Litchfield enquirer., 1876-08-31
HE NAVY,


 sian navy consisted of one sailing corvette. Tn 1863, her navy had increased to 3I steamers and eight sailing vessels employ ing about 1.5O0 officers and men. In 1869, the North German fleet numbered 45 steamers, with about $500 officers. and men. In 1872. the Empire had 49 steam CTS Several of them ironclads) with about $500 officers and men. The heavy guns are tue steel-breech loading rifed cannon of Krupp. and are, confessedly. much su- perior to those in use in the British navy. The article concludes with the following suggestion:
 Holland and Spain, the great mara time powers of the 17th century, have al- most disappeared from the seas as com- batants. Italy and Germany have launch ed great ironclad fleets; whilst Russia is struggling to make her way to the high seas. France and England retain their ancient position; that position has been modified by the growth of the Secondary navies of the world; but the greater is the necessity to maintain and secure the as- cendancy of the naval power of Great Britain"
 We notice no reference in the article to the American navy, which is scarcely in a condition to meet even those Secondary navies among which the German and Ital- ian marines are now ranked. But, though weak for purposes of offence, it has been supposed that our system of heavy armed monitors would ensure our chief harbors against even the heaviest sea-going iron clads. For. as regards the defence which land Notifications would afford to such harbors as that of New York, the fall of New Orleans and Mobile and the passage of the Vlcksburg batteries, during the late war, make us more than sceptical of their value.
 Still, there seems no reason why we should depart from our historical policy, and spend enormous sums of money in the construction of vessels of new and un. tried pattern. snch as may prove in actual service of inferior value. We can con- ceive of no better economy than that which will reduce our navy to a small number of first class ships, built on what seem to be the best foreign models; leav- ing it to France and England and the Eu- ropean nations to try those costly experi- ments in the building and equipment of men of war to which the necessities of their position compel them, and which. no such necessities require of us.
 It is not easy to find out what is the real condition of our navy at present. This has become in fact party question. The majority of the House Naval committee draw dreadful picture of it's decay and ineficiency, and the minority paint a counter-sketch as fattering as MT. Robe son himself could desire. The policy of the Democracy is. Tn this instance, the traditional policy of their party since Jeff ferson's time.-that of discouraging large naval appropriations. The brilliant re- cord of that arm of the service in 1872, gave it a repute superior to that of the army for half a century; and the import ant part it played in the war of the rebel lion, by maintaining tolerably complete blockade of an extended range of coast, seems to justify considerable expenditure in time of peace. On the other hand, we have no faith in the accomplishment of great things by any American Secretary of the navy. usually selected for party reasons, and with no special qualifications for the office; and, on the whole. there seems no safer place for retrenchment than in the Department of the Navy.
 One of the blessedest of facts is the fact that the coal combination which has for several years kept that prime article of necessity at war prices is broken at last. The design of this combination has been to limit production so strictly as to make any reduction of price impossible. The selfshness which starts such combina- tions, however, often proves their ruin; and such is now the case with this, the most tyrannical combination that has op- pressed the country since the crash of '73. Some of the companies have been over selling, and the combination proves in- effectual to prevent these over.sales; and finally formal breakup ensues, with crash in coal stocks, that have hitherto failed to sympathize with the general de- cline of values.
 There can be no doubt of the benefit to the community at large that will result from this wholesome ''panic." Cheap fuel is one of our chief necessity; and it is Q natural result of general decline in prlces of other products that would have occurred in '73 had it not been postponed by the monopolies which own the great mines and the railroads leading to them.
 The New Milford Ray tells good sto- ry of an announcement from the pulpit of one of the churches in that village a few Sundays since. The minister in formed his people that the Rev. MT. Huntington was at the point of death, and that notice of his funeral would be given by tolling the bells. Mir, Hunting. ton thought better of it and is recovering; while that community no longer rushes into it's best clothes, and then into the street, every time the bell tolls,
 The Seventh Annual Reunion of com panies I, B, and Band, First Conn. Heavy Artillery, will be held at Wolcottville. Ct. Wednesday. Sept. 9th. 1876. You are Eespecially requested to attend. A good tune is expected, with expenses as light as possible.