The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-11-20

Whatever mny he the exact facts rs 10
the diplomatic negotiations which have
been gong ON between our Government
and Spain, the fact that the occasion has
been seized upon by GRANT and SEcoR
RoBEsoS TO throw away money on the
navy, - positive.
At the time OF the Virginius war breeze,
two years ago. SEcoR RoBEsoN improved
tho opportunity TO spend four extra mil
hons, winch he afIerward got out OF Con
gross by deficiency bill Where this
money went has never been shown and
never will be known unless the coming
Congress asks some pertinent questions IN
regard To IL. One thing is certain, the navy
received no benefit whatever from the ex-
pepditurc. Just what the money did was
shown at the famous naval review held mt
Key West after the Vnginius affair had
blown over and the four millions had been
spent. RoBEsoN got together his Quaker
ships, making IA show that started laugh
throughout the civilized world. They
were lot OF antiquated gun boxes,
not n rIfled gun in the fleet above an
eighty FOUNDER, not gun that would send
shell through the armor OF the Spanish
honcIad Araplles, which ship so scared
Admiral PORTER that he had coal barge
muk in front of the gates OF the dry dock
~ the brooklyn Navy Yard So that She
might not get out to clean out our iickcty
navy.
In all the feet which went through the
ostentation 81 exercises At Key West there
was not an ironclad whose sides and turrel
would not have been perforated by the
wrought-iron rifles of the Spanish iron
clad II was a bcggarly show of inoTcet-
i've. an exposition of criminal praciiW,'
done at the q; pcnse of u squnudered navr
appropriation aud ut the peril OF the live
OF all the crew and the honor OF our nag
If that fleet had been called into action
the probabiliC = are that the country
would have bee Mortified and hlimlliateC
II the result, Ehich would have thrown
away all our WI rlike glorles aud blottc,
ant the remembr Ince OF our naval achieve
ments during IL whole history of tn,
American navy.
In the I'VE Year, of the reign Of GRAN
and RoBRsoN from June 30, 1859, to June
81, 1874, Congress las appropriated fer tn
navy in total abou. one hundred million
" dOUdrs OF this sum nifty mllliops IL
sound figures was " holly spent in tinker
ing the old tub of the navy ana on thug
mtcring into their maintenance. Beside
this, S3,21O0O was appropriated for eigh
Hoops of war, which are now built, arc
are of no more Use for war purpose
tgainft anything exc pt savagcs THAI
SIGHT Eiie canal boats. The million
spent On them might IA we'll have beer
thrown into the sea which these ship
HavGrse mt such Glow pace that they coulC
neither catch ap enemy nor run ava,
from one Their building was the result
Of a combination of jobbery and pro
te.siuu Al stupidity. II gave employment
10 the Navy Department Rinss, and files
the bellies Of some of SEcos RoDEsoN'
ieeches.
The Atty millions spent on tinkering ship
and Their maintenance does not include
the running EXPENSES OF the navy. Nom
of II went for the pay OF officers and men
tor the cost OF any bureau, nor for coal
nor any OF the prov isions aud supplies. l
was all swallowed up In repairs and altera
tions OF the old ships. During these nv,
years not a single new vessel was built ex
oept the worthless sloops we have named
and the preposterous torpedo boats Alaru
and Intrepid, oontrived by those WORTHLESS
HANSON and PORTER. What these NIT
millions produced was shown in the shame
full array OF antediluvan tubs which pain
fully went through grand naval tactics
At Key West In the autumn OF 1873. 1t wa
sort of naval rag bag or junk shop, of II,
practical account for war purposes, and 81
diseIaceful to the nation that the officer
blnshed 10 wear their uniforms. The flee
engineer, speaking Of the review, sal
that " II Is probable that under fayorabl
circumstances two OF more Of the vessel
might have been driven w to ten kn@.:-
but for the great majority six knots wa
tho maximum steaming capacity"
modern tieet OF this sort of either th
French or English navy could all stear
together ut thirteen or fourteen knot
One big Englsh ironcAd could 20 throug