Year: 1874

In conclusion am glad to be able to
report the fighting force Of our navy in
good and effective condition. During
the last two years the whole feet of our
single turretted monitors has been
thoroughly overhauled and repaired,
their sides raised Up, their rotten wood
en- beams and decks replaced by iron,
and their turrets and machinery put
in complete order, so that they are now
efficient to their utmost capacity, and
ready to go to sea at any time, as soon
as crews can be brought on board and
organized: These, with the Dictator
and Roanoke, also in good order, make
a feet Of sixteen iron clads, powerful
for any naval purpose which does not
require long voyages or great speed.
Two powerful iron torpedo vessels have
also been completed and are ready for
service, fully equipped with the most
powerful weapon of modern warfare.
Four of our powerful double-turretted
monitors, viz the Terror, Miantono-
mob, MOnadnock, and the Amphitrite,
by far the most formidable vessels ever
in our navy, are also now in hand m
dergoing repairs, and the plans are also
being matEred for the iepairs of the
Puritan, the only one of our efficient
irOn-clads which remains untouched.
The eight new sloops specially author-
lied and built entirely Of live oak or
iron, are about ready to be added to
our cruising navy, and seven thoroughly
repaired with like durable material, and
supplied with new improved machinery,
so as to be IN all respects equal to new
ships OF their class. We shall thus
have added by the end of the year if
teen new active ships to our cruising
navy to take places of those vessels
which are worn out and must be re-
lieved. Most of our powerful wooden
ships of the first class were also put in
condition at the time of our threatened
difficulties of last year, and are now in
commission, or in ordinary, ready for
immidiate ervice when needed. Thus
all there is Of our navy either is or
will shortly be in the best state pos
sible for vessels of their respective
classes, and all will continue to be eff
fective for service except those of our
cruisers which, built hastily of green
white oak, are now rapidly reaching the
limits of their sea-life, and are one by
one falling out of the line of active
duty, to be laid up or sold as unfit for
further service. Warned by the rapid
decay of our white oak ships, the de-
partmeDt has required that all new
wooden ships should be built, and all
our extensive repairs made, of live oak,
and has for this purpose, and for the
future necessities of the service secured
and accumulated large quantity of
this almost invaluable but rapidly dis
i
yards, where it will be properly cared
for and seasoned for use as occasion
may require. This sta .ement certainly
shows our navy to-day in q better con-
ditiOn of effective and permanent
strength than has been for years, and,
when we understand that three years
ago none of our now efficient iron-clads,
except the Dictator and the Terror.
were fit for any service whatever, and
that during that time we have in addi-
tiOn TO putting in repair, practically
built fifteen live oak cruising ships, and
carried on also the necessary repairs to
maintain the navy afoat, and that at
the time there was scarcely a stick of
live oak timber in the government yards,
where now is gathered an adequate
supply of this most valuable and i'm
proving material and when we remem-
ber that it has been possible under the
direction of our skilled and practical
officers, as to utilize the liberality of
congress that this has been accom-
plished out of the comparatively small
portion of the naval appropriations
which it is possible to devote to the ac-
tual building and equipment of ships,
we are justified in feeling some pride in
the prospect that the American navy
will be able, in the future, as in the past,
to contribute its fair proportion to the
strength, resources, and dignity of
powerful, though a peaceful nation
Secretary RO5GsOn's Report.