The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-05
he foreman and force of the con.

employing the foreman and force of the con-
tractor.
1T is OF no use to discuss the character of the
boats their merits or dement's. Under the
present circumstances all that the government
can do from business point of view is to COM
piete them. Whatever they turn out to be they
will demonstrate in practice
Considerable space is devoted to the operations
of the fleet at the New Orleans exposition, and
the details of the working of the department
In reference to the strength of the navy the
Secretary says:
''At the present moment it must be conceded
that we have nothing which deserves to be called
a navy. The highest official authority in our
service said in 1876 There is no navy in the
world that Is not in advance of us with regard
to ships and guns. and /, in common with the
older officers of the service, feel anxiety on
the subject which can only be appreciated by
those who have to command fleets and take them
into battle And so recently as 1883 the same
distinguished authority stated that it was uni
versally admitted that we have no navy either
for offense or Defense
THE country has expended since July /, 1868
more than three years subsequent to the close
OF the late civil war-oyer seventy-fve millions
of money on the construction, repair, equip
ment, and ordnance of vessels, which sum, with
very slight exception, has been substantially
thrown away: the exception being few ships
now in process of construction. l do not over
look the sloops constructed In 1914, and costing
three four millions of dollars, and TO avoid
discussion they may be excepted also. The fact
still remains that for about seventy of the sew
enty-fve millions of dollars which have been
expended by the department for the creation of
navy we have practically nothing to show.
st is questionable whether we have a single
naval vessel finished and afioat at the present
time that could be trusted to encounter the ships
OF any important power-a single vessel that has
either the necessary armor for protection, speed
for escape, or weapons for defense. This is no
secret; the fact has been repeatedly commented
upon in Congress by the leading members of
both parties. confessed by our highest naval au-
thorities, and deprecated by all Such is not the
kind of navy which this country, with its extern
sive coast line, its enormous territorial area. and
incalculable commercial resources requires nor
such it is entitled to have This country can
afford to have, and it cannot afford to lack,
naval force at least SO formidable that its deal
ings with foreign powers will not be Influenced
at any time, even be suspected of being in
huenced, by consciousness of weakness on the
While still striving to build up its mer-
chant marine and to multiply its relations with
foreign markets, it cannot be expected much
longer to tolerate such expenditures for a navy
which could not for moment defend its
dminutive commerce against any considerable
power"
The remainder of the report is devoted to a
review of the powers of the various boards and
officials. and to recommendation. calculated to
place the responsibility of fau' work in the
quarter where it properly belongs.