Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-02-08
OUR NAVY.
NOT SUCH AN INFANT As SOME
THINK.

OF wAR-sOME OF THE VESSELS.
The American navy has been the
butt Of sarcasm and the object of
ridicule for years, but these sneers
and gibes would cease if the would
be humOrists would bat take the
pains to look up few statistics in
regard to our skimmers OF the seas.
The outcome of the matter IL that
most people think thar, as a na.
tion, The United States has no navy,
other than a sort OF dress parade
affair, not able to cope with lhe
feet Of other countries. Others,
using the argument that peace was
lowering over the land, cOntended
that we needed no navy. But the
government believes in the truth Of
the maxim, SIN time of peace pre-.
pare for war" has had several
large war vessels lately built, and
more are under way. The result
is, we are attaining navy which
will soon be a credit to our coun.
try. 1t is true that navy for
protection has not been needed for
years. At rare intervals, the pres
ence OF a man-Of- war has been need
ed to uphold the dignity of the COY.
ernment in distant waters, but in a
general way our relations with for
eign powers has been 30 peaceable
that 'invasiOn" have been a con
tingency so remote as to be entitled
to little or no consideration. Since
1881, the government has been ac-
tive in putting the navy of the
United States on a footing with
other nations navies, Between
1870 and 1880 was a period of most
mastery inactivity in the line OF
shin. building and decay seized on
pretty near all there was OF the
men.ofwar. The navy was COM
posed of wooden ships, with the
exception Of two monitors and a
very few torpedo boats, built for
experimental purposes. The weak
ness of the marine forces was then
made apparent 10 the government
and steps were at once commenced
for the rehabilitation OF the navy.
An inquiry was made and it was
found that to keep the different
squadrons up to the proper stand
ard, 20 vessels were required. vi
this number there we're then but
80. A commission recommend the
construction of 3S vessels, 8 steel
rams, 5 torpedo boats, 10 hsrbor
and 10 cruising topedo boats
some important changes were
made IN this list and the year 1881
saw the work begun. 10 1888 the
contracts for four cruisers were let
to John Roach s. Sons, OF Chester,
Pa. The Atlanta and Boston are
two of them and hey are alike IN
every respect except speed, the
Boston considerably exceeding the
Atlanta. Their armament con-
slsts of two 8inch guns, six inch
guns, two 6 Founders, two 3 pound
ers, two 47.mm. revolving cannons,
two l.pounders, three 37.mm. re
yolying guns and two Gatllng guns
in all, 81 pieces of ordnance
They can run 16 knots an hour uu-
der favorable circumstances. These
vessels are 2S3 feet iu length, draw
II feet of water and spread some
what over 10000 feet of canvas
The cost of the Boston was S6l9,'
600, aud the Atlanta S6l7 900, ex'
cIusiye of armament. The Chicago,
the largest of the vessels built BY
Mr.. Roach, is still at the New York
navy yard, several months from
completion, although she has made
trial trip. Some trouble arose
over the quality of the steel used'
and some changes are being made.
Her length is 334 feet 4 inches, and
she draws 10 feet Of water, her
speed being about 154 knots. She