New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-18
NEEDS OF THE NAVAL SERVICE.

RTsrIrs OF TIE sTB-COMMI TIES Wilt 10 NOR
FoIK-PROPOslD COMMISSION 10 EXAMIN INTO
THE TATUs AND NEEDS OF THE NAVY-NtCES-
sIrY FOR An ESTABLISHED roIIHY-oPiNioNs
OF Prominent OFFICERS OF HE sIRVICt-
WHY WE ARE BEHIND OTHER NATIONS.
lFRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF IHL TEiBUNE.l
WAsHINGroN, Feb. I'M. Whitthornes
sui omm tee Naval Affairs returned from IT. VISIT I"
tie Norfolk Maynard yesterday. During lts absence
the members of the Committee were repeatedly thrown
into communication WITH the officers of the north Allan
tir Sauadrn many vessels of which stationed
at Norfolk and received from them much interesting IN
formation in regard Ia naval Affairs number OF these
officers at he request of the Committee drew up bli
Which the Chairman will submit Ia The fun Committee
at its next meeting The iOiio"lDS are som' VI It's pm"
opal provisions:
s. ctlon first provides FOR the creation of Commission
of nine members, duty it shall bc 10 exam nc INTO
throtsl thc secretary OF the Navy, its present
dtiu as tn prSoHno ami mdtertc OF the service he
law now governing the naval service ana thcr Ell 't
upun &c navy. and to recommend such further esrd-
10 the highest stan lard consistent with wise cconony
The second section directs tle Commission u" CONSIDER
the geUSrHpnoa AMI l"htlcu silHaOn y, W" ~. ILL.,
States the growing niprbv' lncnt "i onf commerce I'D '
Pacific our relations in A~atlc waters, the relation 81
az ur Xt n.lye sea aAd laac coast The Commission J.
also drrct,d estimate The value oi the mora" 'l CT ol
OF war 10 nh cate force necessary To have ~ rri-
ness for actual service in the event ol wa, ~ Wen d the
mission suould s.a.c each the number OF vessels
of first second, and third rates to bc man AIMED and t.e
number rate 10 be- Dult every year 10 cid'l 10
MAKE gooi ,ne also t9 be directed to con.
side. the great changes WLich nave tdAch place
III "a. a. nd tbr typc of shin advisable To Irct
tuos changes or IN tue means by wnch tue best
modern yhting ships may be oUdlcl III 'ol,I"'I n-
the Dcrsoci Of the navy attention is TO he pad to IT.
raio TO the st-rngtn, present aui prospective, o the
n,oteriei and IN such recon- nendtons rs IN tne
premises may lc deemed necessary and apr" ii'i'; ana
il general lie Comm son, alter mltufci} considering
tnc present state OF ihe navy anu ne q, ,ii "a
urns 10 bring II To proper efficiency an economy 81 Al
MINI ira ion TO report 10 Congress WIN sth iet"i
incubation, ~ wil enable that body 10 col-d ny ~.
gently and lcsislaie properly on naval Affairs III d" H'
branches.
The following suggested proper composition OF
the Commission: Two Senator's 10 be- appointed by the
President the Senate two members OF the H0i@" OF
Representatives to he appointed by the Speaker; two
ein nl citlzeus he selected by the Picfidcnt an
officer Of the army distinguished for his knowlcde OF
the science of war; tie Admiral of the Navy, ana one
ocl naval officer be detailed by the Secretary OF the
Navy besides naval officer to act as Secretary Of the
Commission The first question which it is intended
such Commission shah consider Is the Act OF lSoZ 10 re-
organize the Navy Department.
Al a meeting of the Committee with prominent naval
officers at which present Mr. Whitiborne Uhair-
man of the Naval Committee of the Iious' i'clr Ad
nhral Mul any, COInmOdorcs Stevens, Guest ana Chtz
Carts Carter, Luce. aud Febrown, and Commanders
Cushman and Marvin, the subject of naval reform was
Z
the attention OF the Committee TO the fact that Com
IN ssion similar TO that proposed ia the bill which lad
been submitted al he IN appointed, and bad tho oughy
performed its work in France many years and that
following the recommendations Of that Commission,
naval policy had been established and adhered 10
through every change of Government the effect the
French navy being satisfactory az was proved by
! its conduct in the Franco German War. He SAID
hat the English had followed the example OF France,
and that the naval powers had proh,ei by the inves
cation obtained by the French Comnssion lie Thought
that Commission like that proposed, consisting OF I'M
partial and patriotic especially fitted Tor the duties
deyoying upon t. III, could, without doib learn cor
p civ the defec,s Of the navy and the remedies necessary
70 devise naval policy for the future through which
satisfactory results might he obtained from the liberal
appropriations annual y granted For example, he
said, If such distiDg uisbed citizens as Mr. ian
croft and Mr.. Charles Francis Adams would
| accept appointments in suoh Commission, then
their great experience in public affairs, Their
acquaintan with foreign countries their extensive
general information and their ability give their time
| to study of the matter would not fail TO produce
valuable results As TO the absolute necessity of naval
policy Capt Luce remarked, that there two lines
open United States In OF the selection
depending upon the enemy whom were TO meet and
whether it to be fought upon the high upon
our borders coasts One line required the maintain
apce Of ships line OF battle. for which have
none and never had any TO speak Of the other would
require iron-clad monitors and that class Of vessels
known technically commerce destroyers" In
either case, must, II the theories OF the highest
naval authorities received also have powerful rams
Tne history Of navy he said, from its first inception
had been one periodical advancement and deterora-
ton. Now and then we have taken great steps which
have pacad abreast Of advance OF other nations,
these periods have been folio wed by Others Of mac
tion In which other nations proftng by our experience
have left far in the For example, In ls45 we
taught the world what propeller carrying heavy ord
nance could do with steam frieates had aston
ished the world with guns which other naves for years