The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-14
How Money is Wasted in the Navy.

The Navy Department under the Fraudu
lent Administration is stupidity managed
concern, and II not actually corrupt, still
gets rid Of great deal OF money in useless
expenditures.
All the navy we need, and one thoroughly
efficient, could be supported on a third OF
the appropriations Of this year, reduced
though they are. One navy yard on the
Atlantic coast and one on the Pacific coast
are ample for our necessities. The enor-
mously expensive Mediterranean squadron
Is OF no use except to carry naval officers to
the gayest ports on pleasure excursions; and
just now GRANT is travelling about at the
peoples expense on one Of the best OF the
ships 1t probably costs thousand dollars
n day to keep the Vandalia in commission
for the benefit Of private citizen and the
crowd Of people he has along with him.
Another example of the waste of the
Fraudulent Navy Department is furnished
nearer home. The steamship Richmond
was put out OF commission at Boston about
year ago, with the view of repairing her
A favorite way Of spending money on our
navy is to scuttle the ships and make them
over again. Millions upon millions Of dol
lars are squandered in these so-called re-
better than when thcy went into them.
Such a lavish use Of money would soon
ruin any steamship company, and yet our
naval vessels do not compare in efficiency
or in general condition with the passenger
steamers which ply between New York and
the European ports. They are always get
ting out OF order and requiring the tinker
ing OF ship carpenters and steam engineers.
In the case Of the Richmond, nothing else
occurring TO the Bureau Of Steam Engineer
ing to do to her, it was decided to substitute
a four-bladed screw for her two-bladed one,
to overhaul her engines, and to put in new
boilers. These alterations afforded chance
TO spend a large sum Of money To change
the screws II was necessary to lengthen the
shafting, but when the work was done it
was discovered that the new section Of shaft
Ing was Of the same length as the old, and
consequently fresh screw had to be cast.
The unfortunate engineer who found out the
bunder and reported 1t was promptly de-
tached from the Boston Navy Yard for his
imprudcnt zeal, and sent elsewhere. For
navy officer, TO get on smoothly with the
Fraudulent Department at Washington,
must keep his eyes shut 10 its wastciulness
and stupidity. The blundcr involved an ex-
ira expense of five thousand dollars.
But 1t was not the only one. The new boil
ers, which cost at least third moro than
they are worth, We're ready to be put in the
ship several months ago. Then the hitch
came When they were measured it was
found that they are at least foot too high
to occupy the space filled by the old boilers.
1t Is necessary, therefore, to make extern
svc and costly alterations in the Richmond
before the new boilers can be got In her; but
even when they are done the furnaces will
be brought so low that the iircmen will have
work to fire up. This blunder will easily
cost ten thousand dollars more. and when
the money is spent the Richmond will be no
better than before she went to Boston to be
repaired, if she is not a good deal worse
1t is in ways like these that millions Of
dollars Of the peoples money are wasted.
We have no navy worth speaking Of; but,
even such as it is it is more than We need.
When ships get unscaworthy, let them be
sold to the highest bidder. We can spare
them. A dozen vessels arc enough to do all
we require in the way Of Il naval service.