, 1873-12-01
What Secretary Robeson Reports
Concerning the Navy.
The United States Inferior to ANY
Respectable Naval Power.
Naval Preparations and Expenditures
for the War with Spain.


Results Of the PolariB Expedition---The
Death Of Capt. Hall.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 90.-Iho Secretary Of tho
Navy, In his report to the President, eays thcro
aro now in tho navy LOG vosaols, carrying exolu-
sive Of hoSitzers, 1,2o3 guns. q reduction sinco
hs last annual report, by nalc and otherwise. Of
thirteen voBsclB.
GENERAL ENUMERATION
OF these vessels prehontH G3 steanora other than
iron~cads aud tugs carrying s2o guns; 20 sail
ing vcsselg, With 322 guns Is iron-clad vebaola,
with 12l guns and 25 tugs used for nayy-yard
md freight purposes. Or this number, there
nro
At PRESENT IN comaussioH
for aea service, distributed on tho several for
oign stations and On our own coast forty.eix yea-
sells, carrying 407 guns. The cruising or active
force to, q; Ct tho nayy, ~ they may 10 ealled. and
aud tho scamon authorized by law, is about the
game a8 last year.
VESSELS ON THE srooKB.
Blk OF our lvo-oak c. iuiaing ships aro now in
various Btngcs of forwartnoBs at tho several
Navy~Yards. There aro nil Of moderate aizc, and
n0ne of tilom sufficiently advanced to bo OF proB-
ont use, but they arc adaptel to tho wants OF
our cruising navy, aud will, in a fow woekB, atd
materially to its strength and ealoiouoJ. The
cight Bloors OF war authorized by tho Inst
ConyrosB nre ail IN process Of building. The
valuable work thuA begun ahonld not be discon-
tinued, but tho Department should bo provided
with moderate ntnount of funds and authorized
Of tons, to supply regularly tho rogniar yearly
expenditure Of tho naval force, which will Of
necessity occur. Tho work Of putting
OUR 1noN-cLAD FORCE
7$n &oj+
last report, Inns been proceeded with aa fast "a
tho menus ,1eceBaary for tho extraordinary work
could 10 spared from the current appropriations
for tho support OF the navy. Tho wisdom Of
this action needs no illustration from Him ut
this time. Without 1t wo would hayo been loft
not only poWerlcss to assert our own rights, but
almost defensoloss against arrogance or ag-
grossiou.
CONDITION OF THE srAr1oNs AND DErA1Ls. =.
The Secretary uays the. naval force on tllo
North Atlantic Station tTas reduced IN tho
spring md summer by ordering north as
necessity some Of tho vessels which were much
chn1,go, having, boon long III the tropice.
THO expedition for tho survey Of tho Daren
and Inter-Oceanio Canal has completed its duties
aud submitted its reports.
THE pOLAnI9.
Tho Secretary, in speaking Of tho po1nris,
1 sayb her cruise has boon decidedly tho most suc.
cessful OF Artio expeditions. Tho geographical
knowodge Of the Artio regions has bocn largely
| nuFaAcou py H. IL soiy Patticul"l luesslouihe
Of tho polarla and Of tic aoloptiho
corps, except tho three porsons yot
unoxamncd, haa completely satisfied hls 1880
rod from pllroly natural cansos; that his medi-
cal troat,nont wau judiciuusly adapted to hA
case, and that ho was toudcrly nursed ind oalod
| for to tie last.
Capt. Hall WAS always faithful to tie trust re-
| poncd in h,ln III assigning him to tue command
or the expedition; that he was kind, firm, and
humane III the exercise Of his authority; that
to reach high northern latitudo. md, il prac-
untimely doath vas m irroparable
loss to tho exposition. 1t is also apparent that
command on the death Of Cupt. He'll, proved
| himself to bo q good seaman, aud that In I'LL
dangerous positions in which the Polaris was
placed hH conduct as tho commander WAS SKILL
ful and 5udicious-the natural result OF long OK
pesionoo at sea and IN command in Northern lat
| itudeH. :.
RECOMMENDATIONS or THE SECRETARY.
Tho Secretary renows tho accommodation
that the forcosin our nayy-yards bo increased aud
on,ergcnces; that tho old nayy-yard at Phila
| delphia bc abandoned, md neW buildings erected
at toaguo Mand that the New York yard bo
preserved in it's present site, and that tue Pom
Haeola yard be, in measure, rebuilt.
amplo provision DO made for tho support Of tho
Ordnance Bureau, In order that nothing may in
terfere with tho efforts to supply our ships With
tho most powerful guns.
Tho estimates
| FOH THE NEXT F1aoAL YEAR
are st9, ,235, and to this il added the sum Of
G2G1, $50 for tho current repairs Of buildings,
docks and incidental expenses in the navy yards,
cto Those eptimatea are loss than those Of lust
year by rather more than $2,000.000, but they do
not include any extraordinary expenditure for
tho permanent improvement of tho navy, nor
amounts necessary for the repairs Of our IRON
eomo Of tho great works necessary to proper
condition OF our naval establishment.
REFERENCE TO THE YIA0INIus MATTER.
Since tho commencement OF the present month
events hnyo takon placo which mako it propt1
that tho navy should bo put at once upon foot
lug for active service. It IL by no meauB the
province OF this Department, as such, to take
part In the conduct or discussion Of any dlplo.
when serious international difficulties arc poBsi-
BILE, bo held to indicate anything more than q do
termination Oh tho part OF a military depart
1nont Of tho Government to DO prepared for &C.
respectable forco OF war-vossela aud moni'
! tors ia already OH tho Ben and concentrating
at tho stations noareat tho Bcone Of oul
possible difficulties. Our whole available iron
sci that will float Is In active preparation ct tl1t
various naval stations. These will DO ready fol
sea, fully flttod, al fast aa proper crews can bE
provided for them, and, II tho .snocessity for 40
ton should como before tho tino for It arrives
ali there is Of tho American navy which can b
put aAoat OH tho Atlantic Ocean will be In condl
tion and position to tako its proper part;
"1nadequato," ehya tho Secretary. "as thi.
forco may DO tloemcd to tho responsibilities aud
protonsions Of Government like ours, ant
greatly at disadvantage, aa We certainly ahal
10 in respect to tho nunlhor aud character Of ou1
yoasels in contest with the teets Of my re-
speotablo naval power, belloyo that tho activity
. sklll, aclenco, aud experience OF our navy vii
bo found equal to any difficulty which courage
dare to meet or energy will avail to conquer"
TIE SECRETARY CONCLUDES
an follows: " In taking tho action above rofer
rcd to, tho Navy Department haa already incurred
considerable e1roMse, and has boon forood t
ASSUME responsibilities unusual in tImos o.
peace; but, convinced Of tile wisdom Of pro1np
and decided action, I have not nl1runk fro'r
thoHo responsibiltioH, nor lesitated, with TIL
approval Of tho President. to make warlike prop
| sratinDn III the iptnreatH Of reAQ0 aud humanity