Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-09-22
OUR NAVAL CONDITION.
An interesting Paper by johs
Roach.
REPAIRING WORTHLESS VESSELS.
What the United States Wants on the
Water-The By.word Of Other
hations-An Effective Navy
Badly Needed.

NEw YORK. September 2l.-The Ameri-
can Protectionist will publish tomorrow
the Statements Of John Roach relative 10
the recent history Of the American navy
and merchant marine in response to ques.
tons put to him by the Senate COMMITTEES
on Education and Labor. 1t shows in de-
rsils the naval expenditures since 1850 aud
gives q summary OF all naval contracts with
American ship-builders Mr.. Roach claims
that his figures are all newly collected from
official European and American records
never before published, and that they ss-
tablish the responsibility Of Easland for
the falsifcstion OF Secretary Seward's
prophecy Of the speedy
ssppresssea % tie ReAellien.
Mr.. Roach gives . list Of % English
blockade runners in the early part OF the
war, which were loaded with munitions Of
war to the value OF <6OOO,0oo. and quotes
the British Annual Register and the
proof that the South depended for success
entirely upon English aid and resources.
The navy improvised during the war oost
So, coo, ,Oo0. Materials and vessels were sold
for $50, ,OOO, 900, leaving the cost OF our war
navy about $5I, ,O00GN, which will be fur
tber reduced by the proceeds OF IS vessels
directed 10 be sold by the last Congress- In
Is years since the war the United States
has spent for new naval vessels only s., ,ooo.-
w, while
England Has Spent
sl56, 10000; France, $sl 900. 900; Russis,
$35, coo, 90; Italy, $32,OOo000: Germany,
81, 10000; Turkey, $lT,OOo.OOJ; Brazil,
1900, coo and Chilli F.00o,ooo all for iron
clads-in all over 500, 90 expended by
our naval and commercial rivals.
These figures account for the fact that
the United States has nov no navy. The
wooden vessels which did good service dur.
ing the war, were built In great haste. and
sLould have been sold at the close of hos.
tlitits, and small number of efficient
iron and steel vessels substituted. Mr..
X, ach says he advised this and earnestly
opposed the extravagance and waste OF
constantly repairing worthless ships, and
that the necessary economy OF compound
engines was introduced by the one he
built for the vessels OF the WampanoAg
class al Q saving TO the Government OF
i50 COO under other bids.
The Rais Of she Merchant Martae.
At the close OF the war our merchant
fleet was destroyed. The Government hsd
taken 467 ships; the remainder were de-
stroyed by the English Confederate
cruisers or sold. English ship owners then
raised cry for free ships, 50 ~ 10 secure .
market for their used up vessels, and 10 get
control OF the great coasiirg trade OF 600
miles In American waters. Mr.. Roach
claims that the fact thst he defeated the
British Frse-ship bill In 1870 Is the OCCASION
OF the attacks made on him since then.
The Allaire, Novelty. Continental and
other great sbipbuilding works were all
broken up, In consequence OF the failu -
protect American shipbnilding, the heavy
e1actions OF port charges and the refusal
10. day for mail service.
How Mr. Roach Rids 30 Low.
A list Of naval lettings since the war
shows that Roach was, In most cases, tho
lowest bidder, but that heretofore the work
was divided between several.
Mr.. Roach accounts for bis low bids on
the steel vessels now building by bis own.
ship yards, which cheapens his materials
and says that the new cruisers will be ef-
fcient He says the Pacific Steamship
Comp pany alone has paid 10 him for iron
ships 81, ,OOO, 100, three times as much -
the entire outlay for new naval vessels by
the United States since the war, and that
in all foreign steamship lines iron and
steel vessels hsvs been substituted for
wooden nj great cost.
The Trae Policy.
The true policy Mr.. Roach says 10 TO
build a small, effective modern navy, and
beyond this reliance should be placed on .
merchant 1eet built by American labor
and capital, protected on the sea NJ we'll ~
on land, and fairly paid for mail serycs.
All Government taxation on American
shipping should be removed, and We should
rely on free American sbips, not foreign
ships. II this policy be speedily initiated
and followed We will soon recover our com.
merce with South America and other
countries, whose trade naturally belongs
TO Us, and will be ab 0 TO protect our inter
ests abroad, and avoid war by beins always
well pr. pared for IL without the expense u
a great naval estnblikhment