Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-07-17
oUR IRONCLADS.
vvhas q Prominent shlpbusIder
Thinks should Be Dene win the
NIOaItoFs PuritsR. WOnadnock.
Amphftrtte aad Terror.
Neuo York Herald.

Ne1o York Herald.
In connection with the recent develop
ments concerning the celebrated "third OF
March contracts" +" made by Secretary r )be
son on March 3, 1877, for the completion of
the monitors Puritan, Monadnock, Amphi-
trite and Terror, 8 prominent shipbuilder
Of this city said yesterday: "The whole
course of the government in the matter o.
It's iroDclads is q record Of peculation-
astounding thievery is the better phrase
and folly. Not only are the sums which
have already been paid on these vessels
absurdIv in excess OF their real value, but
the sums now asked for their completion
are out Of au proportion to the
actual cost What should be done is that
the Secretary, Of the Navy should
appoint q board OF officers, who would de-
termine the proper compensation to ne
awarded the contractors for the space occu-
pied In their Yards by these unfi oished bulk7
during these past years. This should be
paid: the vessels should then be remove q s1
some of the navy yards-a comparatively
easy thing to do-aud their completion ad-
vertised for public competition. II this
were done It would reducs the further ont
lay most surprising. Then what? Should
they be launched when completed aud a
full complement Of officers and crews pus
aboard of them? Not at all. What Is their
utility now? They are not needed. Aside
from the prompting motive of Job in
building them they were only intended
waen completed for harbor defense. Do
we need aay harbor defense now? No.
They should be allowed to remain on the
stocks, and properly covered over and cared
for until occasion arises, If it ever does arise,
for their use.
'Not only should this be done, but the
whole policy Of the government In refer
ence to its, ironclads should be changed.
=
them cruising about, TO maintain which
thousands OF men have to be paid and run
dreds Of officers are given a soft billet. The
latter, after completing their danelrg les
sons at Annapolis, are detailed to display
their accomplishments on the Mediterranean
or have a Levy life in the West 1ndias.
There Is no earthly necessity for this. But
Is being done to the vessels
Of themselves, which will leave
them entirely worthless If occasion
should ever arise for their being called into
active service. An ironclad is not like
copper bottomed wooden vessel, which may
cruise around for half century without
calling for any radical repairs TO its bull.
In ten years these iron vessels n kent
cruising about, will, by the action of the
salt water upon their hulls outside and the
bilge water which is continually corrodin0
their insides, become absolutely worthless
lronclads should not be put into COM
mission at all until they are actually
needed. The English Government appre-
ciates this fact, and their ironclads are
taken out of the water and laid up at Bir.
and other places, where they are
covered over and their machinery kept con-
linually oiled until they are needed Then
hey are launched and are in good condition
'or action. The same thing should be done
With our iron vessels, and we would thus
Tot only preserve them In good condition,
,ut would save the vast outlay which is
low necessitated in keeping them afioat.
This could be done OF an original cost of
bout 81, 600 each for hauling them up and
N insignificant yearly expenditure for keep
ng them In good order.''