that It snould be brought, and this can
be judged by other standard than that Of the pub
lie safety and necessity.
construction. preservation and repair OF vessels,
machinery docks, &C.; are absolute, and apprOpria-
tons for them are asked for because they are neces
sary for material purposes be the number OF men IN
the service larger smaller, just as the army re-
quirements for fortlhcations, &C.. are considered
needful and are estimated for, whether the army be
increased OK diminished
The unexpended balances Of appropriations, vary.
Ing from time to time maze q snI m tSs co.Ie %
preparations called for. This difference Is likely TO
lead careless observer into mistake but the dller
ence In the situation Is easily understood. For IN
stance, there being on hand for army ordnance an
unexpendcd balance Of eight millions no further ap.
preparation for thar purpose Is asked for; the navy
hand asks for something more than million. But
it would be mistake to Infer from these facts that
the navy IS either more expensive or less economical
It is constantly alleged as matter Of complaint,
that there are too many naval officers In the service
especially OF the higher grades and that the number
OF OHcers In these grades Is larger than 1t was be-
fore the war. This complaint s founded on error OF
both fact and opinion AS matter OF fact the average
numbero OF ofiicers OF the three highest grades (cap
talns commanders and 1eutenants) for 185S-59-60
on che active list was 5l8. On the 1st OF
January. 1870, the number Of officers OF the
eight highest grades on the active list was 42l
or ninety nine less than before the war; The pro-
portion of officers the active list to the necessities
OF the SERVICE with the existing number and classes
Of vessels, Is about right
Our naval organizations are small, and in service
are largely separated from ana Independent OF each
other. Each organization, however small must be
complete in Itself for every purpose OF service, with
Its complement OF Ofcers sufficient In number and
experience for every kind OF duty and responsibility
More than One-nan of the officers on the active list
are now actually at sea; but they cann0t-n0 officer
OF the service and common humanity alike require
that they should have regular relief from their dis
tant and dangerous duties. But II this were other
wise still they must come home in the ships
are enlisted for only three years, and must
be returned to the United States for dis
charge, and their ofiicers must come with them
There are however, other reasons why all the Off.
GERS cannot be kept always at sea- They are needed
tal to the efficiency good order and safety OF the
navy as s sea service ITSELF
Ships are neither built nor manned, nor armed,
nor equipped, nor largely required at sea. All the
business connected with the building, preserving
and repairing Of war vessels, with recruiting and
enlisttng men, with providing ordnance means for
navigation, equipment, provisions, clothing, medi-
cines, hospitals, &c, must be attended to on land
Hence the necessity OF navy yards and naval sta
tlOnS and an adequate number OF officers and men
to manage, c0nduct and protect them.
The education OF cadet midshiDmen requires its
quota OF oot9 0,Gers ana vessels CoG,as mara!
officers. required BY law are as indispensable In
administering naval law and justice as are civil
courts In civil affairs. Boards OF examination and
retiring boards are required by law, and boards or
survey and inspection are constant convenience
and necessity. Omcers are also constantly required
aud employed on other important duty not connected
with the several squadrons, some in acquiring q
knowledge OF the civi code, some. under require
ment OF law, on the Lighthouse Board with the
Coast Survey, the Observatory and photographic
Office; some In obedience to resolutions of Congress
In making soundings for telegraphic cables, and
some IN exploring the routes Of the great inter
oceanic canal
Ofllcers Of competent rank, knowledge ana expe
rience are required for all these duties alike by thu
necessities OF the service and the provisions Of exist
Ing laws Whether they are engaged In active duty
or waiting orders justice and sound policy concur n
requiring-what existing laws also require-that the
pay OF naval officers shall to some extent continue
II this were not common justice 1t would be at leas
common prudence. No maritime and naval Power
has ever been, or ever will be- guilty OF the folly o.
turning its naval officers adrlft the moment theu
cruise IL ended.
Navy ofiicers at for important commands REQUIRE
the training and experience OF years. and cannot bt
obtained at moments notice nor be called into ex
istence by proclamation any more than can ships
be eglslated into being even upon the spur OF rebel
lion or invasion.
equipped, manned, and 0flcered for efficient service
Is the combined result OF much labor, SKILL science
training train discipline and experience produced b!
we are claiming to be great naval Power; ant
ssras w VIZ R aPya ybSy Hes esteaSn SS@%fn
ssrrItory an and ot trade hecoes % daiv maFe and mnY
urgent we are apparently forgetul Of, or inderen
TO- the fact that ships and naval organizations Can
not be extempOrfzed like regiments, but are, as
have said the growth and product oflong- continues
industry and skill.
l beg leave to remark, IN this connection, tina
merchant steamers, whether OF iron or wood, bull
as they now are in this country, can be OF littl
value In time OF war, except as priyateers. Al
such they wOnld be terrible foes to the enemys com
merce. But they cannot encounter war ships. 70
they are not built to carry heavy batteries nor
resist the action OF heavy shot or SHE'LL While
therefore, they would for many purposes, form
valuable auxiliary Of our force, they cannot be re
lied on as the main body OF the navy.
II we are to have navy II our naval vessels
are expected to encounter hostile ships. we must
as formerly, have ships of corresponding size ant
force to meet them as well as officers and seamei
equal in training and skill with those OF the enemy
Meanwhile, it Would, undoubtedly, be wise econ
Omy i'll time OF peace to use as far as possible
small vessels In the service, as these may be EN-
widely, would fulfill with the small force allowed
more nearly the requirements OF the nava
service. But we have very few small ships wortl
repairing, and thus the force allowed now cOncen
trated more than should be the case IN the large
ships and at remote points. But assurediy this Is
not the fault OF the administration Let the needu
means and authority be given and proper ships o
each class VIII follow as soon as industry and skill
can produce them.
There is some suggestion that we have too man,
navy yards along our coasts. But all naval prepar
ton must have regard TO the needs OF war as well
ofpeace. Should we engage in maritime war; tn
folly OF having but one naval station OF
long line OF Atlantic coast would, / think
become evident to the most careless observer
We should then find the need OF yards In favor
able situations In order to multiply facilities In diff
ferent latitudeS for the shelter and for the build
ing. repairing and fitting out OF ships and Tor tn
defence Of our maritime towns and harbOrs.
dry docks. II these be denied and we are to fav
no permanent Improvements In our yards on th'
Atlantic and Gulf coasts should at least have TIL