National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-12-12
United States Navy.

| Thepsecretary OF the NAVY. IN his report 10
the President, saws there are now IN the navy
! ldb vessels. carrying, exclusive of hOWNy rs
2o9 gums. which Ia IA reduction since hi last
annual report, by sale and otherwise, OF ~
vessels. A general cnumet alton OF these yes
sells presents 63 steamers. other than iron
| clads aud tugs. carrying $40 guns 20 sailing
vessels, 322 guns; ~ irOn-"Iad vessels, l2l guns
and as tugs, used tor navy ward ana freight
purposes. or this number there are ~ present
| IN commission for sea service. distributed on
the several foreign stations and on our own
coast, % vessels carrying 407 guus
THE CRUISING OR ACTIVE FORCE
OF the navy. as they may be called, and which
Is controlled by the appropriation made aud
the seaman authorized by law, Is about the
same as last year. the places OF those vessels
which have been put out OF commission Within
the past twelve months from the expiration oi
the cruises or for other causes having been
supplied by commissioning and sending to sea
| u corresponding number of others The lis'
will show force sl ghtlyidecreased IN number
| by the sale OF some useless vessels, whicl
were, wDlle we retained them, only source
OF expense and It 10 some " hat weakened also
| IN strength by he condemnation and laying
| up OF several OF our white oak cruisers when
! have reached the limit of their cruising life
| and can be no longer used with safety on the
! seas. Many OF the ships now Oh the navy list
| aud which serve to swell the number TO the
| figures above gwen, are far from being such
rs are really needed, and their true condition,
| which has been often officially represented tU
Congress, can be fully understood and appre'
ciated by reference to the reports OF the
bureaus,
LIVE OAK CRUISING SHIPS.
In the meanwhile, however, we have teen
engaged In completely repairing six or our
live oak cruising ships, which are now III varl-
ous stages OF forwarduess at the several navy
yards. These are all OF moderate size, ana
none OF them sufficiently advanced to be of
present use; but they are adapted TO the
wants of our cruising navy and VIII In a few
months add materially To Its strength nnd
efficiency.
THE EIGHT sLooPs
OF war authorized by the last Congress are all
III process OF buildIng-one-half at the various
navy yards, three under contract IN private
yards aud the remaining one under private
contract in the navy yard at kittery. The
building OF these ships, with their engines and
machinery, Is progressing RAPIDLY, aud the
work, widely distr buted at more than dozen
naval stations and private establishments, is
contributing to the remuuerative employment
of several thousands OF Norkmen and To the
maintenance OF the very large number OF per
sons dependent upon their labor for support
and education. II Is not without gratfication
the Secretary Is able to report that. besides the
great value and Im portance fthls work To the
sefvlce, we have also been able so To utilize the
hberality OF Congress as to contribute materl-
ally to the business interests OF the country
ana To the support and comforts Of many pro-
ducing aud dependent people. The vauab e
work thus begun should not be discontinued.
hut the d. par tment should be provided with
Il moderate amount OF FUNDS and authorized
to cor'meuCe each year 10 build certain mum
Der OF tons 10 supply regularly the regular
yearly expenditure of naval force when Will
Of necessity occur.
The work OF putting
OUR IRoN-CLAD FORCE
In efficient condition -eferred to in the Secre-
tary's last report, has been proceeded with AS
fast as the means necessary for the eXtraord-
uaIy work could he spared from the current
Itg.t,a fhn Df ~.
The W lsdom Of this action needs no Illustration
from him at this time. without it we would
have been iett not only powerless TO assert our
own rights, but almost dcfenceless against ar
rogance or aggression. But the expenditure
required has crippled our working bureaus IN
their general work, aud it is necessary that
thus should be reimbursed TO then II they are
10 proceed steadily and efficiently.
THE STATIONS
have been unchanged during the year. ASH
established. they are designated as The
European, the Aslattc, the North Atlantic. the
South Atlantic, the North Pacific and the South
Pacific. over these, embracing the frequented
waters OF the glooe, are scattered cruising
force OF less than forty vessels which, by their
presence, are relied on to encourage our citl-
gems and. II required, TO protect them and Their
property in al lands 10 which, by their incll-
nation or interest, they are drawn,
The Secretary gives an account of the sever
al stations.
THE NAVY YARDS.
The Secretary says of the Navy Yards: Il
beg to renew the Recommendations made in
my annual reports OF former years in .efer
euct to our navy yards. and to urge that their
reso i Ct kmay be increased and developed to
meet iht emei gencies OF these wars TO which
even most peace-loving nations are liable.
and W Ll,.4 are best averted by readiness for
action Ia I'D they be thrust upon us. AT the
most of orr navy yards little could be don
during the past year beyond making the re-
pairs to keep them from falling TO decay.
AT MARE ISLAND.
our only naval establishments on the Pacific
The new dry dock and the iron working shop
ior construction are well in hand and will add
largely to Its resources. We have great ma val
interests on the Pacific. and | cannot too
strongly express the hope that Congress NAV
strengthen them by liberal appropriations to
develop this admirably placed arsenal.
ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR.
The estimates for the next fiscal year are
$40 ,235, and To this is added the sum OF
$S64 $50 for current repairs of bulldlugs. docks,
and incidental expenses IN the navy yards.
&c. These estimates are less than those OF
last year by rather more than $1,000 600, but
they DO not include any extraordinary expeudl-
ture for the permanent Improvement OF the
navy nor the amounts necessary either for the
repair of our IRON cl ad fleet nor for the con
tinued prosecution of some OF the great works
necessary to the proper condition of our naval
establishments.
THE VIRGISIUs DIFFICULTY
| nave felt IL 10 De my duty, unutT tut tNlnt-
ing circumstances, to take promptly every
means III my power to put our available force
in the best possible condition for Immediate
aud active service. All the power and means
of the department are now devoted to TINS end,
greatly aided at every point by the enthuslas-
tic activity of the officers of every grade of the
service. Difficult of accomplishment as our
purpose at first seemed, dlfficultleS. ana even
apparent 1mpossiDlities, are found to fade
away before determination ana organized ac-
tivIty, and the navy is already IN such con,
dItlon that those to whom our interests and
honor are entrusted may he relieved fIoia the
emba -rassments OF situation where Just de-
termination might be disregaFded because
thought to be powerless. or decent considera-
ton be mistaken for fear. It is neither neces-
sary nor proper that I should enter here INTO
details OF our preparations. Sutlce IL TO say
that a respectable force of war vessels an
monitors Is already on the sea and concen-
trating at the station nearest the scene OF our
possible difficulties; that our whole aNallaDlc
iron clad feet ls In hand, aud every war YES
sci that will float 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 II the necessity Tor
action should come before the time Tor u ar
rives, all there Is of the American Navy which
can be put afloat on the Atlantic Ocean VIII be
in condition and position TO take IT'S proper
part. INADEQUATE rs this force may be deemed
to the respODsbi bilitles and pTetentlons or
government like ours, and greatly at dlsad-
vantage, as we certainly will be. IN respect To
the number and character of our vessels IN "a
contest with the fleets OF any respectable naval
power, Ibeleve that the activity, skill, science
and experience Of our navy Will be found
equal to any difficulty which courage dare to
meet or energy Will avail to conquer They
are thoroughly mbued with the spirit, educa- !
ted In the details, and experienced In the war
like duties OF their profession, skilled IN the |
use of all the terrible weapons which science |
has provided for modern warfare. aud
o mind to meet any crisis without |
shrinking from danger. Thus pre- |
pared and in this spirit, they are |
READY TO MEET AMY OF THEIR coUNTRY's AID |
vERsARIEs