The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-10

I
that has become national. by snatchng
crs and their legal parasites tho soanty rem
nant still belonging to the victims Of the
most colossal scheme of swindling hypocri-
| sy that the world has known.
On Monday morning the venerable the
ologian. Mr.. THOMPSON Of Indiana, HAYES
Secretary Of the Navy embarked at Wash
ington on the paddlc-whccl steamer Talla-
poosa, bound for what he calls an "inspoc-
ton Of our Atlantic coast navy yards" As
the trip will take six weeks and Mr.. THoNiP-
son gets tho uso Of the TallapOosa for moth
ing. the people OF the United States paying
all the costs Of the voyage, the representa-
tive of Fraud and enemy Of the Popc did not
find IL difficult to induce iifty friends to ac-
company him. II was such a sort OF invita-
tion as both rich and poor are apt TO accept,
provided imperative engagements do not
keep them at home.
When the Talapoosa steams into a navy
yard the guns will fire n loud salute. the
officers will be drawn up TO greet the Fraud
ucnt Secretary. marines and scamcn will
present their best appearance. and the party
will bc treated to II liberal collation., after
which Mr.. THOMPSON ana his friends will be
pilotcd about the yard to see the sights
They will be shown a lot Of rotten ships, old
and new. finished and unfinished. and parks
of antcdiluvlan guns and pyramids OF use
less projectiles. They will also observe
gangs of men patching up battered tubs and
otherwise doing their best TO help the Navy
Department spend the cxtravagant appro-
priation Congress allowed it. But IL they
are able TO judge Of ships, they will hunt
long before they find one that Is worth its
cost. The officers. however. will not fail 10
magnify their offices, nor will they he too
bashful to ask for more money TO throw
away, for to them the Treasury Of the poo
pie is a placer to be worked.
Mr.. THOMPSON and his fellow excursion
lists, being bent on pleasure rather than
business. will of course neglect to perform
the only duty which calls for an inspection
OF the navy yards-a duty which ough. to
be undertaken by a serious board Of compe-
tent men. with no personal interests or am
billions to crafty, and not by crowd Of
jovial deadhcads. 1t is that Of preparing
the way for the abolition and sale of all the
eight navy yards along the Atlantic coast,
except two at the most. HAYEs's Secretary.
however told Us IN his last report that these
seats Of extravaganza and corruption are
" essential to the maintenance OF the navy"
which, as he had just shown, now consists
OF only about score Of ships available for
use. No valuable results, therefore can bee
expected from the summer yachting cruise
of III. THOMPSON and his cronies.
The reduction oi the navy yards must be-
made by Congress, without suggestion from
him and in the face of his threadbare argu-
nents against such an obvious measure OF
economy. One navy yard on the Atlantic
coast and one on the Pacific coast are all we
need, and the expense of keeping these up
can DO brought down 20 a small figure by
limiting them TO necessary work alone. II
we ever require new vessels or new steam
machinery, experience shows they can be
bought from private builders for much less
than the Government can construct them
That is the method pursued by England
which secures good work, while we squan-
der appropriations on ships which sink UNI
der their ornaments, or painfully get over
a few knots an hour, or fall TO pieces after
two or three years cruising ships whose
repairs soon eat up more money than their
original cost.
But the true policy Is to let the navy rot
away, as it speedily will. unless REINFORCED.
and then to get along without 1t. The
old humbug will not be missed nor will
1t be mourned by anybody except the l 700
officers it furnishes with mostly nominal
work, by a few favored contractors, and by
the clerks at Washington who keep its pom
derous books. Congress appropriated over
fourteen millions last May for this years
naval expenses, and yet there are single
ships in European navics which could put
our whole fleet TO flight or send them to the
bottom.
But the venerable THOMPSON is a greater
enemy Of the Pope than of extravaganza,
and is stronger in polemics than In maritime
affairs. He will return to Washington after
his six weeks yachting excursion with just
about as much knowledge Of our naval needs
rs he took away with him, and prepared to
again cry for moro millions to be spent on
our unnecessary navy yards and for our
twenty useless ships.