The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-21
SHALL WE HAVE A NAVY or NOT?

NEW YORK. lee. 90, 1871.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
The HERALD has frequently condemned the course
OF the United States government in reducing the
army below the requirements OF national defence
anu internal security. But shortsghted and re-
prehensble as this I.ocy Is it may be regarded as
the quintesscnce OF compared with the folly
OF reducing or negiecting our navy.
Our isolated position enables US In some degree to
disregard that terrible logic which compeis each
European Power to keep the numbers ana efficiency
OF It's ARM at the highest point which the limits Of
credit and population Will ariow, supply because
its neignbors DO. But in regard to our navy
we cannot SO congratulate ourselves. BY
land, ndecd, We are contiguous TO no
great Power, but through our navy we
touch them all. The honor OF our dag ana the
security OF our commerce in every quarter OF the
globe is conided to our ships of war; and yet, &C
CurdIng to the figures stated in the HERALD OF Mon
day LAST, II rs dIcult 10 avoid the conclusion thar
our nag must have been driven iroil the sea In
case The Alabama negotiations lau suddenly ter
Minated lii war with England. Ii Is @ simple cal
cuatlon. Our navy numocrs Oh paper lsO vessels,
OF which only 1ity, m)unting OIL guns, are now IN
service, amt the others are, Tor the most part In
sucn condition that we coull not expect 10 rein
have In active service 2o6 ships, mounting 1900
guas, besides @ reserve 1eet OF over Iour hundred
yessels. Tnis force includes tue most formidable
arAIored SHIPS ever built. Even Russia has q navy
o. over three hundred vessels. twehtyiour or when
are armored. ana the other European nations IN
proport on. TIC American navy has well deserved
lie confidence which the country reposes IN It's
valor ani efficiency, ana under whatever disadvan-
tage5 IL mig.t be called Into action would, we
doubt not, acquit Itself Win signal honor. But,
however nigh the morale OF our sailors, tney cannot
fight without shirs.
in case o. war between the United States and
any transatlantic Power we should not be liable TO
invasion, nor could we invade. The war would ne
cessaIy be fought out on the sea. and ON the CON-
parlIlye EMERGENCY oil the navleS matched against
each other the issue would depend. We should
also remember that In the present state oT the
science OF artillery navy Is no longcr capa-
bic OF being suddenly reinforced 10 any extent ny
merely mounting guns on merchant steamers ami
putting armed crews on board. The only class or
vessels which have anT value IN modern naval war
fare very slow In building very peculiar In con-
stIuCilou. We think we nave learned the wisdom
OF dispensing with standing armies ana depending
upon volunteers enlisted on the eve Of war, but y
modern navy Is thing which cannot be Iinpro.
in peace. The results OF the sD0H sharp wars or
modern times do not depend upon The coilplrativo
population ana financial resources OF the beligercnt
nations. They are determined by the amount or
available force, moblZed Tor immediate action,
which the combatants respectively possess. Our
PRESIDENT, a solder himself cannot hut be sensible
OF the force OF these considerations; but,
misicu by the desire OF securing p0Ntical
capItul, he Joins in the CRY Tor re-
trencinlcnt. successive administrations may
Tor awhile rival each other In reducing the country
70 Impotence. a blind Split oil economy may sell
the afnlor OF the natIon Tor ola 1ron may DISMISS
our soldiers 10 the factories, and, la the wisdom ol
political economy, conclude that " w more pront'