New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-01
THE NATIONAL Defence.

II is an interesting coincidence that Just
when some lot-headed newspapers are talking
about the possibility of war as consequence
of the operations of foreign Governments on
the Isthmus of Panama, certain official reports
are made pubic which demonstrate that III
the event of hostilities with any Power, even
of the second or third class, the United States
would be utterly without defence. com
mittee of the House Of Representatives,
by unanimous agreement, has made
melancholy exposure Of the worthless charac-
ter of our Navy, and the annual report OF the
Chief of Engineers has called attention TO the
fact that our harbors are almost entirely I'M
protected. England. France, Spain. kaly'
even some of tho beggarly South American
republics, have ironcads which could blow
our whole Navy out of water; and any one OF
them could reduce New-York in few hours.
The cause of the dangerous condition of the
coast Notifications is wholly tho obstinate re-
fusal of Congress to appropriate the neces'
sary sums for tho completion of the works.
The Engineer Corps have kept watch OF the
changes in naval armaments abroad. and the
costly experiments Of other governments In
gunnery and defensive armor; and with the
have conducted some highly important and
satisfactory trials in the conversion OF heavy
smooth-bores (of which we have great
number on HANDY into rifed ordnance.
They have also planned, and wherever
the means allowed have begun, the necessary
alteration and enlargement of existing fOrlii-
cations to meet the changes which within fiji
teen years have revoutionized naval warfare
and coast defence. But Congress will not AL
low them to go any further. Nothing is fin
ished. None of the forts are properly armed.
The appropriations do not suffice to keep GER
tain of the most important defcnces IN ordi-
nary repair. Some of the new and unfinished
works III New-YOrk HarbOr cannot even be
saved from the diapidation OF The weather.
The money for continuing the conversion Of
smooth-bore guns is withheld. 1t will take
wears to make our seaports secure; 1t will need
only few weeks TO reduce them to ruin II
We are caught unpIepared.
With regard to the Navy, the trouble is not
altogether parsmony, because that establish
ment costs about Sl5,0OO,OOO year even
now, and was still more expensive under the
administration of General Grant. The money,
however is most injudiciously spent. AS new
vessels cannot be built without express
authority of law. Congress practically gov
ems the Navy, and questions which call for
high scientific knowledge are decided by the
votes of members who hardly know frgate
from a dug-out. A great many Western Con-
eressmen never saw a ship of war, have no
clear idea OF the uses Of navy, and fancy
that in case of foreign quarrel we
could improvise effective hotillas out
of ferry boats, as we did during tho Re-
belion. They do not understand the differ
epce between fighting q naval power and fit
ting ND blockaders and river gun-vessels for
such service as we had to perform in the
South: and it is difficult to persuade them
that the ships which figure in our Register are
entirely unfit for service. Millions of dollars are
spent in keeping them. ahOat, and spent to 70
useful purpose. They are subjected t~costly
repairs and alterations; new machinery Is
provided for them; and when all Is done they
are still only fit for show, or for cruise on
scientific or other peaceful errands. We must
face the fact that naval architecture
has undergone a complete revolution within Il
few years. aud that the best of our national
cruisers are to-day as aDtquated as the old
fashioned three decker of Nelson's time. Our
naval history is so glorious that it is doubly
notifying TO know that we are no longer
able to fight battle On the seas, and that
none of our officers have ever sailed modern
ship of war.
The remedy proposed in the pending reor-
ganizanon bill ought to have been adopted
longago. 1t is to sell all the obsolete ves-
sells. break up the useless and rotten
hulks, and apply the money TO the con-
struction of real war vessels. A navy cannot
be created by act of Congress at the moment
of emergency. And navy, as the world now
goes is absolutely essential to the prosperity
of every nation which has sea coast. We
are not likely to go to war with anybody; but
unless we are able to 20 to war our rights
will not he respected and we shall live only
at the suiferance of our DeighbOrs.