The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-18

u AFFAIR.
/ Ffom the Congressional isccord, July 0.
4 The House having under consideration
the1ousc appropriation bill, Mr.. Wilson,
OF West Virginia, said: n
4 Mr.. Chairman, no expression OF opinion
3hy any gentleman on this floor could more
Z fully inform the House OF the condition Of
Z our Navy than tho reports oitlle Committees
!, u, Naval AilniIs OF tho Foriy.tiitlI and
Y FOhysixth Congresses, oil which the hon.
Orable gentleman from Tennessee Alr.
!, Whilthornel WIS chairman. %.
clip the following from the report Of
I his committee, Forty.iliti Congress:
"a In comparison with the leading nav,a powen Of
4 tho world we occupy very huuillatIng aud un.
satisfactory condition: but We hal better know aud
q appreciate It now, and. II possible. provide tho
ieIiedy than be startled BY the revelation ut per-
II Is for COngrrss to tay, with the evidence before
H. what measures shall be taken 10 place the coun.
Z tiy In condition for defense. aud 10 provide the
aud aieiy upon the sea. The people OF the United
States VIII hot long, consent to this present condi
y lion q weakness and posiDle danger.
~ And l also clip the following extract
y from the report Of his committee in the
Z fOTtyblStn congress:
s3g IN companion with the naylcs Of Great Britain
\ Pn'nee. Italy and even Spain. the American Navy
Is Immensely Inferior In ships and armament And
* SET thee nations have In the construction Of Aclr
n Eayits but followed out and Improved upon Ameri.
4 tan rxainp;cs and mOde's. ""
III view OF thcke facts the committee believe Il 10
b. ordny TO begin at once to prepare for the work
\ 81 building up navy adequate 10 the national de-
eilse md 10 the preservation Of the national honor
4 We cannot expect at once TO build up navy pow
"a,
contend with the inOiI.ter Iron clads OF England
PfLnce and Italy, nor do we desire that the attempt
should he made. t'r
~, We have no colonial dependencies TO hold In ,n
e willing subsection. nor Jealous rival nation upon
our bonlen 10 oyetawe by any exhibition Of power
4 We have no temptation 10 make aggressive war fol
i conquest upon any trans oceanic nation. We have
M empire equal to our ambition. not too large
let Us hope 10 be successfully governed ~ one iIa
X ton upon Republican principle.
We, wantn navy capable Of protecting our com
meice ~ all seas Of defending our own borders irom
i invasion, md OF destroying tho commerce and sea
going cruisers OF any nation which may make wa
A OF US Hh
S From these reports we, see that in com.
Aparlson with the leading powers Of tho
world our Navy occupies humiliating and
unsatisfactory position.
i;!s hold In my hand, Mr.. Chairman, q
: pamDhlet giving statistics in relation tc
: the navies OF tho world"
" 1t fully sustains the views OF the Com
a mittee OH Naval Affairs. Itshows that our
A sea'coast everywhere is in an unprotected
deienseless condition. As M illustration
1 take our South Pacific station. | read the
a following:
The United States Naval force oil this, tho South
= lhciilc station, consists OF four nnatloied w0o!el
vessels. namely, Pensacola. flag ship,) AlnsEn
+ Lack wanna Ind Adams. The rcnsRcOia cnn make
eight EuOis per hour: the Alaska eleven knots: The
ihckawannn, eight knots: and the Adams. eleven
KNOBS not one OF these vessels could either over
lake Or run AWAY from tic Almlmnte COchranc OF
E Of sufficient force TO compete successfully With cyel
q one Of these two iron c!Gds. AVID OF not sufficient
i speed TO avoid hopeless conflict.
Now look Tor moment to the Navy OF
Chill. The following extract will explain