The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-02-13
The Navy.

old hulks afi0at in various wa
Iers, and that il tinkers away occasionally
ut venerable frameworks that have been
On the stocks in the navy yards for no one
knows how many years. II is not to be
that the whole duty of the De-
partment is fulfilled by these labors, and
yet they comprise the chief of its accom-
plishments. The experience Of last De
cember year, when the furry with Spain
over the Virginius affair stirred the Gov
ernment to tho displayof its maritime
strength, was far from making brilliant
showing for the Department, inasmuch as
the feet that was assembled off the Florida
coast was decidedly calculated 70 remind
one of Falstaffs recruits And yet the
nation spends money enough on this branch
Of the service TO make it both powerful
and efficient. The appropriation for the
fiscal year ending in June last was $780,
10000, and in the fifteen months proceed
ing the first Of last October $50 ,000, 900
were expended under the direction Of the
Secretary. Where does all the money 90
to? For this expenditure we have thirty
four vessels in commission, six sloops-of war
building, and $500 enlisted men in the
service. Compare the cost with the num-
Der Of ships and men, and We find that the
expenditure for each vessel aHoat is very
nearly 81 100000 annually, or 50, 500 for
each enlisted man. There is not another
country in the world that can exhibit such
an enormous proportionate cost for its navy.
The British navy is the largest in the
world. II has over 400 effective vessels.
Of which sixty are heavy iron-clads, and
its squadrons are found ia all the waters
Of the globe. The number of vessels con
stanuy in commission averages 200, and
the aggregate Of enlisted men and officers
is about 61 900. There is a coast guard
volunteer service and naval reserve system,
numbering altogether 1900 men, and
attached to the naval organization, The
hydrographieal and coast survey depart
ments are thoroughly efficient, and do
more work than those Of any other nation.
There are eight great dockyards in the
British islands and thirteen more in the
colonies, and the system of naval appren-
ticeship comprises thirty-four training
ships, which is very nearly the number Of
our entire navy fit for use. 1t is popularity
supposed that the cost Of this vast estab-
lishment to Great Britain is something
tremendous, and far beyond the ability or
the disposition of the American people to
incur. The truth is that the British naval
expenditures are only about Si2, ,000, 900
annually, or just sl2,0O0,O00 more than
ours. For this amount the nation gets
the splendid and powerful system we have
alluded to, and builds each year more new
ships than the United States has construc.
ted in ten years. The British vessels in
commission average an annual cost Of
5000, 900, or in the neighborhood of S700
for each man in the service. In this
country we pay five times as much in pro-
portion for our naval service, and get the
worst of any great nation in the world.
We may not need or desire large navy,
hut at present We seem to be paying for
one. The money appropriated for the
Navy Department is sunk, leaving but
little more trace than water spilled on the
desert sands. What becomes of it is a
question that will have to be seriously an
swered at some time.
Our navy yards have long been little
more than useless, and the money that is
spent on them is wasted. The Senate
Committee on Naval Affairs have come
very nearly to this conclusion, and in q
report submitted to the Senate on Thurs.
day they recommend the abolition of the
yards at Washington, Philadelphia and
New London. The others on the Atlantic
coast are at Norfolk, Brooklyn, Charlestown
and Kittery. On the Gulf of Mexico
there is the Pensacola Yard, and Mare
Island on the Pacific coast. With the
exception Of the three mentioned first, the
committee believe that the yards are ne
cessary to the naval establishment, and
should be continued, and even improved
and enlarged. The report argues that "a
few navy yards, well located, ample in
area, and supplied with the best facilities
for executing work rapidly and well, would
be much more useful to the country 10
case of war than many yards scattered
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