The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-02
Boutwell, rs n Naval Authority.

Boutwell, ms n Naval Authority.
In the debate in the Senate, last week, on
the Naval Appropriation bill, Mr. boutwell,
made some remarks which contained u
modicum of wisdom, but also great deal of
folly. He seems to have read The Sun with
profit, for he adopted our point that the
time has passed when there was any use in
our spending money in Keeping up n navy
TO fight out in the open sea. That time
passed long ago, both for us and for all ma
tions. The day Of navics as they were in
the time Of NELSON is over. 1t Is probable
that we shall never again have another of
those sea battles, the accounts of which still
inllamc the Imagination of youth. Such an
engagement would be proiitlcss, for the
fruits Of victory in it would be only the
destruction Of the cncmy's vessels, with the
probable loss OF some Of those of the sue
ccssful party. No great point would be
gained, and the issues Of the scyious and inn
portant contest on land would be unaffected
by the result Of the sea duel, so long IA the
contestants harbors were protected by
modern engineering appliances.
Mr.. BOUTWELL, was therefore right I'm main
tanning that it is not for our interest to
max" any preparation for an open sea fight
ii l. also absurd for us to think Of competing
witt England or any foreign power in the
building Of sea-going irOnclads. In the first
place, these vessels arc enormously ex-
pcn-iVc both to build and maintain. Next,
what may bc a strong and possibly an i'm
prognable ironclad to-day is next year per-
forablc by the guns constructed to assail It..
] IL, .l..t
striking it above the water line an ronclad
may bc, no shipwright and no engineer can
build II vessel which will withstand the cx-
plosion Of "A torpedo against its sides below
the water line That is physical impossi-
bility. The Infexihle is no better able to
resist such weapon than an ordinary
vessel Torpedocs are comparatively cheap.
ironclads cost millions each. The object
nowadays Is TO defend harbors against hos
tile fleets. and for this purpose torpcdocs
are vastly more efficient 1t is therefore
very plain that in them is the place to put
your money.
The plcpostcrous appropriation for re-
pairing. that il, substantially rebuilding.
the worthless doublc-turrctcd monitors,
/ which EFFGGY SARGENT engineered through
/ the Senate, Is a barcfaccd lob. No man in
his senses who knows anything about the
condition of navics and the safe Of marine
architecture aud gunnery, would give n
moments heed to ErrIGY's shallow argu-
mcnts in its behalf. He said If these an
tiquatrd vessels We're completed Eve should
have the five most powerful monitors in the
world" We should, ON the contrary have
"a lot Of ironcads through which the pro-
| jectlcs OF the guns at present in European
navics would be sent with entire ease. Il is
surprising that FFFIGY could talk So. and
that his ridiculous statements and his job
We're not at once exposed on the floor OF the
Senate
But Mr.. boutwell, could not end his re-
marks without indulging in some characters
istic folly. IIcproposcd that the Government
appropriate two and half millions year
| in bountcs to those who should huild com
mcrcial vessels upon models furnished Icy
| the Navy Bureau Of Construction and Re-
pair. Thus. he said, we should get fleet oi
two hundrcd steamships. Of Twenty-Five
hundred tons each, capable of carving
naval ornaments, II it were necessary,
which would render US in time If war ready
for any emergency" In the first place.
we don't want the two hundred YES
sells; and next, the Bureau Of Construction
and Repair is a pretty place TO 20 to for
their models. The ships designed by this
bureau are slow and miserable tubs which
the great private shipbuldcrs surpass every
day. The money might bc welcome to
steamship companies but, given under such
conditions. they would bc slow to accept it,
Inthc competition between lines speed and
| perfection of model are things of paramount