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Appendix No. 9.
UNITED STATES.
“Engineer Report," 1880; pp. 110, 713. Delaware and Chess-
peake; pp. 132, 973. Florida canals.
State Papers, pp. 5, 71, &c.
State Papers, p, 72,
&c.
"Service Journal," 1881, p. 386, giving report.
p. 387, supra.
"Service Journal,” 1880, pp. 470, 511,
535, 537, 691, 716, 798.
July to December,
pp. 47, 357, 867, &c.
**
Service Review,”
1880, pp. 109, 137,
206; 1890-81, pp. 41, 357, 688, &c.
550
The question of the removal of the first of these breaks has frequently been discussed, surveys even for a Cape Cod ship-canal have several times been made, but the matter seems for the present in abeyance; but the question of the other two ship-canals, across the Delaware and Florida peninsulas, is in an active state, very recent surveys and estimates have been prepared and submitted, and there seems a considerable probability of their early execution. It is unnecessary to enlarge upon the enormous difficulties which the existence of these two ship-canals would place in the way of an effective blockade of the two sides of the peninsulas they would pierce, the internal line of water communication as it already exists, capable of carrying heavy stores, such as guns, from one naval arsenal to another, is sufficiently embarrassing; but if these additional channels are ever completed the situation will be ten times more so. There is, however, some satisfaction in the fact that, in that case, certain points on the coast will stand out in unmistakable clearness as necessary to be attacked, for the seizure of one or both ends of these ship-canals would be an absolutely necessary preliminary to effective naval action; it is obvious that, supposing thirty English ships, available for the blockade of the Chesapeake and Delaware inlets, and fifteen American available for the defence, it would be a distinct gain to sacrifice ten British ships in the capture of the outlet of the canal, and the same principle holds good with regard to the Gulf of Mexico and Carolinas coast squadrons.
Naval Questions.
It is acknowledged by the Americans that even the most extensive and elaborate defences which the country could afford are incapable of defending every valuable point on such an extensive coast as theirs; that, moreover, a purely passive defensive on land is a bad policy, and that, therefore, the first line of defence of the United States must be a powerful navy, but motives of economy, combined with the jealousy of an Executive with too powerful an army or navy at its disposal, have prevented the many schemes proposed from being carried out. The scheme of 1836 proposed 15 ships of the line, 25 frigates, 25 sloops of war, 25 steamers, and 25 smaller vessels, with frames, &c., for 10 more ships of the line, and 10 frigates.
The Advisory Board, which reported last year, recommended the immediate construction of :--
Two first-class steel, double-decked, unarmoured cruizers of 6,000 tons displacement, 359 tons
armament, to steam 15 knots.
Six first-rate, 4,000 to 4,500 tons, 14 knots, &c.
Ten second-rate, 13 knots, 3,000 tons, &c.
Twenty-four wooden cruizers, 10 knots, 800 tons.
Five steel rams, 2,000 tons, 13 knots.
Five torpedo-boats, 450 tons, 13 knots, 1 powerful gun.
Ten cruizing torpedo-boats, 21 knots.
Ten harbour torpedo-boats, 17 knots.
And the ultimate construction in eight years of a fleet, including above, of:-
Twenty-one iron-clads.
Seventy unarmoured cruizers.
Five rams.
Twenty-five torpedo-boats.
This they considered enough in time of peace, and to hold a naval enemy in check until armoured vessels could be supplied to perfect the defence.
The organization of a large number of powerful steam batteries has also formed an important item of schemes propounded for the defence of the United States' ports, and the following scale has been recommended as necessary:--From two to five in every harbour of importance, and from two to four at each of the mouths of the Mississippi.
We do not propose to detail the actual condition of the fleet, or to describe the existing vessels. It is sufficient to say that official Reports, Service, press, and Parliamentary Papers, are full of complaints and confessions of utter inefficiency. The List at end of Navy Register, 1882, gives :--
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