Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-24
OUR NAVY.

OUR NAVY.
Congress has done another foolish and |
wasteful thing in appropriating million |
dollars for the purpose of placing engines
and machinery in the monitors that have
been on the stocks for the past half dozen
years, under the plea that something is
necessary to restore the prestige of cur
navy a2d uphold the dignity of our gov
ernment and flag on the high seas. The
appropriation was sturdily combatted for
time, but the pressure in its favor was
too great, and so this immense amount of
money was designated to be poured down
the rat hole that has already absorbed
so much of the peoples wealth.
The monitors which it is thus proposed
to complete were contracted for during
Robeson's management of the navy de-
partment. They were modelled after the
old pattern, which has been condemned
since by every competent naval architect
in the world. They are wholly unsea-
worthy, and if allowed TO pass outside a
safe harbor would go to the bottom like
lump of lead. When Secretary Thompson
assumed charge Of the department he at
onco ordered suspension of work upon
the vessels, and the appropriation for their
completion was very properly covered in
to the treasury. When that distinguished
mariner Chandler wormed his way into
the Presidents good graces and the navy
department, he appealed to congress for
IN OllP
navy from the disgrace into
which it had fallen, and to
complete the condemned moni-
tors without delay. Congress compliantly
did so to the extent of about two millions
of dollars. Now comes an additional mil
lion for the engines for hulks that have
half rotted on the stocks and will never
dare to leave harbor except in a dead calm
for fear of going to Davy Jones' locker
with all on board.
Money spent on navy at the present
time is simply squandered. We do not
need navy at all. Our country is not at
war with any foreign power, and there is
no danger of a rupture of the existing
peace. But even if war was imminent it
would be the worst of extravaganza to
build monitors, except for harbor defense,
and even for such purposes they are more
expensive and less useful than
torpedoes or permanent Notifications.
Experience has demonstrated that
iron vessels are toe clumsy for
naval engagements, and are far more like
ly to go to the bottom during a fight than
wooden frigates. The iron cruisers re-
Gently authorized Will answer ever purpose
of display for quarter of a century to
come, and if we wish to be prepared for
war with naval power there is far bet
ter way of providing navy than by build
ing either monitors or cruisers.
The true policy Of the government would
be to encourage the building of an Ameri-
can merchant marine-ves5els of speed,
durability and good architecture. 1t is not
necessary to subsidize ship-builders, but
only to remove portion of the disadvan-
tages under which they labor. The tax
upon timber, upon iron and
upon other materials that
enter largely into the constr uction of
ships should be abolished. To the
increased price of these articles
under the protective tariff system
can be attributed entirely the decay of the
American shipping interest. In return for
the privileges extended the government
might require that the vessels constructed
shall be of given size and equipped in
certain manner, and retain the privilege of
| 100 ,bo,,
they shall be required for the defense of
the country. By this means we could have
large and efficient navy constantly on
hand, ready to be equipped for active
service at twenty-four hours notice. This
plan is being adopted by Germany and
Russia as the most economical, besides Civ
ing promise of greater efficiency than the
old system. Congress is wasting
the peoples money by making
large expenditures for the repair
of the existing rotten hulks,
and for building new gunboats that are of
no possible use, but will be permitted to
rot and rust at one of our navy yards. A
good merchant marine will pay its own
expenses, while a large navy will he con-
slant source of outlay and continue the
era of corruption that attained such gil
gantic and scandalous proportions under
Robson. A dozen frigates and cruisers
are sufficient for all practical purposes
in time of peace, while swift merchant
vessels that can be transformed into men
of-war at short notice will prove far more
effective in war than the great, lumbering
iron-clads that are so unwieldy that they
cannot be used to any advantage. 1t is
about time that this lavish expenditure of
money was stopped before the people are
too heavily burdened.