The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-29

moval of the duties on lea and sugar for the
| poor we observe Mr.. Gladstone, with oonsum-
mate skill. throw his magic net over the heads
of all sections and all parties For once the
rich millionaire in his palace and the poor
seamstress in her garnet will be united by a
bond of common Interest, and will unite in
the cry of "Avs Glodstoms r.
Tho United states Nevy-Oar Letter
from Key West.
The pitiabie condition Of our navy is fully
and intelligently described In another part of
the HERALD by our correspondent who re-
Gently made the passage from Moe to Key
West on board the United States steamer
Wabash. During forty days life in the
wardroom he clearly asoertained the oondi-
ton Of the navy, and he has faithfully
described it Writing Of the administra-
ton of navy yards he says:-'T the
officer in charge discovers any Of them
Civilian employ6s) misappropriating naval
stores. as is often the case, and expresses his
sentiments on the matter. congressman put
their heads together and he is sent on three
L
rights of constituent Congressional wosxgks
are maintained" Precisely. Officers who
entered the navy ct the Academy,
who have undergone severe course
Of discipline and training, who have
served in many tempestuous seas, are
punished ''by the letter Of the regula-
tions" that ID, by being ordered out of sight
and out of mind. The remedy for these
abuses we have frequently pointed out -legis-
lation which will place the navy beyond the
corruptng and degrading influence of politics,
and confer it's executive management upon
officers who have illustrated its history by
deeds of valor and professional works now
, used for the instruction of the midshipmen
about beginning naval career. It is dis
couraging to old and cultivated officers who
have toiled for the efficiency of the navy to
find the labors Of lifetime undone by a
Secretary who consults the political demands
of his constituency alone. and who. probably
without any other than honorable motives,
is compelled from his personal and political
alliances, to push the navy into that decay and
rottenness which will leave us ultimately with
out police or prestige on the sea. Congress,
the reservoir of pap" may be equally pow
erless; but it was not 50 in the ante Credit
Mobilier days We find that body to-day de-
| handing economy, and it proposes to econo-
mize with the Marine Corps Every officer
knows, as every legislator ought to know, that
the Marine Corps, instead of being dimin-
:.LoJ cLo,,ld 10 ;ooroo oo1 oDd rordorod ,,,o.o
efficient Marines on board ship are what the
metropolitan policemen are to New York.
They sustain the normal organization; they
prevent violence, desertion and dangerous in
subordination /; and hence that esprit du corps
which makes them indispensable to strict
and wholesome discipline. We have not OBJ
served that Congress has done anything as
yet to improve the condition of the navy.
What should it do? In-the words of dis
tinguished naval officer, cit should pro-
vide iron-clads or ses-going monitors,
and even if we do not put them afoat the
frames should be constructed and everything
prepared, ready to be put together in time OF
great emergency. A powerful squadron
should and hope will, be maintained in the
West Indies. A proper naval force there be-
fore would have prevented the virginius
affair, which has cost, in modest figures, five
million dollars" Let the Navy Department,
then, be reorganized as the beginning OF
reform, and let the eight bureaus now repre-
senting eight different navy departments be
placed under the control of a professional
| Admiralty.
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER SCHEME. print
this morning an abstract of the memorial OF
the St Louis Chamber of Commerce to Con-
gress, ostensibly discussing the eastward grain
movement, but, in reality, covering demand
for sixteen million dollars for improvements
in the channel of the Mississippi River 1t is
at once an effort to divert the traffic of the
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