The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-08

Startling Exhibit of the worthlesmess Of Our
National Vessels.

To the EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
So much mas been written anu SO much said by
high political authorities 10 the immense neet OF
this country, and so much also has been said and
zone by winch the people OF the country as large
are terriply # not wilully deceived that II has be-
come patriotic duty Tor those who caa TO nut iortn
the truth in all It's aisagreeaDle and humaling na-
kedness.
We do not care one jot title about the sublime
talk which hear from Washington.
The navy Register" II anaiyzed oY any one who
knows It's meaning, is pretty faithful BOOK. We
think 1t advisable Tor Con. and for the country
to look II soon as possible, provided It Is
not done with Wow 10 sei'-deceptlon and giorih-
cation.
In the List Of Vessels ~ then, for 'Register' OF
July, 1S7l let us anaiyze.
FIRST RATES.
or tins twelve there Is not one llner-nothing
heavier than q wooden lrgate. Out OF the twelve
there available and 1t TOR duty, three or four
OF which, saws official authority, will he entirely
rotted at the expiration OF their present service
There are TOUR Tie stocks. half built oil green
TIMBER rotting fast. and not M for or worth ne re-
buildrhg.
Two ire SAID TO be repairing, but work Is sus-
p ended and they are fast rOttlng also. These two
vessels could be saved yet II put under repairs.
They belong the Old navy ana the Dest vessels
We have IN the government possession.
That Is record OF the United States first rates,
or rotten frigates. as we don't 60 higher. No sea-
gong IRON clad figures here at ALI
Next the list second rates. There are re.
ported to be dlleen Of THESE or these fifteen i've
only are available. Five 'inordinary," which
means laid away to rot, as inexpensiyely and as
secretly possible These are mostly unit even to
repair.
Four are repairing. and they are good craft
One Is unfit to cruise, and SO put into special SER
vice 10 count large before the world.
These second rate vessels cOrvettes, or what
are called sIoops ofwar OF tho first class; ana we
may count on nine OF them, PROVIDED some money
is expended on them. aud they may be saved from
total loss to the nation.
That Is a grand show for the United States, with
two thousand miles and upwards of seacoast But
our commerce is small now, 1t Is true or this lisr
nine eau be repaired and made good Tor service.
Next the third rates. We are
now figuring on pretty small craft and one would
expect to count them by hundreds. TINS class OF
vessel Is composed OF gunbOats o, the larger size.
They carry three or tour guns only. Navy Reyiser'
says we have twelve.
Twelve first Class gunboats. Eight OF the twelve
are In service IN toeraOly good ORDER Four are In
ordinary, gong to swift decay aud will soon be not
worm repairs.
We come now to fourth rates, regular gunboats.
We have registered oil this class eleven. or this
number seven are avaable and can yet be put into
cruising and lighting order. The balance Of four
are IN the same economical condition 0r rottlng as
all the other unavailable property o this Sind 49,
Quite lately one OF this class, the IrOquois, was
regularly fitted out commissioned In the most
economical manner or course), for service In the
East Indies. china and Japan. But for want OF
others this vessel was put into Vice Admiral
Rowan's reception fleet, and while she was
cruising about Sandy Hook aud IN tne
Horseshoe awaiting 70 do honor TO the
In line up TO the Battery that morning me
reception. and broke down-bolers utterly worth
less Then sne was put out OIL comm sioa--of
hcers, crew. Sores equipments all land up again
and aole engineers 40 say that the Iroqu0ls' Doil
ers are not worth The expense OF pai CHING them
upl Her null and o'her outfits are In good orler
aud We will allow her 70 figure among the none
aeence aud commercial protect,on in CHINA, Uorea
ana me far East-say inree months hence. 80 much
Tor the q even iOurtn rates.
The fifth rates next. There are nineteen of
these, 1t Is slated. 1t Is the FUNNIEST arithmetic
anybody ever saw. We Invite the people 70 ,OoK at
the Navy Re1ister' aud see.
Douole-enaers, old sailing sIoOps-of-war, advice
boats. me Wasp Of one gun-a SIX FOUNDER, prob
ably. or sOmesilnk less-are In TINS list Tneie are
however, eight smaller class gunDoats, OF two guns
OF small Galore. III this list, ana they really com.
PRISE all lis wortl. Nine are ing vessels and
hdks The, are absolutely wOrshie IS and FOOLISH
used or made avaiIaple Two are, no DOUBT,
be- ond sal aton-rJJ.ing down.
IL Is quite enough TO make honest man indg.
nant u have tn list OF nineteen nth meE-Ul.
war paraded Deore the world part the national
defence. sad that they re- resent force
Oh Ia guns, anu the country 9riveiy told mat
these IA guas are ea ~ rvlng IN INC capacity Of
national de ence. And many o. them cannot be |
moved from New York to the anchorage or any
city, and never should be.
llien follows curious array Of tweny.Dine yes:
seis-"receving," '.practlce" and supply vessels.n
Everybody knows we need supply snips ana use q |
new nnx nrnks snps but 10 pa. al these roea
!rigates and liners as competent part or the |
Unteu states Navy, representing some three nun
Y a
There are vessels IN TINS list when were pro-
nounced Officially as unit even Tor repairs i've
years ago. Among others Is a itue-Of-uattle snip
called tile New orleans on the stocks At SaCKetLs |
HaIDor state Of New YORK. InIs vessel l.iI on
hnisned AMI yes sne figures officially as part oil the
United state Navy, Comprising some two thousand
eight hundred tons OF It's aggregate. Not one VI
these twenty mine vessels cOuu under any circum-
stances, be brought INTO acfion.
Inerc are Chirty tcg5 wnlCn ngure as part OF the
navy. IL Is won Ter nat the tnouIht Occasioned
by the atteup TO pam OF thirty tugs AS pat OF
the round numbers 0i vessels 0 the United STATES
navy don't make the Ink turn pale az II Is written
down. Deduct thirty vessels more rom tne list OF
UnI ed states ship 10. war and see whaG reuain5.
As commend on the tug list recently tue De.
partmenf Tor want OF q gunboat that was sound |
one from me Boston Navy Yard a. a man. OF. war,
ana sent ner 70 emma as part OF tue AsaIlc beet OF
boston, at the Azores. GIbralar through the Meai.
terranean, suez canal, India laughed long and |
pore at last; and the northeast trades monsoons,
having SET IN. tne "a liant te craft couldn't get up
to the feet at Hong kong. and the captain ~ OF ner
In MS zeal and impatiencs II Is said, took an Eng
llsh mali steamer and vent up 60 the flagship with.
out ner rue writer had this story REPEALED 10 him |
by Lady traveller mol long snce. Gallant little
PalOs
Lastly, we come to the formidable list Of aftyone
tron.ciads IL j. gran0 enough aud large enough 10
looS wO Engdnds, three SPANS aud specie pay
ment5 IN the lace all at once.
One VI these iron-cals, the Terror, Is duty In
CuDa II names Could only protect tne national In
terest5 In Havana santiago AID VIA. anIa3 We
would TO q lucky people, Tor tney do not cost much
money.
-Four are on the stocks unfinished, and roofing,
and rustlng-Oy Tar the oest Tour oil the lis, too
one 10 at the Naval Academy III SCHOOL use-a
goou use TOO.
EortY.lM0 ..are lad up,-..In ordinary We take