The daily gazette., 1875-01-28
From the New York World.
Mr.. ROLesOns Ndry.

Mr.. O'Neill, the Navy-Yard Con-
gresham from Philadelphia, recently
said in reply to Mr.. Creamer's charges
of imbecility, corruption and fraud in
the Navy Department that "the gen
"tlemen from New York has referred
Sin harsh terms to the Secretary OF
'0annot make specific charge against
that officer. That officer has fulfilled
''his duty on every occasion since he
'has been at the head Of the depart
"ment" We do not know precisely
what Mr.. O'Ncill would understand 10
be Specific charges" but in the light
of the facts it is quite certain that
Secretary Robeson must choose be-
tween the charge of imbecility or of
fraud in the general management OF
| his department and the disbursement
of the money appropriated to him by
Congress. For the last fiscal year that
appropriation amounted to 100000
600. For tho fifteen months proceed
ing the first of last October there
were $39, ,000, 900 expended under the
direction of the Secretary of the Navy.
| What does the country get for this?
We have thirty-four vessels in com
mission, six sloops-of-war building,
$500 enlisted men in the service. This
signifies an expenditure of about ST.
900, 900 per annum for each vessel
af1oat, or s., 800 for each man In the
service. The naval expenditures Of
Great Britain are in the neighborhood
of $42, ,000, 900, including half-pay and
retired list, but excluding pensions
For this sum Great Britain maintains
a force of over 81 900 men, has goo
vessels constantly in commission, and
builds annually from twenty to thirty
tirst-class vessels, one-third of them
armor-platcd. Her vessels in commits
sion average an annual cost of $780,
600 each, and the per capita cost OF
the service is 500. In other words,
for man and for vessel we pay exactly
f0e times as much for poor service as
EGreat Britain pays for good service.
If this is not imbecility, what is il
But this is only Il superficial prescn-
tation of the case. The British navy
is the most powerful and efficient in
the world, and is not only maintained
but steadily increased and strengthen
ed on this $42, ,000, 600. There are over
400 effective vessels, of which nearly
so are heavy iron-clads, cruisers capa-
BILE of encountering any sea and OF
steaming IA knots an hour There is
coast guard, volunteer service and
naval reserve system, all kept in splen-
did efficiency without additional ex-
pense, the coast volunteers numbering
Z, 600 and the naval reserve 5000
men. The hydrographical bureau is
: also provided for under the naval ap-
propriations, q coast survey depart
, ment of the greatest efficiency, which
is now providing charts for all the
q world, besides surveying the coasts OF
!. England, and in the Mediterranean,
f Red Sea, China and Japan, West In
dies, Newfoundland, Africa, Aus
tralia, etc. There are maintained &
great dock-yards at home and 10
y abroad, from Hong Kong to Jamaica,
from Halifax to Trincomalee; and an
: elaborate system of naval apprentice
I ship is supported which keeps "a YES
! sells ailoat las many as our whole
navy, and trains 1000 boys in the
duties and practice of seamanship and
O naval warfare.
This is what Great Britain gets for
$42. .OO0, 900. What does Mr.. Robson
give us for $50, 900, 900? "At this
: amoment," said Mr.. Stevenson Arch
ser, 1--WE are without suitable ships,
without guns, and without men to
: "man the few vessels we have" Mr.
e Archer has been on the Naval Com
mittee of the House for eight years
!, and knows whereof he speaks, never
: using "harsh terms" either.
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