Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-12-26

In bis recent report to the President, the
Secretary Of the Navy shows the condition
OF the navy TO be as follows
The navy Of the United States numbers
rs vessels, carrying ,37s guns, exclusive Of
! Aowitzcrs:
~ steamers, go guns,
~ sailing vessels Of al classes, 322 guns,
81 iron ciads, 147 guns.
% tugs.
OF the steamers, are unfinished on the
stocks, 2 are in use by the quarantine an.
thortles Of New York, 9 are undergoing re-
pairs 81 are In commits sion for squadron and
special service, and - are in ordinary.
Of the sailing vessels, are on the stocks,
6 are In commission as cruisers and store
ships, D are in commission as receiving saips,
8 are used fot quarters and other special pur.
poses at the nayyyard-, the naval academy
and other stations, are undergoing repairs,
aud 5 are IN ordinary.
or the iron clad vessels, . are In commits
sion on the North Atlantic station, ] ia in
use at the naval academy, and the remainder
are undergoing repair or laid up at League
island aud New Orleans.
OF the tugs, Is in the service OF the eypg.
dition toward the North Pole, another on
the Asiatic station, and the remainder with
the exception of few undergoing repairs,
are in Us" at the yards and stations.
Fourteen vessels have been commissioned
daring the ycar, 10 have been put out Of
commission during the same period, and 4
are returning from foreign stations, theu
term Of service having expired.
There are - vessels in commission for ca
service ilnclualnE used rs store SHIPS, car
ryiug i63 guns,
These vessels are distributed as follows;
NORTH Atlantic Station -Nor's'cr, - guns;
Cauau.ht,ut, 10 guns; Wyoming, guns; shaw
u.''' GUNS N5Ps'V' E'.h7f ititoi. guns; Na"-
, ,,S I%Mmev' ITl1rg sIl'i ha,s''' ,,1,
.si =, , ~ ""'' ''-'''"'''' ~ gus '''"
-aflb Ailnnljr Stsifon-Taurastrr % Guns.
TIcpuucro,4 II guns; Wasp, - guns. Three YES.
sals, 33guna.
European station wabash, 10 guns; Brao,lyn,
~ AN"<, '"N -itr7, I9 guns HntuAHlo'I'' Ei"s'
." ,iu,,, S''''' '''''''7'"' guns 7N 's''
Nsla,Ir Snijpn.- Colorado. a. runs; Hartford "A
ylus; LarkawaHna 10 Guns: Alaska ~ gups.
Ashueot gum; Monucuny, gbusi lr0qHuis,
guns, laruc, guns; Saco, 3 gums Pa.os, 1 gun,
l'%hn, : Guns EICiHn rSsS,I7 ~ -uh7. -, .,..
pnGi,,p ',,nn 1870, ~ ',,! N, aTr,'
srtt 4 l,uns: : int NAV. il gu4s' Five vessels
b5 guns.
south Paclho station Pensacola, Y guns;
Vmaua' ~ tuNfi lusthIp'a " G0nisi os>ii'gc'
=, u,, '""A'N '''"' sun ~ % 7''''' o'''
Syecial ser,ice-.Icrolic. - runs: Michigan. -
,aap; Constellation, 10 guns
I'm folIou;nr named in the above arc
rstn,rirt,t 70 III, Atlantic Stafes,
Colorado, % guns Oasipee, oguns Alaska
~ guns saint Mays, 10 guns. Four yes
5cls n guns, which, when put out OF com
mission, will reduce the force, uniesss others
,,,,ns ''a
This shows the active force slightly in
creased in strength since the date of the
last report, with improved efficiency on &C
couut Of its better distribution in greater
number of smaller and more active vessels.
The limit of our power is, says the Secreta
~, almost reached in this direction, since
we have no more small cruisers which can
be put IN commission without repairs of an
extent and at an expense wholly inadequate
to the results obtained. OF the ships built
during the war, including those which, COM
menccd then, have been finished since It's
close, many were designed forspecial service,
and are not Of character adapted to orr
present needs; most are too large for the
economical, and cGlcient distribution Of our
small peace force, and almost all, built
hastily OF unseasoned timber have now
fulfilled the measure of their useful ife
Early in the wear the attention of the De
partment was called TO the fact that several