The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-04

| weapons arc sent Moreover, the money for
tlnkcring up these doublc-turrcts Is TO be
| given to the Navy Bureau OF Construction
and Repair, which u utterly incompetent to
| perform the task 1t is proposed TO assign TO
| 1t. This bureau Ia presided over by an old
wooden shipbuildcr, who has been shown TO
be corrupt by the report OF an investigating
committee Of Congress-, and who is unfit in
every way to manage the reconstruction of
q monitor. which requires the highest do
gree Of engineering skill.
Before Congress now or again passes
heavy naval appropriations, let 1t bear in
mind the present condition Of the naval
problem. There has really been no great
sea battle since Trafalgar. During the Cri-
mean war the Russian feet destroyed the
Turkish vesscls at Slnope, but that was not
an open sea fight any more than the dcstruc-
tion Of the Cumberland at Hampton Roads
| by the Mcrrlmac was great naval sea en-
| gagcment. The Russians for the first time
practically used at Sinope shell guns, which
played havoc with tho Turks wooden feet,
and thus they established new era in naval
warfare and marked new departure In
Germany. Admiral Sir CHARLES NAPIER
gathered ut Cronstudt the greatest fleet of
modern times during the same war, and all
Engla and all Europe anticipated marvel
lOus things from II. The English navy was
then, rs il Is now, the most powerful navy
In the world, and NAPIER had the flower Of
II. But yet he did not dare attoml,L the en-
! trance OF the harbOr Os CrOn5tldt. lie would
have had to pass first the Qualifications,
which would have given him serious trouble,
and then, disabled BY their guns. to cncoun-
ter the fresh end uninjurcd Russian fleet,
lying inside the harbor NAPIER there
fore, took counsel ~ prudence and did not try
the experiment. In, gland was in rage, and
the demand WIS mado by the nation for the
courtmartaiing Of the unsuccessful sailor,
but the good sense Of PALMERsroN's Govern
ment saved him from such ali ordeal, for it
saw that 1t would have been folly for him to
do anything different.
That was before the day OF the monitors
! Thundercr and ln1cxiblc, before ironclads
had come TO form the centre of navics. But
II fleet Of those formidable vessels should
to-day lie sent against CrOustadt. the pres
cnt engineer ng appliances Cor the defence
Of harbors, chiefly torpedoes, would make
| tho result just the same US in NAPIER
day
This was practically all that was done
With navies during the CrimeaL war During
the Francu-Gernnn war. though LOUIS Ma
! rOLEoS had n navy second only 10 that OF
! England, and rich in ironclads there was no
use for IT, France would have been just as
strong without IL. II scarcely ycnturcd out
OF French harbors, and only became OF real
service when he ships guns and crews were
transported u Paris, 10 be used In the forth
ications during the siege, which they ma
terially aided In prolonging. 1t is true there
was a little brush of Havana, between a
German and a French gunboat, in which one
man lost his lex and couple OF men were
scaldcd, bat 1t amounted TO nothing, and
ONLY served t. show the absurdity OF two
vessels meeting on the ocean and pummel-
Ing oae another So far u. any effect Oh the
greet European war WAS concerned. two
hun.ule t,y- qu.grci.hs 81 . balnyarI would
have had a. iaL'h.
Duran, ou~ var We had tho advantage Of
fighting n rrolle substantially without a
navy. Tut with al our sAips scoll in- the
scas W. wore unable 70 catch the pos
tuont Alabama, which went about de-
stroying our commerce and terrifying
shipmastcrs. when tho Kearsarge did
Hnally meet lcr IN the Engllsn thhnnel IL
was 10y previous arrangement or q tact I'M
dcr~tauding between the Captains, and tho
conflict was really a much Of II duel az that
between Mr. MAY AMI Mr.. BENNETT and it
had about rs much direct eject on the for
Tunes az the war rs that bloodles- encounter
did on the electoral count. II l. true. the
fight between the Alabama and KearsarA
Displayed skllful Fu1uc.y on the part II TIC
latter, and a mauuding vessel was got I'D
Of; but that was all.
Even now The Russian Grand Dukes are In
ou' waters with some ~ the ships Of their
imperial father, sent hithcr at the very mo-
mcnt when Russia is at swords points Will
Turkey and stands mcnaciug the Moham
T. edan on the further side NJ the Pruth
Why are these vessels sent hithrr AT such q
time? Icoause they are useless at home
would be- Of no service in the Dardunelics ol
Bosporus, and might a. we'll be thousand,
Of niles away a. In waters adjacent 10 tn,
conflict.
The truth Is, there Is n great deal that Il
suggestive of farce and hunibug, profcs
sional prejudice and stubborn Resistance t,
accomplished facts. In all modern naVics.