Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-12-08

Advance. NOs 6"s
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r our trade ID slowly recovering from it, par
aIysis and demanding additional means Ul
supplvinV the wants Of tho Thousands Of mSr'
torious artisans and workmen who are oa'
: OF employment her merchants and capitAi'"
arc actively engaged IN making oSr 0Mn ,o'Ss n
dependence upon British vessels for the TINS
portation OF our surplus productions. :, FLS.
snatch the trade Of 8 considerable portion ~
tho American continent from our hands. HAN!
exports 10 England annually over 2,oO0W Wo
Of her products, for which she receives ih
exchange nearly the same amount OF imports.
The trade IL carried OH by direct lines Of. COM
municaton, and In . great measure ~ steem-
,bips 70 which large government subaidies ars
paid, while for the want Of lines Of stram com.
munication between our eastern cities and Mo
Provinces, our most expeditions route 20 ,z,l
| IL by way OF England, and that country ms
secured similar advantages 70 her merchants
over ours, although not In tho same degree,
with regard to the trade all along tho eastern
| and western coasts Of South America, a. wellaa
that with China, Japan and Austria. Of me
exports from China. moro than three tinase .
much goes to Great britain a. comes a.. % ,I sne
ence is still greater. The policy OF the Japanese
coyernpaont' Induced by Influences adverse 70
| our commercial, interests has secured to the
English aud French lines Of steamers Almost its
entire trade, while an American limo of steam
vessels from Yollahams to Shanghai Hss oeen
compelled to withdraw.
IL IL its important and necessary ally II
should be at all times ready to furnish its pro.
lection In whatsoever sea u may b. required.
All the nations should understand that we are
as ready to afford II this protection % We are "
avenge an insult to our national nag: WMNout
foreign commerce we must sink kintoinfeIsoritv.
and without navy amply sufficient for this
protection, all the profita Of our surplus pro.
ductions will be transferred from the conefS OF
our own to those Of foreign capitalists Tho
rewards Of our own industry and eneerprise
belong to ourselves, and We cannot fully NAM
mcnts. The profits Of the American agricul.
t,lrists areas much their property - the land
which produce theni, and those Of the lhbcrer
aud artisan in all the spheres Of life should BE-
held In as sacred regard. The government
cannot withhold It's fostering care from eitnev
without de.ment to asssf u our ,hs
necessary amount Of protection to our COM
merce? II we consider our commerce at its
present stage of development, or are content 70
leave It to be transported abroad in lofe,en
ships, and thus deprive the American P!cducer
Of the profits Of his labor, 1t may be sufnclent
but II we are to take the position among the
commercial nations to which We are justly NJ
titled, il We are to secure to our own people the
right TO transport the products Of their industry
into whatsoever part Of the world they may by
demanded 80 that the profits may be returned
to increase the aggregate OF our nationsi
condition. There may be ships enough. II
they were all in proper repair, TO incrense our
squadron to sufficient size for this purpose.
To put them all in repair, however, would re-
quire larger expenditure than Is practica' %
in the present condition Of the treasury: aud.
probably larger than would be 1ustahaDle ~
shall be sufficiently increased. As we may OK
pect this from gradual development Of com
merce as soon as II occurs, we may gradually
carry the navy up to the point OF necessary I'M
point to be decided by tho exist
ing wants Of trade. 1t is manifestly duty to
available in the future for nll purposes tor
which it may be designed. Considering It IN
this light, the estimates for the ensuing year
have been made with reference only TO ordinary
G suSh e. are sSs1Tts,y
ships are estimated for. because that would m
vOlve an expenditure larger than the receipts OF
the treasury will be likely to Justify. Those
now possessed and in progress will be sufncsens
for all ordinary purposes in time Of peaoe, ana
h from any emergency not anticipated . larger
number Of vessels should be demanded, the
experience of the late war has proved that We
must rely upon our mercantile marine ios
supply OF the material Of navy whenever ~ ~
demanded. This merchantile marine depcnas
Tor its effectiveness and extent upon the pro
ection given to commerce by the government,
increasing with the increase OF
II we had steam ship lines run
hing directly from our own ports to al tne
eading commercial ports in the world, N.y
would not only increase our revenue Dut rehoeI
more easy to imprsvise navy 10 the event
# an unexpected emergency. Those vessels
re constructed for speed, and can be easily
to purposes OF naval warfare. They
viii increase In number and impo, tance as our
capacity to give naval protection to our com,
nerce increases, and hence We find one grouno
or the necessity of keeping our navy in con-
lition to furnish this protection.
,lM1N1sHED AGGRESSIVE POWER OF THE NAVY
Further on the secretary says: "The navy
II it- present condition, as compared WIN Una. .nas
han at any time during the past third OF
4utury, except during the war; and less pow,
y to infct serious injury upon the commerce
II an enemy. Indeed, the fact cannot Dc con,
ealed, and ought not to be, tor it is ven
,nown to other nations that third ana even
,erior to US in this respect. For some years
,ast large sums have been expended In rent
inc = nnmber OF vessels of the class known ~
monitors. Perhaps, under the particular con
itions and under certain relations witn anotn,
r power, rebuilding them was not unwise' sno
within and adjacent to the CUR o. Meaico .;cy sey
ould be effectively employed IN conneotlon
yith other vessels, and for purposes II ia hoe
,ow nertinent to discusa Apart from tbeSe
MONITORS and considerable amount OF mate
lal for construction now on hand, We hsvc Dut
title, comparatively, to show Tor these large
expenditures.
HEAVY ARMoR PLATING DISCOURAGED
The secretary is not inclined to favor tho
ulding OF heavy armor-plated gnn-pesnhe
,ssels, They are suited for little eite IMAM
arbor defenses, and may be likened to movable
orti6cations, And il it shall result that the
se of them shall Re dispensed with TO L'Ake
lace for improved ships, rams ana sotIo1
essels, then the navy can become sunlcien
nective II supplied with fast sailing shc 1Ass
tcsming vessels of different classes, ouiit, -
hey are now built elsewhere, to serve in 'ims
Z Deace as schools Of instruction for our so4-
zen. and in time Of war TO destroy the cum'
lerce Of an enemy.
THE ESTIMATES. T..
An appropriation Of $40O,000, to be imme-
:ately available is recommended for the pur-
ose OF continuing the stone dry-dock At mara
sland. Attention Is called to the Pensscoie
ayy yard, which, in the event OF hostluee IN
ne Uulf or Mexico, WoUlt UeSoniC va 49, -.
ortance. All the Gulf squadron would naces-
arily resort there for repairs. lhere - no
ood reason why it should not become IN the
nture building, as we'll - repairing yard.
The appropriations available for the present
seal year commencing July l, 1877, are s!s.-
%, 932 80. The whole amount drawn from TIE
,easury from July to Nov. l, 1877, 10 u, 34s,-
81. 80. or this amount there Is estimated l.,
ave been in the hands Of paymasters AMI
gents of the government on Nov: !, 1871.
Sl6, 528. 80, besides el53, 900 refunded, max.
lg a total of sl,o29, 52s 20 which, dsau.se
ynenditure from July / to Nov. I, 1877. Ia
ave been "a ,3l3, 509.iO. The estimates for
le present fiscal year are SIG, 233, 2Si ~, sa-
usiye Of 81, ,Sl4 23l submitted for new butld,
lgs. repairs, and improvements OF the severst
svy-yards. In the report 81 the secretary 81
10 navy Of Nov. 30, 1S'j, the ostsntf@t
nount for pay Of the navy for the pre-ent
,cal year was 81 900, tho computation
,ing based upon i..s number OF officers and
EN- then borne upon the register. Consres'.
,wever, .bv the act Of March 5. 1871, alpso-
lated ,only SC, GOO, 600, or 300 000 loSs than
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