The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-02
MONDAY EvE'G, DECEMBER 2, 1877;
oue NAVAL ARMAMENT.

We do not believe in keeping up q costly
naval armament and o large standing army
in time of peace. The history of the
country conclusively shows the folly of such
course. All large expenditures for the
better equipment Of the army and to render
our naval service more thorough and COM
plete, have been just so much money
thrown away on appropriations for times of
peace, And the history Of the past
will not escape yerification in the
history of the future, in this respect.
A recent inquiry into the affairs of our
navy has disclosed the fact that not more
than ten of the fifty iron-clads which were
designed to render our navy so formidable
in war, can be made useful for naval pur-
poses at the present time. Four-ffths of
this useless trash for such experience has
shown it to be) is now to be sold on the
recommendation Of the naval department,
including batch of light-draft monitors,
completed after the termination of the war,
and which have never fired q gun or done
any service to recompense for the sixteen
millions or more thrown away upon them.
We recolect very well that one of the
main arguments advanced for the purchase
Of League Island as naval station, was
that our iron.clad feet could DO laid up
in fresh water, where it would suffer no
deterioration IN long series of inactive
years. How comes it, then, that SO many
of these scrviceable vessels have become
utterly valueless for the purpose of war?
We answer for the same reason that the
construction of the Merrimack and our
own monitors rendered nineteen-twentieths
of the naval ornaments Of the world
practically useless. after the naval engage
ment at Hampto Roads.
We do not know that the report Of the
honorable Secretary of the Navy has been
correctly foreshadowed by the dispatches
which have found their way to the New
York press, but we do know that 0
more useless expenditure of money cannot
be made than to put millions of the public
treasure into an iron-clad fleet, in advance o.
any existing necessity for its use. The in
yentive genius of the age and Of our people
is such that no permanent investment o.
the kind is practicable or even desirable. Th'
American mind improvises on the principle
that necessity is the mother Of inven
tion," and when our 'seat war comes w
shall be thrown, as in our last, upon TIL
inventive resources of our people for extri
cation from the difficulties that shall sur
round us.
Our Navy, as well as our Army, shout
be cut down to the lowest possible margi
of expenditure. A Republic is never mad
strong by standing armies or by wide
spread naval fleets. They do not tend
inspire patriotism in the hearts Of th
people, or bring out that love ofcountr
which makes evsry mans breast wall {
fire against an invading foe.
The Federal administration, which show
its reliance upon the patriotism and virru
Of the people, and does not look fc
strength in expensive standing armie
and costly npyal ornaments, will be-
commend itself TO tho American pGbiic, s
long as il is sagacons enough 10 inquiI
into the cost of yon,clads which are sold {
The end Of every ten years or less as utte,
" useless for naval purposes.