XANE George Cabot.. Jacob Crowninshield B. W. Crowninshield Isaac Toucey Gideon Welles. Connecticut 1861-1869 Adolph E. Borie. Pennsylvania 1869-1969 George M. Robeson New Jersey.... 1879-1877 Richard W. Thompson.. Indiana 1877-1881 Nathan Goff William L. Hunt.. William E. Chandler William C. Whitney. Louisiana.... 1881-1882 1882-1885 1883 Navy of the United States.-During the Revolution this country had practically no navy, the largest force at any one time being twenty-five vessels in 1776. After that year the navy dwindled, and by the end of the war but few vessels remained, and those were sold. Under the stress of threatened war with France and of actual war with the Barbary pirates (see Algerine War), vessels were constructed, but of these only a few were retained after the immediate necessity for their use had passed. The Federalists favored the establishment of a navy; the Republicans (Democrats) opposed it. Tho complications between this country and Great Britain, about the year 1812, caused fresh activity, and steps were taken to the formation of a navy. At that timo we had but three first-class frigates, the Constitution, the President and the United States. In 1812, $200,000 annually for three years was appropriated for the construction of a navy, and its permanent establishment dates from that year. Thereafter it was recognized as a necessity by both parties. In 1816, $1,000,000 annually for eight years was appropriated. During the next year live oak and red cedar on government lands were ordered to be withdrawn from future sales and reserved for building war vessels, and agents to supervise and protect these woods were appointed, but in 1861, when this provision might have been of use, the necessary papers could not be found. The navy was not used actively in the Mexican War, and the outbreak of the Civil War found it again in a dilapidated condition. Moreover, at this time many officers resigned, and the government property in the Southern States was seized. At the outbreak of that war there were forty-two vessels in commission. Of these twenty-six employed steam as auxiliary motive power, thirteen were sailing vessels, and three were store-ships. Only twelve were of the home squadron, and of these only four were in Northern ports. The strides made under these discouraging conditions were enormous. Over 3,500 miles of coast were to be blockaded, besides vessels for the Mississippi River and the capture of privateers and cruisers were needed. Moreover, armor was just coming into use, and the government yards were in no condition to turn out modern vessels. In 1862 there were 427 vessels, carrying 3,268 guns; in 1863 there were 588 vessels, carrying 4,443 guns; in 1864 there were 671 vessels, carrying 4,610 guns. By December, 1866, the war being over, these had decreased to 115 vessels in active service. But this number has become still further reduced, as shown below. Large sums have annually been spent on the navy, but they have been used in repairing the old vessels, which, owing to the enormous changes in naval warfare in recent years, have become antiquated. There were in the naval service in 1887 about 7,500 enlisted men and 750 boys. In 1883 forty-seven vessels were condemned and sold for a total sum of $384,753. Of late the absolute necessity of immediate action has been appreciated, if our navy is to be maintained even in a condition of moderate effectiveness. The following table shows what has been done and what it is proposed to do. The double-turreted monitors, the cruisers Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Dolphin, and gunboats numbers 1 and 2, were authorized prior to 1884. The armored cruisers numbers 1 and 2 were authorized in 1886, the cruisers Charleston and Baltimore in 1885, the Newark in 1886, the dynamite-boat in 1886, cruisers numbers 1 and 2, and gunboats numbers 3 and 4, in 1887, the first-class torpedo-boat in 1886. The secondclass torpedo-boat Stiletto was originally built and used as a yacht, but her extraordinary speed caused the government to purchase her. The pay of seamen is $258 per annum; or ordinary seamen $210. The pay of the retired list of naval officers is seventy-five per cent. of the sea pay of the rank held at the time of retirement. They are to be retired from active service at the age of sixty-two years, or may (except in certain grades) be retired after forty THE NEW UNITED STATES NAVY. Puritan. Miantonomoh.. Double Amphitrite. Monadnock Terror Armored Cruiser, No. 1.. Armored Cruiser, No. 2.. UNARMORED. Boston.. Dolphin Charleston Baltimore Newark. Gunboat, No. 1, Yorktown. Gunboat, No. 2. Dynamite-boat, Cruiser, No. 1 Cruiser, No. 2 Gunboat, No. 3. Gunboat, No. 4 First-class Torpedo-boat.. Second-class Torpedo-boat, Stiletto Built. *All have secondary batteries in addition. + Automobile torpedoes. Dynamite Gun. In addition, floating batteries, rams, etc., at a cost of $2,000,000 are yet to be designed and built. Daniel L. Braine.... PRESENT DUTY. Special Duty. Chairman Light-House Board. Commanding European Squadron. Commanding Pacific Squadron... Commanding Asiatic Squadron Commanding North Atlantic Station. Commanding South Atlantic Station. RESIDENCE. Washington, D. C. Washington, D. C. Flag-Ship Quinnebaug. ... Vandalia. ... Brooklyn. .. Richmond. President Board Inspection and Survey. Commandant Navy Yard.... PAY OF THE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS. Washington, D. C. Brooklyn, N. Y. |