New-York tribune., 1882-02-17
PLANNING A NUCLEUS FOR A NAVY.

held last night office of the Secretary of the Navy
for the Interchange of views and opinions the subject
of creating nuclens for the Navy There present
Messrs Harris tchairman), Thomas Davidson and
Talbot, of the House Committee Naval Affairs. Sen
ators Anthony and Rollins, of the Senate Committee
Naval Affairs, Secretary Hunt Admiral Porter, Rear
Admirals John Rodgers, c. r. p Rodgers and Ammen,
Captain Walker, Commanders CrOwninshield. Evans,
HOwisOn and Scard the chiefs Of the various bureaus
and several Others officers of tho Navy. The
conference was opened by Secretary Hunt, who
spoke of the great unanmiy of the press and of the peO
pie in favor the project Of rebuilding the navy, and
said 1--WE have not merely to build navy, but as an
cary to that purpose perhaps controlling that
purpose, we have TO bulld merchant marine. How
that is to be done | do not undertake to say. ltlsa
matter be determined by Congress. But trust that
the day is not far distant when may all once more
welcome on the what has been a stranger them
for many years flag our own steamers leav
ing shores, with own produce and engaged
in conducting own commerce There is also another
matter which should invoke your attention refer to
the unsightly, the CHASTITY the useless the expensive
dead stock which have in the way OF
ships other materials and which dead is only
protected very costly price from destruction by the
elements. The building up Of Navy is subject which
naturally attracts attention. from the fact that rca
the sthmus may be said to have reached at this
time critical point 1t seems to be pretty well settled
notion of people that cannot afford to give up
right of way across that ishmus to any foreign Power
1t seems to be well settled that with vast possessions
the Pacific increasing rapidly i'll population and in de
veopmen we should have sure mode of cornmuni-
cation that isthmus which may call our own,
and which we must at least for time, manifest
ability to protect In order afford such protection, the
construction of the nucleus OF navy becomes mpera-
lively necessary"
Mr. Harris invited the expression Of opinion on the
part of Naval officers to the class number material
and armament of the vessels which should he now con
sructed and intimated that he prepared to bring
before his committee item to be presented to the
Committee on Appropriations, appropriang S9,5OO,0OO
for the construction Of vessel Of not less than 1878
tons burden, and speed of not less than 10
knots; ships Of 1900 tons, and II knots speed;
ships Of 1850 tons, and l3 knots
pedo boat of 1870 tons, and 10 knots speed cruising
torpedo beat l25 feet long WITH speed OF y knots
speed Also for the purchase of 20 steel guns of g.
Admiral Porter expressed his entire approval of Mr.
Harris's proposition. What wanted first he said
was the big ships, the ships that can do the most work
He said that during civil war, when trouble
threatened by France and England the Navy Depart
ment had gone to work and but fast and powerful yes
sells, intended TO prey upon an encnys commerce, aud
that after that there had been no more trouble from
and England Some OF oIe Hs' SrG s @
moulderng he knew not where. They had cost
but that S34OoVSoo %%s tine best
had saved the country from a foreign war,
ships sucn as those proposed nobody would want to
trouble US When Great Britain was on the eve of war
with Russia some years ago. Russia had sent TO this
country and bought of largest merchant ships,
fitting them out with all the modern appliances and
Russia had been treated very civly ever since But be-
sides cutting eDemys commerce, the ports of this
country had 10 be protected by such vessels as would
prevent any ron-ciad entering them Inc Englsh
Warrior which built years ago. had been called
failure, aud yet she was to-day better ship than any
ship III the American Navy Inc Warrior might come here
tomorrow and she would whip the whole American Navy
matter who commands ~ into port before sundown.
The biggest ship IN the American Navy was the Tennes-
see, and The warrior would whip her in fve minutes
Rear AdmlralJOhn Rodgers president OF the late Ad-
vsOry Board entire approval of Mr. uarris
proposition. He held however, that irOnclads a
than ten years before should have large war sull
TIE war might come The political horizon was some
what threatening in certain direction and il would be
less threatening perfectly prepared meet
tation for another nation to be threatening II would be
wei to have iIOncl&ds as means OF keeping the peace
Admiral Raymond Rodgers also approved Mr. Harrs's
said, was that the great commercial Nations
Of the wolld should not look upon us as a
mere jelyhsh-a huge mass covering a great deal Of
surface, but wholly unable 10 harm those Who attack
warning given by Russia to England fted case cx-
on the ocean magnhed greatly Improved Alabamas,
mat EnsonG Ton1a With impress ensc sysTy rop%5yhCdeF
danger Of making war on this country. The creation
arming of vessels which the French called corsars
meant large shps, built of ght material capable OF
keeping at SEA for long time, of very
might seek 10 take, and to elude Whatever
they might desire to escape. These vessels would put
q
not be lightly encountered. He had been lately IN
command OF fOreiga station IN an old ship called the
Pensacola, the comfortable old bIrFack he
ever occupied. personal comfort went, had
been the envy Of his brother Admiras OF foreign Nayies
but far her power Of intctng injury went she
utterly ridiculous. She slow ship, capable Of max
ing ordinarily knots hour, with guns OF
no range, that instead of making the American flag
respected, she laughing stock She just alb
surd would be regiment armed with old brown |
Bess muskeIH. As TO rOncads, lie hoped that might
some day have them, but they expensive Injuries
He considered It OF great importance that |
he Df
ing the somewhat irresponsible countries the Pacific
shore with the idea that IL would be wise for
get too quickly on our toes.
The conference continued by remarks from Mr.. |
sherwood, Chief Engineer; Messrs Wilson and Hich |
Iorn Naval Constructors; Admiral Ammen, Captain |
Walker, Commanders Crowninshieid, Evans, HowisJn
and sicard and Lieutenant Very. They bore principally