The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-05-04

OCus 6uoTm0u S612 uS WIS III III
vor of allowing some of eur army
officers to visit either army with
out pay and serve on staff duty.
OUR NAVY.
Our Ability 40 Protect AmerI-
can Commerce.
u Special Telegram TO the Inter-ocean.
WARHINGToN, April "a. Your
correspondent had an interview
with Admiral Porter, the head Of
the navy, in regard to the cOndi-
ton of the United States navy; its
ability to protect American CON-
merce against the privateers that
might be sent out to destroy mer-
chant vessels in case the European
war became general, and its COM
parative strength in relation to the
other great maritime powers of the
world.
The United States navy now con-
sists of lac vessels, of 150, 157 tons
measurement. Exclusive of how
itzers and Gatlings they carry LAP
guns; of these 123, carrying 9I3
guns, with q measurement of 120,-
$40 tons, have steam power, and %,
carrying nOminally 229 guns, with
q measurement of 29,263 tons, are
sailing vessels.
OF the whole number OF vessels,
Y are at present in actual use, thir-
ty-seven are attached to fleets, two
are in use as training ships, six on
special service and as dispatch and
freight ships, two are torpedo-boats,
FIVE are receiving-ships, two are
s'ore-ships, two more are used by
States, under act of Congress, as
scholarships, and Is are in use as
quarters, gunDery -ships, tenders, etc,
at the navy yards and shore stations.
OF the remainder, four are prepar-
ing and almost ready for sea, eight
are under repairs, and fifty-nine are
laid up at the various navy yards.
Admiral Porter says: "Our navy,
taken as q whole, is worth nothing,
and the sooner the country under
stands that fact the better. It would
require great stretch of credulity
to make one believe that the navy
is in the fourishing condition rep
resented by Chief Constructor
Hanscom in his late report. Our
officers, as has been proved, are
ready to do battle even with the
most desperate odds against them,
but l do not believe there is any
one who would engage one of the
ships alluded to, in smooth water
or otherwise, unless he wanted to
throw his own vessel away"
He further says that the English
and Italians have vessels which are
as superior to our feet "as a whale
is superior to shoal of behring's
What ships we have would be use.
less in war with the great powers
of Europe, for they would soon be
swept Off the ocean,"
"The manner in which our navy
has been conducted since the aboli.
ton of. the Board of Commission.
ers is reflection upon our intelli.
gence as a nation, and it will be 6
happy day for the country when
our legislators appreciate the i'm.
portance of remeying the evil
Since 1861 we have spent S480,000, ;.
600 in the construction of vessels
and have not at this moment q sim
gle vessel representing the force OF
second-class British ship"
"The last vessel of war built BY
England, and two lately built by
the Italians, could, either one Of
them, place our entire navy hors dU
combat or drive them to the shelter
of our forts"
, Admiral Porter thinks the prop.
er system for the United Statei
Government to adopt sis that pur.
sued by Great Britsin-to build
yearly so many tons of vessels OF
war. She bailt annually abeHt
, 10000 tons, half of which amouE
would be sufficient for rs to builC
for the present until, after which
we could get along with 1000 tons
, year of iron vessels and the same
amount of cruising vessels"
He says that from 1915 to 1916
our navy WAS the best in the world
because it was ably managed by &
board of naval commissioners com
posed of the three highest officer
) IN the service. He thinks the pres.
! ent system should be abolished anC
: the Did system resumed,
I'm case of war between this ma
ton and England, the English navy
, could batter its way into any Of
: our harbors and destroy them; and
= any ordinary ship in the British ma.
) Wy could blockade any Of our har.
, bors, could keep In every ship thaI
was there, and keep out every ship
gle vessel of the English navy
; could whip everything we have got
: Il is no exaggerationt to say that the
: "Infiexible," for instance, could go
= through our whole navy. OuI
oh fvAk Gr.k Ia = =
not hurt her. Her people would
: go down to their dinner quietly
while we were fighting at her. And
} our ships could not run away from
} her, because she makes her fourteen
knots an hour on q measured mile
and the fastest of sur monitors only
makes eight miles,"
We could not afford to engage
: any of the European navies On
! equal terms. England has sixty
five iron-clads, and France has six
: " eight, and they are both building
} all the time. Whenever France
builds ship England goes to work
and builds. another. Germany il
: coming up as q naval power, and
will finally have . navy certainly
. evual to that of France. Russis
J has q very good navy, but it does
not compare with English Of
: French.
, Admiral Porter has Q very poeI
, opinion of the Turkish navy. He
says it Is "Very much like Chiaess
forts. The only use it is, is to fire
, salutes."
: He does net consider our navy il
in condition to protect American
commerce in case protection is nee.
essary. Our vessels of war are toe
slew In their sailing qualities.
Lessing exclaims, "Woman is tn,
masterpiece of the UNIVERSE Bour
don says, 1.-THE pearl Is the image O
purity. hnk Woman L. nflrar than fk.