The New York herald., 1879-02-14
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 1879.
USES AND PURPOSES OF THE NAvY-PApER OF
REAR ADMIRAL AMMEN READ BEFORE THE
WASHINGTON BRANCH OF THE NAVAL INsTI-
TuTE.
3. Rear Admiral Ammen read last night before the
Washington Branch Of the United States Naval Inst
tnte paper on the purposes Of navy and the best
methods Of rendering it efficient.
The army ard navy supposed to be the
hedges of nation, less important to its welfare
and security than the hedges of the farmer to
him. he hoped to show that they did not exist idly
and unproAtably and that their fruits were not the
less valuable because they common property.
The purposes of the navy are usually afoat. The
high policed by the navies of the world, with
out which there would be no safety on the ocean.
purpose Of the navy was shown in the expedition OF
Commodore Perry to.Japan, in 1884, which resulted
in bringing tho family of nations IS 100000 of
ingenious and highly Industrious people. who now
occupy distinguished position, owing to their high
character and great artistic taste Had II not been
for this expedition Japan would probably still be an
isolated nation. An expedition about the same time
to Paraguay had done much to bring that nation then
isolated into commercial relations with the world.
Our navy had explored the Amazon from the head
wuters to the sea. and that magnificent river is
our vessels of war had made excellent survey of
the River Madeira. one of it's principal branches
which would coon bring us into commercial rela-
tions with an extensive and rich region.
within the past eight years the navy has completed
surveys wherever required of the watersheds of inter-
tropical America, leaving nothing in doubt as to
the solution Of the interoceanic canal question.
1t has furnished inspectors of lighthouses and
officers for the photographic duties of the coast
survey, both of which are of great value to us
Aofa tycifi fiy1nn SnYx x-iv
the oceans and determining the positions and charac
ter of their dangers must be done by navies for
ever remain undone. The navy gives moral sup
port" and sometimes something more positive in
the countries whose governments are not stable to
our merchants ana citizens abroad. Such have been
the purposes of navy more or less since it's forma
tion such will be its purposes more or less as long
al it is efficiently directed and exists in efficient
condition.
These functions constant and important in
times of peace that they may be regarded rs indis
pcnsabic to any great commercial natioi and the
performance of them serves as y school of instruc
ton in times of peace, without which in times of
war the loss TO u nation would be incidentally
greater than all the cost incurred in maintaining
such establishment.
The Importance OF being able to instruct large
number OF officers taken from the merchant service
dwelt upon, and also in tia connection the latent
force that nation possesses in having large retired
list of competent officers The provisions made by
Great Britain TO place comparatively young men in
responsible positions and to retire large number OF
officers to effect this were given and the benefits de-
rivnbje from this act on.
| Compound engines were not regarded proper for
vessels war. was it thought possible to con-
vessels built for the merchant service into
sells Of that would bc able to meet vessels of the
same tonnage built for vessels OF war. Wooden pro-
| pcllers having long shafts not thought well OF
from the want of rgidity of frame-a defect that
structors have not yet overcome. This want of
rightly made bad lineage for the engIncry, which
caused friction heating, consequent expansion aud
brcakdowns.
An unarmorcd iron vessel thought useless a
vessel of war, and the reasons given therefor Vcs
sells having iron frames. and known rs ''sheathed
! and composite" were regarded as those which
should take the place of wooden vessels of
They would be found as expensive in construction
wooden vessels, at least those first built, hut when
tho hull as good as new, which is not the with
wooden vessels rebuilt the cost of the repairs being
often great as new hull, and the ycssel then
passing into the long list of disabled vessels.
| Ii assumed that "sIeathcd" and composite
vessels should be our schools of instruction, and
police the in time OF peace aud should destroy
am enoiny's commerce in time of war, and that ma
rne would be able to destroy plated gun
bearing ships, but that we could not hope to rely
upon supposititious and untficd elements of naval
strength and therefore, in peace. should devise and
Try them 80 aa to make naval warfare economic but
that nothing could be considered economic that
i not effective.
Sounding the depths of the ocean. surveying the
islands ana shoals and hidden dangers, policing tho
and thus preventing the existence OF piracics.
protecting by "moral force merchants and
citizens abrosd and In the many countries having
unstable governments forming material support.
and thus avoiding the necessity OF making demands
FOR indcn,nitythese are the constant purposes OF
navy, and could not be dispensed with 10y any power
without great loss in time oi peace aud ruin in time
! of war.
Tho Admiral thinks highly of the present training
ana effectiveness of the personnel OF the navy and
concludes as follows:--
| Courage is n natural quality, far more common
than many suppose mt least sufficient courage to
a recognized duty; but that alone will not suffice.
That eminent divine, the Dean oi Westminster, said -;
Courage, selicon'ro discip inethese the gifts
! by which victories are won earth These are
| golden words IL they are taken TO heart by our
young officers We have nothing to fear from the
power OF any adversary"
DUTLER's TAX IN THE DISTRICT or COLUMBIA
SARCASTIC APPENDIX TO THE OPINION OF THE
| ATTORNEY FOR THE DISTRICT.
| Mr.. A. q. luddle. attorney for the District o