The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1881-10-20
OUR so-CALEED NAVY
Made Up of worthless and Worn.
out IKuIks.

In conversation VITA o gentleman thor
oughly posted on the subject, THE CRITIC
learned the following facts about what we
are pleased to call q navy
Our little navy, which Is made up of
mud scows. &C., is the laughing stock of all
foreign nations. Its present condition, as
compared with the navies of the Old World,
can be spoken comparatively as of but little
value for aggression or defense 1t is true
that we have ships which bear our flag to all
foreign ports, but is that sufficient? Our great
est protection lies in the fact that our power
to construct what any other nation has con-
well known that our resources are enor-
nous. 1t Is realized abroad that if our flag
was once insulted feet would soon be
launched which would be incompatible.
IL Is this fact--viz the knowledge that
other nations have of our enormous ro-
sources-which makes us so confident. The
warnings of the past, however, should make
us more prudent, and not permit the valua-
bic timber Of this country, useful for ship
building to be carried Off as 1t has been
during the past ten years.
The navy is, comparatively with other
navies, In the same condition as it was ut
the outbreak of the last war; and months
were then consumed before the necessary
S'"oo VI ohipo touiu w pIOuuNtu WnlCn Wtrt
considered as equal to the times. 1t is a
very costly thing, this preparation for war
yet it becomes much less costly if wo take
the time Of peace to prepare for it and
that economy is questionable which closes,
as 1t were, the arsonals Of great nation of
5O,O0O,OO0 of people, trusting to luck to
meet our enemies.
The proper time to construct navy,
then, is in the time of peace, and not by
enormous outlays to be expended in short
space Of time; but by such judicious ex-
penditure of money rs to obtain such classes
of ships rs will meet the emergency when
it comes upon us.
The condition of the navies of Europe
warns us that although some of us may
have the Utopian idea, that as the world
is at present at peace, it will always remain
so, and that we cannot put out of sight tho
fact that so long as men and governments
are selfish, so long will 1t be necessary to
guard and protect our coasts and commerce.
This fact is admitted by all European gov.
ernments They are prepared at all points
for an encounter upon the seas IL 1t becomes
necessary, even to the far-off governments
of China and Japan.
The building of navy has one effect
which repays for the outlay, viz. it brings
to our shores work from foreign govern
ments, when once it is demonstrated that
we can produce better instruments of war
fare than can be obtained elsewhere at the
same prices, and those ship-yards which
have now been closed for fifteen years would
soon rcsound with the tinkling of the
hammer, when our government shall show
desire to increase our navy and foster our
commerce.
The proper ships to be built is no longer o
question. 1t Is admitted on all hands that
they must be ships constructed for the
highest attainable speed, and to be made as
formidable as is possible in other directions,
carrying the heaviest guns in use upon the
ocean. and with an all-around.fro of the
battery. The English government has al
ready attained speed of twenty. two miles
per hour, and we should not make less
speed in this class of ships.
The monitor for coast defense comes next,
being formed for the greatest speed consist
ent with the latest developments in armory
and gunnery.
These two classes should be supplemented
with one of our gunboats of the highest at.
tainable speed, and be- in fact floating gun
carriages, to act as consorts to the monitor
fleet, and capable of towing them in and out
OF action, they being armed as well
with the heaviest ordnance and carrying all
torpedo attachments. 1t is almost useless
to say that all the constructions named
should be built as rams, and that no future
for the navy should be of wood
where it can be avoided
The method of making appropriations to
build such navy in times of peace should
be on the old plan, for the gradual in
crease of the navy Let one vessel of each
class be commenced in each of the navy
yards, and appropriations of suitable mag
nitude be made from year to year until
their completion, and in the course of q few
years we should have fleet of ships of
which the. nation would be proud. am
aware that in the above am advan cling no
new ideas. But such is the amount of read
ing nowadays, it becomes necessary to re-
peat the same things many times before
action is taken, and it is to be hoped that
the new Congress in December will find
time to give its attention to the wants of
the navy, now so seriously felt.