Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-12-11
THE NAVY.

The Secretary Of the Navy, in his report to
the President says there are now in the navy
los vessels, carrying, exclusive of howitzers,
/ 1869 guns, reduction since his last annual
report, by sale and otherwise. of thirteen
vessels.
A general enumeration of these vessels
presents GO steamers other than iron-clads
and tugs, carving 826 guns !; 20 sailing YES
sells, with 332 guns As iron clad vessels,
with 12l guns and % tugs used for navy
yard and freight purposes. OF this number,
there are ak present In commission for sea
service, distributed on the several foreign
stations, and on our own coast IS vessels,
carrying 407 guns. The cruising or active
force of the navy, as they may be called, and
which Is controlled by the appropriations made
and the sesmen authorized by law, is about
the same as last year.
Six of our live-oak cruising ships are now in
various stages of forwardness at the several
navy yards. These are all of moderate size,
and none of them sufficiently advanced to be
OF present use, but they are adapted to the
wants of of our cruising navy, and will, in a
few weeks, add materially to its strength and
efficiency. The eight sloops of war author
lied by the last Congress are all in process of
building The valuable work thus begun
should not be discontinued, but the Depart
ment should be provided with a moderate
amount Of funds and authorized to commence
each year TO build certain number of tons,
10 supply regularly the regular yearly expen-
diture of the naval force, which will of neces-
slty. occur. The work of putting our IRON
clad force in efficient condition. referred to in
the Secretarys last report, has been proceed
| ed with as fast as the means necessary for the
extraordinary work could be spared frvm the
current appropriations for the support Of the
| navy. The wisdom of this action needs no
illustration from him at this time. Without it
We should have been left not only powerless
to assert our own rights, but almost defence
less against arrogance or aggression.
the Secretary says the naval force on the
North Atlantic Station was reduced in the
spring aud summer by ordering north as a
| necessity some of the vessels which were
much in need Of repairs, and whose crews
needed change, having been long in the
tropics.
The expedition for the survey ot the Darien
and Inter-Oceanic Canal has completed Its
duties and submitted its reports.
The Secretary, in speaking of the Polaris,
says her cruise has been decidedly the most
successful of Arctic expeditions. The geo.
| graphical knowledge of the Arctic regions
has been largely advanced by it. A very par
ticular questioning of every one of the officers
| and creT of the Polaris. and of the scientific
corrs, except the three persons yet unexam-
med, has completely satisfied his associates
| and himself that Capt. Halls death occurred
| from purely natural causes: that his medical
| and that he was tenderly nursed and cared fer
| to the last.
The evidence has also made il manifest that
| Capt. Hall was ALWAYS faithful to the trust re-
| posed ID him in assigning him to the command
of the expedition that he was kind, firm,
and humane in the exercise of his authority :
that he was earnest in his desire and in his
attempts to reach high northern latitude,
| and II practicable. the Pole itself and that
his untimely death was an irreparable loss to
the expedition. 1t is also apparent that Capt.
Buddington, who succeeded to the chief COM
mand on the deatL of Capt Hall, proved him.
self to be good seaman, and that in all dam
gerous positions in which the Polaris was
placed his conduct as the commander was
skillful and judicious-the natural result of
long experience at sea and in command in
northern ATTITUDES.
| The Secretary renews the recommendation
that the forces in our navy yards be increased
and developed so that we may be prepared for
all emergencies that the old navy ward at
Philadelphia be abandoned, and new buildings
erected at League Island that the New York
yard be preserved in its present site, and that
the Pensacola yard be. liz q measure, rebuilt.
The Secretary earnestly recommends that
ample provisions be made fer the support of
the Ordnance Bureau, in order that nothing
may interfere with the efforts to supply our
ships with the most powerful guns.
! The estimates for the next fiscal year are
S19. 252, 235, and to this is added the sun of
| 1866, $50 for the current repairs of buildings,
docks, and incidental expenses in the navy
yards, etc. These estimates are less than
those of last year by rather more than g, 600,
| 600, but they do not include any ex Extraordinary
expenditure for the permanent improvement
| of the navy, nor amounts necessary for the
repairs of our iron-clad fleet, nor for the con
tinued prosecution of some OF the great works
necessary to proper condition of our naval
| establishment.
Since the commencement of the present
month events have taken place which make
it proper that the navy should be put AT once
| upon footing for active service. 1t is by no
| means the province of this Department, as
| such, to take part in the conduct or discus
sion of any diplomatic question, nor should
Its attitude, at time when serious interna-
tional difficulties are possible, be held to in
dicate anything more than determination
| on the part OF a military department of
the Government to be prepared for &C
ton should The necessity for action arise. A
respectable force of war vessels and mont
tors is already on the sea and concentrating
at the stations nearest the scene of our pos
sibie difficulties. Our whole available lron-
clad fleet is on hand, and every wooden wal
vessel that will feat ia in active preparation
| at the various naval stations. These will be
ready for sea, fully fitted, as fast as proper
crews can be provided for them, and. if the
necessity Tor action should come before the
time for it arrives, all there is Of the Ameri-
can navy which can be put afoat on the At
lantic Ocean, will be in condition and position
to take its proper part.
Inadequate" says the Secretary, "as this
force may be deemed to the responsibilities
and pretensions of Government like ours,
and greatly at disadvantage, as we certainly
shall be in respect to the number and charac-
ter of our vessels in contest with the fleets
OF any respectable naval power, believe
tn the activity, skill, science, and expert
ence of our navy will be found equal to any
difficulty which courage dare to meet OF
energy viii avail to conquer"
The Secretary concludes as follows: s. In
taking the action above referred to, the Navy
Department has already incurred considerable
expense, and has been forced to assume re-
sponsibilities unusual in times of peace; but,
convinced ofthe wisdom of prompt and deci.
ded action, 1 have not shrunk from those re-
sponsSbiiities, nor hesitated, with the ap.
prevail of the President, to make warlike
preparations in the interests of peace and hui
maDity. confidently rely for support IN
this attitude upon the patriotism and good
sense OF the American people and their rep
reseptatives, who cannot fail to remember
that our naval condition is the resnlt OF
causes which have been constantly pressed
upon their consideration, but which have
failed to receive full attention. doubt