The daily gazette., 1882-02-02
THURsDAT FEBRUARY 3. Isss.

Qua WRETcHED EAvY.-Some time
ago Mr.. Thomas was directed 10 re-
port bill for the relief of officers
and crew Of the Monitor who partici-
patcd IN the fight with the Merrimac
on March Q, 1863. Mr.. Harris, chair
MAI Of the committee, submitted the
bill agreed upon. 1t provides for a
construction fund for the Navy. The
bill vas subsequently, reported to the
House and request made that it be
referred to the Committee Of the
Whole House on the State of the
Union. Accompanying the bill is q
voluminous report setting fortA the
twretched condition" of the navy.
Among other things the report says I.
awe are now redaced to point 50
low in naval affairs, as compared with
most ether nations, that we really
have to begin at The bottom. The
work of creating such q navy as is
now contemplated will require proba
bly, seven years" The bill proposes
TO relieve the navy of all worthless
ships aud antiquated material and at
the same time project the Govern
ment from speculative rings 1t pro-
vides that no ship shall be rebuilt
where the cost OF rebuilding shall ex>
Deed 40 per centum of the estimated
cost of an entirely new vesse of the
same size, except under special cir
cumstancss aud when recommended
BY competent b lard. One provision
Of the bill limits the expenditure for
any one fiscal year to $2,0OO,000, unless
authority shall have been given by
Congress therefor.
There can be no doubt OF the
wretched condition of the Navy, and
that the whols American people feel
the deep disgrace and shame that 1t
oasis upon the high character our
Navy once held. That it should be
rebuilt Is a universal desire but
great fears are entertained that an
immense quantity of money will be
squan0eTed without giving the coun-
try the worth Of it in ships of the
proper kind. Enough money has
been appropriated every year since the
close of the war, had it been rightly
used, to have furnished US doz n or
more naval ships complete in all their
appointments, of which the nation
would have been proud, and the
builders have been able to boast. But
such has been the character Of the
men at the head Departments for the
past fifteen years that waste aud ex
traVagance have reigned supreme.
Had it not been for the appointment
OF Gen. James to the Posl-uttiee De-
partment the nine millions stolen by
the S,sr Route contractors would no
doubt have continued hidden and
the amount annually stolen Increased
with each year. The populations
in the Treasury Department, which
was checked by Mr.. Window, has
not yet been fully laid before the
country. The Navy under Robson,
aud the Army under Belknap, were
supposed TO be even worse THAI any of
the other Departments. and they were
little, II aoy better, conduc ed under
Hayes. Tue consequence is that the
Navy is in The condition stated in the
report of MIR. Thomas.
IL should be rebuilt in the best man
ner. A bill should be passed at once
for the construction of five or SIX
ships by contract each year until
enough good ships are built to make
a small but efficient Navy. They
should be the fastest sailers on the
ocean, and armed completely with the
finest guns that can be made. We
lear, however, thai Lothing will be
gotten out of the party in power.
The different factors of it have been
warning upon each other aud proving
70 the country that corruption aud
fraud has abounded in every depart.
ment OF the government. Still We
cannot afford 10 wait for change.
We must have a Navy, and rust
that the builders will be more honest
than the political heads Of the de-
partments have been.
PERSECUTION OF THE JEws.-Tbe