The New York herald., 1877-12-03
The Annual Report Of
the Secretary.
CONDITION or OUR NATIONAL VESSELS
Benefits of a Naval Force to the
Mercantile Marine.
THE QUESTION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
wAsHrsa1ox, Dec. 2, 1871

wAsHIsa1oS Deo 2, 1871
The Secretary Of the Navy, is his annual report
gives the number OF vessels in the navy follows:
Slxty-seven steam and twensy-three sailing vessels,
twe,tythree ironclads, torpedoe. ono ferry and
twentysx tug boats. The report also contains state
men Of the different squadrons by whom they are
commanded, and q full statement Of the condition
and strength Of the navy, which is considered neces-
sary enable Congress to adjust appropriations to
the necessities Of the service and the con-
aitlon Of the Treasury. There are twelve IRON
clads at convenient places in fresh water in
readiness for active employment whom needed. In
the list OF vessels In active service, in ordinary,
dcrgoing repairs &C.. is mentioned the Colossus, now
on tho stocks at New York, SO decaycd having been
built OF white oak timber, not to be worth COM
pletng The Massachusetts is in the Same condition,
nKittery, and the Oregon Also at Boston. Tho wreck
Of the Huron Is alluded to, and the Secretary viii
make the report OF the Board investigate the
81 her unfortunate loss subject oi special mes
sage to Congress when the result js ascertained.
The Connecticut Iowa and Pennsylvania at
Boston, the Java and Susquehanna at New York,
the Congress- Sabine and Kansas at Kittery, the
Worcester aud Shawmut at Norfolk, the Saco,
Nyack and uyane Mare Island. the Frolic at Wash
inglon and the New Orleans at Sackotts Harbor are
also mentioned so much decayed to be untitled
for repairs completion. The Rio Brava sent up
the Rio Grande River more than year and Is an.
chored at Brownsville, from which place she cannot
proceed ether up down the stream In consequence
OF the shallowness OF the She can, therefore,
only render such assistance to that exposed frontier
could be afforded by local fertilization with the
numoer OF and guns. or by transferring the
for military shore in OF necessity.
OFFICERS AND MEN.
The active list OF the navy composed of 800 ON
cara ha limo offic or ha taT
rant officers.
The retired list comprises 1856 officers OF the line,
1903 officers OF the STAFF 27 warrant officers and pro-
lessons OF mathematics
There were in the service the cath day Of Novem-
Der, 1877, 1912 enlisted men aud boys
NEEDs NAVY.
An effective navy, tho report says, positive
cessiiy, but tho man difficulty lies in deciding upon
the po.nt Of efficiency 10 which 1t Is expedient and
proper TO carry It, The leading nations In Europe
have political relations that the fear OF dis
lurbing existing balance of power Is constantly
communicating itself from one TO the oiher, and
thereby each 10 influenced 10 keep itself IN rcad
ness lor any military or naval cxigency that might
arise Hence the necessity for large standing
armies and extensive navies But what tnoy may do
not do regards their intercourse with each other,
whether in peace or IN war; does not directly concern
nation. Yet has such indirect relation the
United States one OF the Great Powers OF the earth
that our own policy must in some degree be infu-
tnccd by Lhens. Our situation, about midway be-
tween Europe and ASIA, iorbids any mmeoiate or d.
rect interference by tue United States with the affairs
oi tho nations possessing either Of those continents;
nor II reasonable TO expect that occupied as the
European nations arc and are likely TO be tor many
years come, with questions which seom inseparabe
from their relations with each other they will lind
TO their interests to ADOPT an aggressive
adopt a course, therefore, with reference
navy, as Is dictated by our own domestic relations
alone separated as they are except BY commercial IN
increasing capacity TO become one OF The leading COM
RESOURCES THE COUNTRY
Our agricultural productions, the basis OF our
prosperity, already OF any other country
and are rapidly increasing In many ways our
CARDS example and the necessities of other
W Sle
have increased It's pr0ductivcness and value In the
mechanic arts We are unexcelled. Our mineral wealth
u inexhaustOle and already is Its vast importance
recognized the fact that supplying American
IRON 10 British workshops The coal fields Of England
rapidly failing account OF their immense depth,
while ours are not only OF incalcuabe extent, but
tho surface. Everything, In fact, combines TO
commerce which only needs The fostering care OF
the government TO secure 10 II an ultimate develop
men which cannot be surpassed oy that OF any other
nation. During the last year the value Of this
transported on the various limos Of railroads
estimated Al $1s 0O0 900, and during the pres
cut year. consequences Of the Increased product hnd
value OF grain, II Will greatly exceed that As our in
ternai commerce increases beyond our own power OF
consumption excess must either lind foreign
market or the loss falls upon the producer All
mercal nations understand this, and therefore their
efforts to foreign markets tor their exports
GREAT BRITAiS's GREATNESS
The greatness OF Great Britain Is, in considerable
measure owing to the steadiness and consistency OF
her policy Ia this regard. There Is inlet any
place whero tho vessels Of her mercantile marine do
not penetrate. Even at the present time. when
trade Is slowly recovering from It's paralysis
and demanding additional meaLs Of supplying
the wants Of the thousands OF meritorious artisans
CHANTS ana CAPITALISTS aas are making
own foreign commerce tributary to theirs by fore
ing US into dependence upon British vessels Tor the
transportation Of our surplus productions They
snatch tho trade OF considerable portion OF the
American continent from our hands. Brazil exports
10 England annually over $ll2, 00O 900 OF her pro-
ducts, which she receives In exchange nearly the
amount Of imports. This trade is carried on by
direct lines oil comm nicaton and in great measure
by steamships to which large govern ment subsidIcs
Are paid, wnIle Tor the want 0f lines OF steam
muulcat,op between our Eastern cities and Rio prov
inces expediious route to Brazil is by way
oil England and that country has secured similar ad
vantagcs merchonts over ours although not in
the degree with regard TO the trade all along the
eastern western coasts oi South America, as we'll
ns that with China japan and Australia
Oh the exports from China more than three times as
much go 10 Great Britain Us comes TO tho United
States, and with the imports the difference is still
greater. rhe policy Of the japanese government In
duced by influences adverse To commercial inter-
sss has secured 70 the English and French lincs OF
steamers almost Its entire trade, while an American
line Of steam vessels from Yokohama TO Shanghai has
been compelled 10 withdraw
Australia exports about $24o, 600. 600 year, and i'm
ports nearly much, and almost this entire trade Is
carried on with England and her dependencies. Tho
superiority which both England anu France
have obtained over with reference to this
vast trade may be attributed In large degree
10 the iact that each OF the governments pays
annually TO It's steam lines between $4,000,oO0
and S. 900 900 IN SUBSIDIES while the government OF
tho United States mas contributed 10 the superiority
England has thus acquired by also paying subsidies
10 steam lines out oil It's revenues. Tho result
has been to increase the foreign over our domestic
tonnage steadiiy since the close OF the that
our interest In ocean mercantile navigation In
Ally decreasing
BEFORE AND AyrEx TUE WAR.
Before the close Of the our foreign export and
import trade was carried 0c loo per moro In
American than foreign vesselA Since the it has
been carried 100 per cent more In foreign than in
American vessels Until TINS condition OF things Is
changed our commercial independence cannot be
established upon such . basis as u deserves to bo
While navy Is not engaged in commerce
u Is lis Important and necessary ally. 1t
should be II all times ready 10 furnish
It's protection In whatsoever 1t may DO re-
auired. Ali the nations should understand that we
are ready TO afford Il this protection as wc are 10
Ivenge an Insult to our national flag without
foreign commerce we IN ust sink no inieriority, and
without navy amply sufficient tor this protection
ali the profits OF our surplus productions Will be