The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-02-21

The NAVY, PAST AND PREsESr.-In
connection with the debate on naval af-
fairs which has lately taken place in the
House OF Representatives, the New York
Commercial Adreriser publishes care
iully prepared statement of the condi-
ton Of the vessels of war in the Brook
lyn navy yard, which may be usefully
noted. The Secretary of the Navy re-
ported, under date of November 25,
that very large proportion of the yes
sells laid up In ordinary, including al
most all those built of unseasoned white
oak, we're not only unfit for use, but
could not be repaired with advantage,
and the statements concerning the Co
lossus show that this criticism also ap-
plies to ono Of the most expensive naval
craft which was ever put upon the stocks
in this country. This vessel was in
tended to be formidable double.tur-
reted monitor ram; she was begun dur
ing the war, and the aggregate sum ex-
pended upon her was 81 l,O00,0OO; but
she has been suffered to lie high and dry
on the ways ut the brooklyn navy yard
until her timbers have begun to crum-
BILE. During the past week this ship has
been examined, with the view of fitting
her for service, but her timbers, rotten
to the depth Of two or three inches, are
now too weak to bear the weight of iron.
plating, and the slip and the million of
money which she has already cost nre
alike useless Two second class war YES
sells. also on the stocks Mt the same yard,
are gradually rotting. The cost OF these
two ships mas already amounted to
l,OOO, ,0OO, or about $500, 900 each
These are hard facts, fully justifying the
comment OF the Secretary oi the Navy,
ana others might readily be cited. The
Commercial has also the following para
graph:
things have changed since. in 1914, II
certain Cockburn issued orders to the
fleet he commanded to destroy and lay
waste MI towns and districts Of the
United States found accessible to the at.
tncks OF tho British armaments' Alas.
1t is only too true things have changed
since then. If we only possessed such n
navy as we had at that time, how sassy
we could afford to be.
The Commercial, of course, refers here
to the personnel of tho navy. When the
war OF 1872 commenced tho American
navy consisted of the President, the
United States and the Constitution, fri
SneoS VI eue uISt ClnSS, the congress,
Constellation AMI Chesapeake, 0! the
second; the Essex and Adams of the
third; the Boston and New York, and q
few sloops, brigs and schooners Of war.
But though the ships were few, there
were no better officers and seamen in the
world, and hearing rumor that the Go
vernment, in view Of the immense naval
force Of Great Britain, had determined
to lay them up in port, they escaped to
sea as soon rs war was declared, in de-
tachments, almost without plan, concert
or orders. Thus it was that the sir
built ships, as tho British contemptu-
ously designated them, with the striped
bunting" waving nloft, began the most
wonderful succession of naval victories
over the ships and fleets of England
which had ever been won over that or
any other great maritime power. No
doubt we have still brave and cnterpris-
ing officers, but the material seems, from
some cause or other, to have left us nj
most rs few cruising vessels rs We Lad
nearly sixty years ago.
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Now York scotsman advertises ), 600
| 7 II