Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-28
OUR NAvEE.

The Annual Report Of Secretary Thompson
Repairs ContenplGted-Ths lnatiIit,f
of Iron Vessels.
Washington Special Nov. 2s) to Chicago
Times.
Secretary Thompson completed yesterday
his report upon the condition of the navy,
and will send it to the printer tomorrow
morning. In conversation with the Times
correspondent upon the subject of his re-
port he said that it was nothing more or less
than the photograph CT the condition of the
navy as it now exists. He reports to Congress
there are now eighty vessels of the navy in
good condition for action in case of need,
and that there are also twenty tugs that in
an emergency might be made equal to some
of the vessels included in the eighty for
purposes of war. He estimates the
navy practically to consist of
ninety-two vessels. Mr.. Thompson re-
flutes the idea that the navy is not at present
in good condition, and says it is in posses
sion of ample material for all our require
ments. The natural wear aud tear of ma
terial, however, makes him anxious to make
small addition to the navy, and for that
reason he will ask Congress to give
THREE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
for the construction of new vessels. He es-
Inmates that this sum, if given him, will
build abou! six vessels upon models pro-
posed by him. He has built no new vessels
since his time as secretary in the
proper sense of the word, for he
held that under the law money appropriated
for the repair of vessels could not be
used for the simple construction of new ves-
sells. Two vessels, however, have been re-
built upon old stocks, under the repair act,
and are practically new vessels. The Hart
ford has just returned from three years,
cruise in the Southern seas, and will be sur.
veyed in a few days. It is probable that the
board of survey will find that she has suf-
fered good deal from the Southern climate.
where vessels do not keep IS we'll as they do
in the North, and that possibly she will be
placed upon the retired list. It is to meet
the possibility Of several old vessels going
out that MIR. Thompson asks for the
$4,000 from Congress-.
Mr.. Thompson thinks thati it
has BEEN WISE POLICY
on the part Of the country to let the ques-
lion Of building ships of war lie in statu quo
for time. England has been making, dur
ing the last few years, very costly expert
ments in determining the best class OF yes
sells to be built, and this country can now
reap the results of them without any experi-
ment. It would be possible to have the
American government, at comparatively lit
tie expense, build up very powerful navy.
The secretary believes that the Gay of iron
vessels has already come; that they are prac-
tiea!ly doomed. There is no iron
plate that can be manufactured
for which q ball cannot be found
to pierce it, and al iron vessel once pierced
will go down with almost no warning. An
aperture cut in al iron vessel cannot be
stopped up, as in the case of wooden vessels.
He believes that thu uavies of the earth vii!
have to
RETURN TO WOODEN VESSELS,
and rely upon speed, superior armament,
and skillful seamanship, for success. OF
course, he refers with pride to the fac. that
at the end OF the fiscal year he will have
81, 500 900 to cover into the treasury OF un-
expended appropriations made for his de-
partment. This has already been referred
to in the Times dispatches. He will
ask for the department proper $500, 900 more
an was given him by the last Congre So, and
from the secretary's statement it appears
that never Sas more reasonable request
made by cabinet officer. He gays that IN
der the law naval officers are of course al
lowed so much pay, and all that person
would need would be the rank of officers and
their number to find out exactly how much
money is required. He figured that out for
the last Congress, but they cut it down
100000. He asks 100000 Of Congress to
make up the deficiency of last year, $780,
GOO for this year, and the third 100000 is
for the increase in pay that has come from
natural causes. He asks Congress to give
$4,000 for the continuance Of his naval
schools. Upon this subject the secretary is
enthusiastic. He says he never means to
pause until he has the entire American navy
MANNED BY AMERICAN SAILORS.
When he began his system Of training
ships he said there was hardly sailor in the
navy that was native born; they all repre-
scented the scum of foreign ports, and 1t was
rare that any of these sailors who enlisted
ever became naturalized citizens. The re-
cults that have thus far been obtained by
his school are most flattering. He graduates
each year $50 boys, who, when they graduate,
have good common school education, and
are thorough seamea as far as training goes
BE says every commander of ship in the
navy is very anxious to get them, and gives
them the highest praise.