Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1874-12-10
she Navy.

SHIPS ASD MEN IN THE sEReluE-oLD AND SEW
VESSELS.
In his annual report, Secretary Robson has
presented some facts relative to the condition Of
our navy which are Of general interest. One
year ago the navy consisted OF 1876 vessels, Of ali
class es, armed with 1863 guns, exclusive Of how
itzera. Since that time there have been added
to it eight new steam sloops two torpedo yes
sells and one despatch boat, aud it has been d-
unfinished by the sale OF two wooden and eleven
light draft iron vessels, leaving, as the present
number, l63 vesaelH, with 1854 guns, the arms-
menr having been slightly increased by the in.
crease in the number u guns on the new ships.
| Ot tAls whole number twenty-sx have sail
power only, and of these four are to be placed at
| the disposal OF State and local authorities az
| School or framing ships Under the direction
OF the act of Congress providing for such dispo-
sition Seven are in use only n receiving ships,
two are old line of battle ships, which have been
ON tile stocks for many years, and eight arc OF
old typo and in bad condition, and can be used
only for barracks or stationary pchoo ships,
leaving five which can be put TO practical Use AZ
sea as stortships transports or surveying ves-
| sells.
Our steam navy CONSISTS Of 1877 vessels Of all
| cltss es and in every condition. or this number
| % are tugs, used, with one or two exceptions,
! for yard purposes 81 armored vessels, and
2 are torpedo boats, leaving 10 steam vessels
| o' " Clhsh hGaiLeu IOr Cruising. These
arc classified at present as follows :--First-rats.
five vessels, 1888 guns, 10, 1863 tons secohd-rste,
81 vessels, $40 guns 81, 1928 tons trtl.rate 81
vessels. 1888 guns 1886 tons fourth rate, six
vessels, q guns 1888 tone, making a total OF rs
vessels. 9D2 guns, including howitzers, and a..
| $50 tons,
| The report says Of the iron-clad Or armored
! vessels. sixteen are OF class and in condition
| for actual and efficient service, fonr Others of
the class Of powerful double -tuireted monitors,
are actually on hand undergoing repairs, and
the nth il well worth the same attention, but
the remainder may be counted as really useless
for any active or efficient purpose. -Four OF the
largest of them, designed and commenced dur
ing the war, have never been launched. and con-
sist i'll fact only of their wooden frames still on
the Stocks and their incomplete plating and
machinery stored at the navy yards, and, though
their names and designed dimensions appear OH
the navy list aud the remaining twelve OF the
class, known ss light-draught monitors, not able
to carry their tlrrets, guns and munitions OF
war. are valuable only 40 old material.
Oi the seventy-t.iree steam cruising vessels,
five OF over two thousand tons each have ro-
NAMED on the stocks since the war, never hay-
ing been launched, and not estimated to be worth,
Tor war purposes. tho cost of completion. Seven
are condemned and laid up in ordinary as unfit
for further use, three others with condemned
machinery, and fOrtv-onc are in commission for
various duties. or the remaining seventeen
upon which we must rely to take the place of
tho cruising Vessels, as they return home aud TO
put ont OF commission. two are laid up ready for
service, seven are repairing at tho various navy
yards and eight are building under special a,,-
propliavious OF Congress. Thus it will he seen
that one-hali OF the steamer navy adapted to
cruising Is In commission and in actual service.