The New York herald., 1876-02-29
ARE We PREPARED FOR A FOREIGN WAR
A Fleet That Can Scarcely
Float.
Condition and Cost Of Our
National Coffins.
A Startling Comparison with For
eign Navies.

port OF the national navy They naturally expect tha
this large expenditure will insure the maintenance
our fleets up to that standard of excellence an,
efficiency which the political status and commercial IN
forests Of the country demand. The popular confidence
In ability to uphold rank FIRST class navn
Power rests a very unsubsantial foundation, and it
largely due utter ignorance of the real facts re
Spectng the condition Of our navy These is the OBJ
iect OF the present article to furnish.
In order that the reader may fully appreciate
how backward we the strength, speed and arma
ment of our vessels OF war detailed description o
each ship with regard TO these is given;-
FIRST
Colorado (fortysix guns and Wabash (fortysx guns
are both wooden frgates NOW used receiving
shipsl having batteries of smooth bore guns. These
vessels are partially rotten and would require large
sums TO nt them for service. When ready they would
have a speed under steam OF not more than seven and
FranSIin thirty-nin guns), wooden screw frigate
fin commission abroad She has u battery of smooth
boros can steam eight knots per hour under IA
knots This ship is in fair condition for wooden
vessel.
Minnesota tfortysix guns is a wooden frigate
lin commission a training ship for boys and armed
with smooth bore guns, she recently repaired
and is now in fair condition. She will PROBABLY steam
eight and onehalf knots per hour under favorable cir
cumstances
Niagara twelve guns is wooden screw ship rot
ling in ordinary at Boston
This completes the list of so-caled ''1rst rates ~
Under canvas alone any of the above ships easily
Sai thirteen knots per hour with fresh wind abcam
showing that their models good. but men Of
nowadays must hight under steam this good point
helps them very little except for cruising purposes in
time OF peace. ANY of the British cruisers such as
the iron clads Swiflsure and Audacious 900 tons
displacement and fourteen knots hour speed could
catch the FranElin in short order ana either of the
above named British vessels could whip the whole five
Of in less than hour, without losing man or
suffering any particular injury. As cruisers these So
called first rates OF ours may, as Admiral Porter said
Iome ago, provo of possible against
Polynesian islanders, and perhaps even IN war with
SPAN, the superior training and pluck OF our officers
and might with timely assistance OF our monitors
carry them safely through hight; but against English,
French, German, Italian, Russian and Tui,sh ships
they would prove mere slaughter houses Tor gallant
men.
SECOND RATES
Connecticut twenty lone guns) wooden screw YES
sel; rotten rotting on the stocks at Boston.
Florida twelve guns) late Wampanoag, a wooden
screw ship converted pseudo She rotten and
Is said TO be hogged also She is present moored
New London to keep up the show of having a naval
station at that place
Iowa twenty three gnnsl wooden screw vessel rot
ting IN ordinary at Boston.
Tennessee twenty three guns) a wooden screw YES
sci with smooth bore guns, in commission on tho
Asatic station This vessel has recently been rebuilt
and re-engined for the third time with compound
ginek She has cost first and last
TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
and probably very three millions. The published
accounts OF her in the Secretary of the Navys recent
report very meagre. Chief Engineer Shock reports
n speed of and half knots per hour under two
thirds boiler power that her success fast ship is
very indeed On recent trip TO Japan she Is
have beaten mail steamer name OF steamer not
given) making under steam and canvas tiull specd)
thirteen knots per hour for ten hours knot per
hour less than the fast British ironclads make under
similar circumstances
Antietam tno gunsl n wooden vessel recently
launched and being unit for other purpose used
rigging loft at League Island, which is about all
Bhe is really nt for.
hulk at New York; some time since used as yellow
lever hospital She was sold some weeks ago at auc-
lion for $25 900, but the sale is apparently not
brmed This vessel originally cost 81, 800 900. The
Delaware Will make a good coal halk
Java, rotting the stocks at New York
New York rotting tho stocks at New York
Pennsylvania rotting on the stocks at Boston.
Susquehanna- rottng in ordinary at New YORK,
with her frame above water and exposed TO the weather
Lancaster iIwenty-two guns wooden screw cor
Fette, with battery OF smooth bore guns. she is rot
nng at Portsmouth, n. H. and will large sum TO
rcpair and will then be able steam perhaps eight
lnd half knots per hour.
Brooklyn twenty gunsl a wooden screw vessel
armed with smooth bore guns. She is in commission,
but said to DO half rotten and in great need OF
pairs. She can steam seven ana bali knots, but is
otherwise of not much account
Pensacola (twenty-,wo gunsl, wooden cor
Tctte armed with smooth bores This ship In com
mission only olcrablc condition. hc last
pairs this vessel Mare Island, in 1S697Ol, cost
kl 200 OOO) She steam eight knots per hour under
favorable circumsi anccs.
Hartford eighteen guns), wooden screw corvette
trmod with smooth bores. In commission aud in iair
,ondtion; steam about nine knots per hour.
Richmond fourteen gunsl a wooden screw vessel
armed with smooth borcs. In commission, and In iar
condition; can steam eight knots per hour.
Congress sixteen guns) wooden screw corvette,
lrmed with smooth borcs In commission. but half
sotten, and needs extensive repairs. She is 1ne
model for speed but can only steam about ten knots
severn (anecn guns), wooden screw corvette. with
lbattcry OF smooth bores She Is rotiing in ordinary
At New London and rs noi worth repairing except Tor
use as a depot for naval stores
Worcester (nftecn guns) a wooden screw corvette,
with battery OF smooth borcs, rotting at Norfolk; is
used as a receiving ship ana is not worth repairing
any service other than that OF harbor duty.
diminished but to be armed with eleven s.incn rife
runs, converted from smooth borcs This vessel Is
Tery strongly built and braced and will hate power
ul armament She VIII not be ready for long time
she snoui prove TO be fast she viii be the most for
nidabe cruiser IN the United states Navy. But II Is
,ot expected tnat she Will steam thirteen knots
per hour, In which she Will not compare with
British cruisers like the Inconstant even the Raj
sirh and both of these latter vessels carry heavier
irmaments than the Trenton and could soon catch,
pycrpowcr and capture her, supposng each vessel
be equally well handled and fought
IOwhatan seventeen gunsl, old wooden paddle
wheel vessel built IN ls49 and armed with smooth
bore guns. Can steam in smooth water about eight
and half knots per hour and consumes large amount
Of coal The Pacific Mail steamship Colon some time
ago left New York for Aspinwal az the same time as
the Powhatan and, running easily, beat the Powhatan
into port more than twcnty-four hours Tho Coon's
ronsum ption OF fuel this occasion averaged
CITY per day. The displacement OF the Colon
his trip 5000 tons; that OF the Powhatan 5000
Alaska twelve gunsl wooden ship armed
with smooth borcs In commission, but needs ex-
lcnsive repairs. She steam ten and a halt knots
Ger hour under favorable conditions
Benicia twelve gunst wooden screw ship laid up
,t Ware Island Tor repairs She armed with smooth
borcs and she can steam about ten aud ahalf knots
Der hour under favorable conditions
Omaha twelve guns OF tho same class as The Alaska
and needs extensive repairs
Plymouth twelve gunsl OF tho same class as the
Omaha and Alaska but IN lair condition Tor cruising
some time longer These last four vessels were
originally twelye.kno ships under steam. but being
built OF wood did long retain their primitive condi-
ton.
Iackawanna (cn guns, wooden screw sloop 10 good
condition, having recently been repaired. shc IS
armed with smooth borcs, and can steam ABOUT Ten
and a half knots per hour
Ticonderoga eleven gunsl wooden screw soop rot
ting IN ordinary at Portsmouth, y. H. She has a
battery OF smooth borcs II will cost large sum TO
repair this vessel and when done she will seam, per-
haps ten knots per hour.
cu gnsl is a similar vessel TO the Ticon-
deroga but rotting u Norfolk, Va.
M0nonCahcla cicvcn gunsl wooden screw sloop
with smooth bore guns. In commission but needs re-
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