The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-15

NorE-S stands Tor smoothb bore and Tor rifle can
non.
1t will be seen by the above table that while It costs
the United Statcs from 223 to $log per ton weight
TO produce unarmored wooden lightly built unar-
mored iron vessels Ranger class OF comparatively in
significant power and speed England and France, to
say nothing Of Germany, are producing not only fast
iron clads armed with twelveinch rifle cannon at from
sl57 to 1928 per ton weight but also exceedingly swift
unarmcrcd iron cruisers, most OF them carrying the
powerful nincnch rifle cannon, which is capable Of
piercing any OF the American ronclads in service at
and half miles range. While have but
one coast defence fit for service-to Wit the
Dictator, OF two fifteen inch smooth bore cannon lam
mated armor and barely eight knots speed-and but
twelve harbor defence monitors tMontauk class) OF
Ave knots speed and thin lamnatcd armor easily
pierced by the sevennch rifle at ZOO yards, The
''Chief Constructor OF the United states Navy
has tho simplicity or assurance to assert
in his official report TO the Secretary OF the Navy (sce
y. 1So he says-"lt VIII be that at time has Tho
navy been in such good and strong condition for har
Dor and coast defence as at tho present tmeo And he
continues in either gross ignorance or apparent con-
tempt Of the opinion ofsciensinc and practical men
and the memorable logic Of fact, developed the
proving grounds OF England, France and Germany to
assert, THE power OF ron-clads for harbor and
coast defence whcro the lighting win be done IN
smooth water, must be considered equal, II not
superior to that Of large number Of going iron
clads Of foreign nations" Alter reading such Orwell
ling trash from the pen Of 'Chief Constructor" is It
any wonder the navy is going to seed? In
TACT 1t seems marvellous that We are
able 10 keep up any sort of navy
Congress may in charity bcstow on it. Is it possible
this 'sChief Constructor has never heard OF such
ships as the Redoubtabe rcnch), Prcussen German),
the Sultan, Alexandra, preadnought Devastation,
Tcmerarc tho Inacxibe tnrtish) the latter cased
With ~ inches OF iron and TO be armed with four
81 ton guns, which can throw shot weighing 1850 lbs
through 20 inches OF iron at mile range? Has he
heard OF the new German vessel which is TO
carry Herr Krupp's new steel gun, brcech loader
which weighs 126 tons and which pierce two feet
OF solid iron at the distance Of mile !?
But the cream OF the ''Chief CONSTRUCTORS of1cia
parison OF the English aud American iron clads 10
which the Warrior toi 1000 D. is set down as 1850
tons on page isS Is inserted table entitled, "Rela
tive comparison OF the number OF guns and tonnage Of
the English and the United States naval vessels.
This comparison applies wholly 10 the unarmorod
cruisers OF the two Powers and tho idea is sought to
be conveyed by the table that the American navy is
very respectable footing indeed, compared with
In looking over this remarkable production OF the
head OF the construction department the navy s
lost in absolute amazcment at the vision Of uxuriani
ignorance II not absolute diocy, which the nserii
Of such table must presuppose tho of profess
nooal readers OF our Chici Constructor'sn reports
such vessels as sh be- shah Ealcsh or nconstan are
table though these vessels are all Is knot l6
ships OF from Also to 5,1s2 tons displacement and
carry the powerful inch rifle gun, whose power IL
greater than that OF our Is inch smooth bore. Tho
beautiful frgates OF the lmmoralite class Of Is guns
ass4 tons and IL knots sea speed, arc all left out
Narcssus class, IL knots speed, likewise Ditto ths
Gaatca class OF 20 guns ASIA and IL knots 80:
speed Ditto the new l5k knot iron corvette,
gicienne and sapphire; the Il knot composite
ships Tourmaline, Turquoise and Ruby and other,
building or built; the new sioop Osprey class, bull
with all the latest improvements armament spal
bows ant steam machinery. Even tho best ships o
the old Barrosa and Cadmus classes e. lS7 tons D.
knot vessels and IL euns lett out
TABLE 2
See page 1885, Report OF the Secretary Of the Navy To-
1875.
s.Reatve comparison Of the number OF guns and ton
mage OF the English and the United States Nava
vessels according TO Mr. Isaiah Hanscom Chic
Constructor OF the United States Navy together will
some information Mr.. Hanscom very careful Il
omit In his "rclativs comparison"
U.iisd States Narail Whai he Chief Constructor LEI
Vessels Out.