The New York herald., 1877-07-02

During the past six or eight years the
country has been amply informed OF the
rapid decline Of our navy and of its COM
plete ineficiency in material The press,
the Investigations of Congressional COM
mittees and Congressional reports, discus
sions in the House of Representatives and
on the stump, and the testimony of naval
officers themselves-of all grades. from the
Admiral of the Navy down to the lieuten-
ants--each and all bear the burden OF the
same unhappy story. 1t is no use now to
conceal the fact, and it is full time that the
sham navy of ex-Secretary of the Navy
Robson should have its wretched skeleton
put in order
Our navy is weaker and less efficient than
that of any Power Of Christendom. 1t is
weaker than that of Austria, smaller than
that of Italy, and we know that poor old
Spain scared us into half frenzy, and we
fell back, as best we could, behind lines of
torpedoes and harbor defences. Our navy
cannot meet that Of Germany, or Brazil, or
Turkey, nor even that of the Khedive OF
Egypt or OF Japan.
For eight years the administration has
allowed our navy to slide thus swiftly down
the slope of decadence. until from second
rate navy VIC have drifted to that Of third,
and from that Of third to fourth, and
this country cannot to-day put itself upon
an equality with the Moslem or pagan ma
tions in the matter Of it's navy.
BY some strange faulty the late admins
tration committed the blunder of rating our
ships great deal too high Ever since we
have been nation we have been careful to
avoid this error. Our second rates are not
third rates, if we take the European
standard as a comparison, and we can take
no other. Our third rates are not equal to
the fourth rntes Of other navies. Whatever
the magnitude of our navy may be or not be
the ratings and fighting powers of our single
ships should equal that of any other Power;
for herein lies the terrible secret of defect
and disgrace to any nation who ventures.
on sham before the world. We have not
one first rate in our navy. Our second rates
are only third rates. and hardly that, and
we are forced to use the few we have as flag
ships for foreign stations. These second
rates are only corvettes and nothing more.
If we look at our foreign squadrons and
see what Mr. Robson has left us ahoat it is
enough to make the nation blush. Yachts
abound plentifully. There are scholarships,
training ships enough for all the navies of
Europe. We have the steam yacht Frolic
on the Brazil station. There is the sidei
wheel yacht Gettysburg and that fancy
~ oh or1x hy for
Robeson for visits to Cape May, now
protecting our citizens" and "upholding
the dignity of our flag" against the bashi-
bazouks Of the Dardanelles and Bosphorus
There is the Palos in China, and the Fortune
is getting ready for the West Indies.
If it were not so serious matter the con-
dition of our navy would furnish pretty
pictures for Punch, if Punch only knew the
situation. 1t is not supposed by any OBJ
serving man that the present status Of affairs
in Europe will, be, smsintained. The torch
has lighted the fires in Europe, and that the
flames will embrace oil the commercial
States can hardly admit Of o doubt Who,
then, is to catch the falling pear? We ex-
pect to rehabilitate our commerce once
more, and should be prepared for the prize
and secure it. Every reader of history
knows that all the platitudes common in the
mouths Of diplomats are of no value at all
when the moment for action comes. We
may depend upon it, in the face of the half
broken Treaty of Paris, we shall see the
oceans covered with privateers or hastily
armed, swift footed cruisers, and this coun-
try must once more resort to long for
gotten duty Of convoy. 1t is not at oil i'm
possible that all the carrying trade for
Europe will require regular men-of-war to
convoy. And now what material has our
government to perform this very important
duty? We have only one ship-of-war in our
navy armed with rifed guns and having
modern equipments, and that is a corvette
third rate ship In our present condition
this country cannot even perform the duty
Of convoy if required to do it.
This is very unpalatable story; but if
we have deceived ourselves for eight years
it is full time we were now brought to face
the truth. We advise the new Secretary Of
the Navy that our navy requires reconstruc-
ton and reform quite as much as the GUS
tom houses and post offices. We advise
Secretary Thompson to coll home and sell
out his feet Of steam yachts to lay up q
squadron or so of Scholarships and training
ships, and put the money in ships of war.
1t may not be o wrong suggestion either
that our boards of trade and chambers of
commerce should look to this matter at
once, and as lying directly at the door Of the
most vital interests Of our merchants and
shipowners, as well as of the nation, it
would be we'll for these bodies to ''move on"
Congress and the Navy Department for q
prompt and energetic action in naval mat
ters. The country is quite willing and