Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-11-21
HEAVY ARMOR AND BIG GUNS.

Secretary RebesOn's Ideas About Thcm.
The Nnvies of the Future.
From the Forthcoming Report of the Secretary
of the Navy.
Your attention is again respectfully
and earnestly called to the importance
of building more vessels of medium size.
that the proper number of vessels may
be kept in our squadrons on foreign sta.
tons. New and improved vessels are
required to take the place of those worn
out. The protection of our commerce
and our citizens abroad and the main
tenance of our friendly relations with
other nations require more vessels.
As it is not probable that our navy
will ever engage foreign foe in line of
battle in mid-ocean, it will not be the
interest of our Government to follow too
closely the policy of other nations in
building large and costly iron clad
vessels of war; neither is it advisable to
follow the exact form of vessels armor-
built, or the ideas of persons of doubt
full authority in naval architecture; but
with well-established general principles
we should strike for an advance in the
mechanical parts and take the lead in
a new type of vessels, as has been done
in times past, keeping in view the all
| important points of speed under steam,
handiness, heavy and effective battery
and steady platform, the indispensable
qualities of good lighting ship.
| The salvation of our country does not
depend upon having the largest and
most powerful navy in the world, for
our geographical position or natural re-
sources does not require it. We are not
located within a short and easy sail of
any powerful nation, and we have with
in our own territory abundant supplies
OF food and clothing, with the luxuries
OF life OF our people, consequently we
can live within ourselves. But having
commercial and social relations abroad,
we are morally bound to protect them.
| While England is expanding enor-
nous sums of money in building large
and powerful iron -clads for the purpose
| of maintaining the supremacy of the
high seas, which seems to be her only
protection to life as a nation, we have
not SO much as collected the materials
for building one for a number of years
past. Until circumstances change, we
can allow other nations to experiment
at great cost in building these large
iron-armed vessels, and fully investigate
the subject of iron-clads versus artillery,
SO as to determine which have the adj
vantage, before we need to spend money
in the matter ourselves. The discussion
of the subject by scientific and able
gentlemen, some of whom recommend
that no more iron-armed vessels be built
in the future, for the reason that ord
nance can be made which will penetrate
any thickness of plate that can be float
ed, while others of great authority
maintain with more truth that vessels
can be designed which will carry armor
of much greater thickness than has eve1
been penetrated, has shown that we
have not lost much by delay in buil ding
Liron -clads, and also that most of those
already built are of very little service tc
any nation against more modern
navy.
Another very important implement
of naval warfare is attracting the atten
ton of naval architects and scientific
gentlemen of high authority, viz. tn,
: subaqueous torpedo. Experiments seem
to warrant the belief that the torpedo
, is to become terrible engine of nava
warfare in the future, aud much ha
been given to the subject of warding of
attacks with this powerful means. Tha
topedo can be put under vessel o
less speed than torpedo boat and there
. exploded admits of little doubt, as the
mechanical genius of our country ha
so far progressed in the propulsion ano
, command over the torpedo rs to war
rant its success and when the fact
established beyond doubt, and thu
D terrible effect becomes well known, tn
question OF building iron-clads for Sc
service will be easily solved.
But whether the torpedo is or is not
t successful agent does not affect the al
e important subject of building cruisin
4 vessels, so much needed for the navy c
$ this country. The class of vessels want
d ed most are those of medium size, col
r vettes, with full steam power, carryin
e batteries of from eight to twelve gun
l each, of large caliber, and having all tn
i modern improvements. The stear
n power should be sufficient to propel tn
IS vessel, under favorable circumstances
= at the rate of fifteen knots an hou
compromising, if necessary, in the nun
Der of guns, sail power and other mino
q points of less consequence for speet
IS Speed under steam, handiness and
II powerful battery are the importar
u fighting properties Of a successful nav,
IL marine.
~ Growth of Trees.