New-York tribune., 1872-12-03
THE NAVY.
EXTRACTS FROM THE REPORT OF sECRE
TARY ROBESON.
THE FORCE NOW on HAND.

TARY ROBESON
THE FORCE NOW on HAND.
The Navy of the United States numbers l16
vessels, carrying 1873 guns exclusive Of howi1ers
sixty eight soamers o29 guns 81 sailing vessels OF all
classes a2l guns b roncads 127 guns ~ tugs or tho
sleamers I've are unfinished tho stocks, two IN
uso by the Quarantine authorities OF Newfork nine are
undergoing REPAIRS 81 IN commission for squadron
and special service and IS are In ordinary or the sail
ing vessels. the stocks, six are In commission
cruisers and torcshps. ak IN commission
ships six used for quarters and other special
purposes at the NavyYards, the Naval Academy. and
other stations two undergoing repairs ahd eight are
in ordinary. OF tho ironclad vessels two are In CONF
missori on the North Atlantic station Is In use at
the Naval Academy and the remainder are undergoing
repair or are laid up at League Island and NewOreans
OF the tugs IN the OF the expedition toward
the North Pole another tho Asiac station and the
remainder with the exception OF few undergoing re-
pairs are in use of the yards and stations Fourteen
vessels have been during the year. 10 have
been put out OF comm during the PERIOD and
four arc returning from foreign stations, their term OF
service having expired.
There vessels commission for sea service I'm
cufing three used sore-ships) carrying i62 guns
These vessels are distributed as follows;
North Aiqate stlonwocester Is guns; CnandsguA 10
Sugu pawnee (toesPli Hae.As guns fo"haAa' "
Soa 1sas "a guns TiooDderog II
Rsrop,ss 6 guns BrOOElyp guns, Congress
Shenandoah II guns Pymouh y guns Waehuse guns Sir
HSiiac ssaoncoOrndo As guns, Hartford Is Lacla"lnna
10 Alaska u Ashue0 Mouocte gay oquon
guns Yaue guns sAco guns PAlo' gun Idaho guns
Sorls Psoac guns; Benics guns. sar.nae
guns SAragaussi saint Mays 10 sanA fVe vessels %
Sosia Paas "a Omaha u guu' Tu.e.
guns Oipee Onward tstorsshiP guns f"e '
S1cssi Serv-FrOc guns, Michigan Constellation, 10
guns
The following named in the above are returning to the
Atlantic States:
Colorado guns; osdee gus Alasts II Saint Mir' IS
guns Pour vessels. 81 guns
which. when put out Of commission, will reduce the
force unless others fitted out to Al vessels carrying
3sl guns.
To spend money In the constant endeayor TO keep
these ships ahoat is the most expensive way of main
tanning navy, since constantly increasing expenditure
answered by constantly decreasing results OF good II
would be the west economy ut once TO afford the means
and the authority to build number OF small active
cruisers OF live oak rOn which adapted 10 the duties
and the means OF navy in time OF peace. and fitted
with the more modern and economical machinery which
has succeeded that at the commencement OF tho
decade, could be maintained and employed with more
effect and for years with comparatively little e1
pense for repairs
THE IRON-CLAps.
Many of our irOn-clad feet need repairs to
make them t for efficient service Several OF them. and
these the powerful built OF wood, while the
beams and much OF the frames Of those whose hus are
OF iron are of the same material. This woodwork was
found inspection TO have decayed 80 much that there
seemed to be no way left but replace it with ron aud
il was necessary to do Immediately unless we were
willing to be left entirely without effective ironclad
force to meet any duty which might arise This was at
once DONE and have the satisfaction OF know
ing that several OF monitors in complete repair
and more effective than ever for any appropriate
service
In addition to its ordinary duties the Nayynhas Icon
tinued during the past year to supply officers for light
house duty and the men and officers for the coast
vey and been engaged in completing the surveys OF
the Isthmus aud in making hydrographclisurveys and
soundngs both oceans wherever the safety or inter
ests ofiour people seem to demand It,
INTERoCEANIC CANAL SURVEYS.
Commander Selfridge, who conducted the
pre- vious surveys OF the Isthmus OF Daren Is now en-
gagged In completing the hnal exploration OF that
Isthmus between Panama and the shoulder of South
America Recent information favors the eIamina-
tion Of the valley Of the River Boaya, lying some
ten miles soutnof. and IN general parallel to that
of the River Napipi, already examined. This com-
pleted the entire Isthmus lying south and east OF
the line OF the Panama Railroad will have been sufi-
GENTLY examined establish the relative difficulties OF
constructing ship canal well the lines lyipg fur
+A''"'N INV
Ocean.
The expedition TO Nicaragua, destined for similar
purpose IL engaged upon the work assigned to It, An
unlimited water supply, at summit OF LOG feet above
the mean hight Of the ocean, presents too favorable
feature TO forego close examination OF the whole
gon Difficulties stated in the report OF the chief OF the
Bureau Of Navigation delayed the progress OF this sur
vey; nevertheless a location from Lake Nicaragua to
Brito on the Pacific coast found to be favorable
than any hitherto known.
These two expeditions will probably close the surveys
and explorations Of all the possible routes OF that part OF
the American Isthmus.
recommend, for the suggested that the ap-
preparations for these surveys be continued until every
practicable line has been surveyed and the whole sub
ect investigated the end that may have the com
pleto knowledge and exhaustive information without
which 1t Is impossible 10 settle finally and wisely this
great problem Of national development
THE NAVIGATOR ISLANDS.
Last February Commander Meade made in
the Narragansett extended cruise the islands
Of the South Pacific Ocean in the OF which he
visited the group known the Navigator or Samoan
Islands, which lies northeast Of Australia and almost
north Of NewZealand and consists OF nine islands the
largest which ia called Upou. These islands capa
BILE OF producing In abundance cotton sugar. and all the
ordinary tropical productions They inhabited by
fine muscular race, mostly Christianized, and OF a
higher order of intellect and cultivation than almost
any natives OF the Pacific Archipelago The island OF
Tutuia though by no means the largest IS the central
island and, passing the beautiful harbor OF Pago Pago
key OF the group. These islands lie directly in the
track Of commerce and steam navigation between the
west coast Of America and the Islands and semcont
nent OF East and the Bay OF Pago Pago, situated
about midway between Honolulu and Sydney, affords
only far the best and safest but absolutely the only
d-proected harbor among the islands Of the South
Pacific. Its position, in relation TO zealand Aus
tralia the Sandwich Islands the ports OF South Amer
ica and the Isthmus, and TO San Francisco makes IT
almost the necessary harbor for supplies coaling and
repairs for all the trade and travel westward TO Aus
tralia and Southern Polynesia, returning thence
shores OF America Its great advantages for
found Ia these conditions, and in the fact that t