The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-12-03
Naval Affairs.


"It Is very gratifying TO be enabled to re-
port an entirely satisfactory condition of
afiirs IN the insiructial. disciplinary, tinan-
cia, aud sli Itary management OF the Naval
Academy--a condition crediisble alike 10
the able and efficient superintendent, OFF,
GERS and professors, and to the cadets them
selves. TIE prescribed course Of stu
dies has been pursued during The
academic year. and the practice-Ships
have made their usual summer cruises.
! Superintendent Rear dmial G.. Il. BaICh,
IN bis annual report, states that the ships
| have been In high state OF discipline, and
the officers. cadets, and crew cOntented and
happy" On the subject OF foreign coaling.
Secretary Thompson says: Z" / have caused
steps 10 be taken for the establishment OF q
coaing station upon each side OF the
IsihmuS, at points emlDenlly suitable both
| as il IegarCs The naval uses and commerce
OF that region. The one on the east side Is
located at ChIriqui Lagoon in the Caribbean
sea, and in the immediate vicinity OF the
VEINS OF coal already opened. aud that on
the west at the Bay Of Calf o, Part Of
Golf Dulce on the Pacific. The distance
| between them is less than one hundred
miles. The ouly two safe and sufficiently
commodious harborS on the ISthmus are at
these points, and although tue Depart
ment did not before makiGg deposits
OF coal acquire title to the lands
occupied, yet it assured itself that no diff
Guilty would be likely TO arise on that score.
| Although il was not anticipated that any
! political objection would be made 10 pre-
| liminary examination and survey OF these
waters with so useful an object TO these
! ports rs wen a 10 this Government in view,
vet careful instructions were given 10 the
commanders of vessels assigned 10 the per-
for9luce OF the duty to the effect that II
either Government inerpOsed any Objec'
ton to the movement they should i'm
m~diately suspend operations and re-
port The matter to the Department,
IN order that it might be made The sub
ject Of diplomatic negotiation. lna>mucD,
however, rs no obstacle Of this kind was
encountered either at Cbiriqui Lagoon oil
GaIito, coal in sufficient quantities was de
posted at each harbor and now remain.
there for future use by our vfssels when.
ever 1t NAV be needed The question Of ac
qniling title TO a sufficient quantity OF land
upon these hai bors is necessarily left for the
| subsequent action Of the Government
InitiatOry steps have also been taken 10 IS
fablisb "A like station at Punta Arenas iT
Costa Rica, and II i believed that the De
partmeut will be enable 10 accomplish thi'
I before the expiration OF many months
| With all these ban bOrs made imme
diatPly accessible 10 our ships by nelu'
of these important stations, and Sucl
others AS NAV become desirable here
after. our intercourse with. the people o
The United STATES OF Colombia, or Cost;
Rica, and Of Nicaragua, Will soon becom,
more direct and intimate ihan II has bltbel
10 beeu. That it will produce favorable
and brpctcial results both to them and III
cannot be doubted. BY our treaty with tht
authorities Of the Samoan Islands we ac
ouirpd the right 10 establish a cOaling sta
lion upon The Bay Of PagO-Pagc, on The
principal island Of the group, and l pave
| caused coaling station 10 be es abliSbed
It. il ALREADY supplied with several hundred
tons Of coal"
"Tne cruise Of the Ticondcr0ga had spe
cial reference 10 an increase OF or com
merce. TIE first duty required OF Com
modore Shufrld', her commander, was thai
he should visit Monrovli, with the under
SANDING that il It became necessary ht
should act rs an umpire in settling tue DIS
uuted question OF boundary between Great
| Britain and Siberia. HIS instructions, how
ever. required HIN after leaving MOnrovIa
! TO visit both the western and eastern coasts
of Africa and hold such Intercourse viii
the natives with whom he could obtain ac
cess as would enable them to apprC clalc the
advantages Of trade with the United States
He was also instructed 10 visit Madagascar
| India, China. japan. C0rea, and Interven'
| ing accessible islands, with the same obltcl
in view. The special purpose OF his
visit TO COrea was 10 prevail, II pos
sible. upon The authorities OF thai
| kingdom 10 open their ports 10 the
commercial world. While Commodore
Shufeldt did not succeed in obtaining The
consent of the Corean authorities 10 open
their ports TO commercial intercourse witt
us, vet i, Is believed that he wa enabled tC
remove much II not all OF the Irritation
which our former relations may have occa
stoned, and has laid the foundation for fu
ture success"
| The Secretary calls attention to the rela
| tons Of the navy 10 commerce, and con
cudes a. follows Our material wealth is
in a large degree the product OF our com
mel &c upon the ocean. As this Is extended
so will our wealth be increased, and .:
NJ no time in The past has this wealth
increased so rapidly as at present
now Is the most oppOrtune time for Us
| to extend 10 il the necessary degree OF pro-
| lection. This is conceded on all hlnds. but
about the best method OF doing 1t there are
differences OF opinion. 1t i not the pro-
vice OF Congress 10 build vessels for The
merchant service, nor is 1t eXpedlent or pos
| sible to allow commercial articles 10 bt
| transported upon vessels Of war; but u
undoubtedly is within its constitutional
powers 10 give The necessary protection tC
our ship-building interests. so as TO justify
| an increase OF our mercantile marIue 70
such an extent as the necessities OF our
commerce shall require. 1t is entirely com
petent TO arrange with private ship
/ builders with reference to the eX
! ten sion OF our postal service upon ocean,
and To require that vessels used for thai
| purpose shall he so constructed that, 10 The
event OF war. they may be employed imme
diaiely for war purposes. Sucn vessels
| buiIt both for strength and speed, would
add most materially In case OF necessity Il
our means OF national defence, and the IN.
J crease OF our naval force by this means
would soon enable us to compete upon The
ocean with The strongest naval powers In
the world. England on es her present naya
superiority 10 this policy, and II serves nc
valuable purpose 10 contrast our condition
wit hers unless We shall profit by her ex'
ample. So long as her merchant vessels
built under her protection and patronage,
are allowed 10 draw annually from 0ui
wealth about Sl00, 100000 as compensation
for freigblng. our commerce, just so long
VIII our ini"riority exist. Whenever
our own commerce shalt be carried on YES
sells oN ned and built by our own people
capable Of being turned into ships OF wal
when necessary, then we shall reach point
OF equality with her, and be prepared when
necessity shall arise 10 test with her The
opest1on NJ sunprfnrifv unon the Gen Ra