The importance of a Southern Navy.
Editors Dispatch:--It is earnestly hoped that you and your confreres of the press will continue to urge upon the Government the importance of prompt and energetic action towards building up a Southern Navy.Your remarks in the issue of the Dispatch, of the 12th, upon this subject are apt and opportune. You are not alone in the surprise and wonder felt and expressed in that article ‘" that we have not already at least the beginning of a navy."’
There seems to be, and very properly too, an evident indisposition on the part of the people to advert in a spirit of complaint to any action, or want of action, in any of the departments of the Government just now. The general sentiment of the public appears to be a willingness to entrust to the great statesman at the head of affairs the entire management of the whole public interests. Since the days of Washington no public man has possessed the confidence of the people in such an unlimited degree. And no one could be more deserving of that confidence.
It is, however, obviously impracticable in times like the present for him or any other man to scrutinize the multifarious operations of the several Departments. It would be manifestly improper, therefore, to intimate a reflection upon him for any inefficiency in the Naval or in any one of the other Departments of Government. It may, moreover, be unjust to object to the manner in which the Department in question has been conducted by its present Chief. There may be reasons unknown to the public for the apparent apathy that reigns in that branch of the Government. The people, however, will naturally ‘"wonder."’ and ask ‘"Why is it?"’ when the great necessity for a Navy is so sensibly and so severely felt, not the first step, so far as is known to the public, has yet been taken toward even ‘"the beginning of a Navy."’
The South, every one knows, possesses within her own borders, all the means necessary to build up in the shortest possible time a Navy sufficiently effective not only to protect her own coast, and open her own ports, but to inflict destructive blows upon the very vitals of the North. With such fleets of gunboats — and which may aptly be styled the ‘"flying artillery"’ of the ocean — as with proper energy, we can readily construct, equip, and man, how easy would it be to traverse the ocean, striking and prostrating the enemy's commerce, which is his best, and, indeed, his only interest.
At this point alone, to say nothing of our wonderful resources in the neighboring counties, and in the great and gallant State of North Carolina, there is material enough on hand to build and equip at least fifty gunboats. The recent inventory of public property in the Portsmouth Navy-Yard developed the presence there of vast quantities of the very best ship-building materials. Of live oak, white oak, pine, and every variety of timber and materials, seasoned and ready for the shipwright's axe, there are immense quantities, while of copper, iron, anchors, cables, cordage, canvas, and every description of material needed in the construction and equipment of almost any number of gun-boats, the supply is abundant.
With all this material ready at hand, and with building and launching slips and ways, docks and work shops, foundries and machine shops, and all the modern and most approved machines, tools, fixtures, and appurtenances attached, not one vessel has been built or begun ! Eight months have elapsed since the capture of this vast depot of naval stores and supplies. During this entire period the Government has had control of the establishment, and at its command from one to two thousand of the best mechanics in the country. Has a ship, a boat, or a flat been equipped, or launched, built, or begun?--Stir up the powers, Messrs. Editors, to action.
Action.
Portsmouth, Va., Nov. 16, 1861.
