Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-07-07

song and then converting them. But
the point to be especially marked is that
Robeson was responsible primarily for all
this waste or stealing and that Robson
now comes forward as the most active
protector of new naval schemes. At pres
ent he wants 81, 900, 900 to complete four
monitors. He does not indeed pretend
that this sum will make them serviceable.
On the contrary, it has been estimated that
to do that will require at least Sc, 900, 600.
Already these four monitors have cost over
So, 900, 600, and it is somewhat reasonably
objected to the proposal to spend more
money upon them that they will not be
worth cent when they are completed.
Mr.. Robson indeed has been telling
Congress that two of these monitors will
suffice to protect San Francisco, but this
statement is absurd on its face. In the
first place the armor of the monitors is of
an obsolete pattern. They were designed
years ago, long before the science OF naval
gunnery had reached its present state of
advancement Their armor is altogether
incapable of resisting the shot at present
thrown from the heavy guns of the En-
glish, French, German and other navies
And their own guns are far too feeble to
make any impression upon the sides of the
great seagoing ironcladso of European navies.
To say, therefore, that these vessels can
protect San Francisco is to ignore the facts
of the case inexcusably. In the event of
war they could not do anything. They
could not go outside the Heads and keep
the sea against European ironclads. The
latter would probably sink them both in
hslf an hour. Tdey certainly could not
guard the harbor OF San Francisco from
within, for they do not carry sufficiently
heavy metal. In fact the allegation is true
that no matter how much is spent upon
them they will be useless when completed,
and Congress is doing very foolish thing
to appropriate money for such purpose.
Mr.. Robson, however, seems to think
that the widest assertions will go down
with his colleagues. Thus he has gravely
declared that these monitors are capable
of going to Europe. The notorious truth
is that they are not seagoing vessels at all,
and that they can neither be fought nor
manuevered in rough weather. Should they
ever attempt to go to Europe that would
be the last of them. They certainly would
never be heard of again. They are indeed
antiquated, worthless, but frightfully ex-
pensive vessels, and it is perfectly evident
that unless Congress has mania for
squanderingth money of the peopleitought
to refuse to appropriate single dollar for
further work upon them. In tactic putmore
money upon them would be to insure the
failure of all plans of naval reconstruction,
and to deceive the country into the belief
thatsomething was being done to provide for
this pressing need, when in reality Robe
sons old programme of waste was being
persisted in. And it is clear that Robson
is the very last man in the country to be
intrusted with naval work. What he has
done in the past ought to convince the pub
lie of that, to say the very least, and it
follow his advice in the future. The Re.
publicans in Congress are acting very un-
wisely in this matter. They have no ex-
cuse for their course either, since it has
been demonstrated that what the country
wants is not monitors. but few great
seagoing ironclads, and considerable num-
Der of swift and heavily. armed steel cruisers.
If all our shore Notifications were armed
with powerful guns we should then be in
an efficient state of defense, but Robeson's
monitors will never keep foe from our
harbors, or enable US to uphold the
honor of the flag abroad. Not one of
these monitors, if completed in accordance
with their original design, would be capa-
BILE of engaging even the second and third
rate ironclads which constitutes the Chill
can navy. That one fact shows of
what service they would be when
finished. But judging from Robeson's
course in the past they never would be
finished. The programme which has been
followed in our navy yards during the past
fifteen years would no doubt be main.
tanned. That programme has been to be-
gin half dozen vessels at once; carry
them half way to completion then discover
that they were behind the age; pull them
TO pieces, or sell them to John Roach, or
lay them up in ordinary. 1t is owing to
this ingenious system, carefully supple
mented by the most deliberately idiotic
methods of construction ever ap.
piled by a zane people, that the
American navy has ceased virtually to
exist. And it must be remembered always
that these methods are the ones which
were adopted during Robeson's administra-
ton, and that he is the man who still de.
sires to keep this work in his hands. 1t
is bad enough to have spent 5000, 600, 900
upon navy and then to find that we have
got nothing for our money, but Mr.. Robe
son wants us to go on in the same way in
definitely, and it looks as though Congress
was strongly disposed to let him have his
own way. There is Io hope for the navy
so long as he controls it, Ii another mill
ion is spent upon the four monitors it will
be thrown away like all the money that
has preceded it. This is not what the
official and professional advisers of the
country have recommended. 1t is in fact
kind of naval policy which, if adopted,
will compel US to maintain exceedingly
peaceful relations with all the world, for it
will deprive the country of the capacity
for fighting and self-protection, and will
leave it at the mercy of even the minor
powers.
GENERAL sroNEMAN's SALARIES.
Seeing that the Democrats are trying to
present General Stoneman as model can.
didate, reformer, and shining example
of good morals and lofty character, it is in
order to inquire how thew propose to make