Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-02-14
our myshicaI Navy.
Washington Correspondence of the Ne
York Evening Post.

washington Correspondence of the Ne
York Evening Post.
The report on the state ofthenav
made by Representative Harris
only tells in official form what eV
cry one interested knew before. Th
only feature of a navy which W
have is officers. We have no ships
no guns, 1t might almost be said M
crews; but some two thousand Off
GERS.
1t would be difficult to exaggerat,
the absurdity of our present nava
establishment. We are the laugh
ing-stock of the world. Fancy thu
secret hilarity, for instance, with
which M. de Lesseps and his friends
would read the threats of "naval
demonstration" on the part of the
United States in case our Govern
ment suddenly came to the conclu-
sion that it was worth while tu
stand by the Monroe doctrine in
serious earnest. European Govei n
ments would contemplate such a
display with the same sentiments
which drill of Chinese lorchas and
junks would inspire.
Mr.. Harris shows that, out Of our
one hundred and forty-twO alleged
vessels of war, but fOrty-eight can
by courtesy be designated by that
title, and Of these ferty-eight, the
ships fit to meet, of course not the
best, but the second or third-rate
vessels of rival nations, can be
counted on the fingers. Take the
Tennessee, for instance. This YES
sci cost enough for ship or a feet
of good ships; ii is now the flag
ship of the North Atlantic station,
and is supposed to be one of the best
vessels in the navy. Yet, as ship
of-war, it is not formidable, but
ridiculous. 1t was originally built
to help catch the Alabama. But
while on the stocks another naval
vessel had the bad taste and good
luck to capture that rebel cruiser.
Hence the Tennessee found its oc-
gone before it was begun,
and it has never invented for itself
any particular career or usefulness
since. For a time, indeed, it had a
for speed, and this is GER
tainly of great value in an Ameri-
al D-1l-ha1 il1oCOAiig EnAAGAY III
a naval combat would be in its abil-
ity to run away. But an officer
now attached to the ship told me
recently that at present it can only
go nine or ten knots an hour at its
best.
Our naval ships for warlike effici-
ancy should not be compared with
what are known and classed else
where as vessels of war, but rather
rs ships of commerce which might |
be, on an emergency, utilized for |
purposes. In the event of |
war between this country and Eng |
and, for instance, the Admirably |
need not detach a ship from routine
peaceful duty. In the contingency |
named the British steamers engaged |
n trade between Liverpool and |
New York would be temporarily |
die, and a few Of these could bepre- |
pared for service i'm a fortnight so as
% sweep our flag from the seas and
.ven make it dangerous for nom
,Ombatants to go in bathing at /
Joney Island. A ship like the
Gallia or City of Berlin
would be a more formidable ship of
var than any vessel in the United
States navy. Arm a Germanic with
hree or four Krupp or Armstrong
runs, provide it with a suitable
rev and supply of coal, stores and
ammunition, and she could sink our
hips at leisure. Properly handled
he could choose her own position,
distance and convenience in every
particular. What chance would
my of our men of-war have against
IN enemy capable of steaming six
cen and eighteen knots an hour.
md throwing heavy projectiles
niles beyond the answering reach
# our best artillery?
No, we have no navy; only Off
ers. The pyramid is standing
on its apex. But mathe-
naticians tell us that this position
5 one of unstable equilibrium, and
'recedes generally tumble.