616

THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE NAVIES.

Department during the war amounted to 418, and included every variety ofmerchantman and river steamboat roughly adapted in the navy yards for warservice. Three types of wooden vessels were built: 14 screw sloops of theKearsarge , Shenandoah , and Ossipee classes; 23 screw gun-boats, called fromthe rapidity of their construction the “ ninety-day ” gun-boats; and 47 side-wheel steamers, known as “ double-enders,” for service in narrow channels,where they could move ahead or astern without turning. J Later in the warforty-eight additional sloops or corvettes of various sizes were projected, butfew of these were ever finished, and hardly any before the close of the struggle.

In the matter of iron-clads, the extreme slowness with which the NavyDepartment moved shows that it failed to comprehend the magnitude of thestruggle, and that it was unfamiliar with the recent progress of naval warfare.The advantages of a light armor-plating for vessels-of-war had been demon-strated by the experience of the Drench floating batteries Devastation, Lave,and Tonnante, in the attack on Kinburn in 1855, during the Crimean war.These vessels were protected by 4J-inch plates, and the experiment had beendeemed so conclusive that both France and England had already constructednew war-ships incased in armor. It was to be expected that a navy with awar on its hands would have directed its attention from the first momentwhen it was convinced of the probability of hostilities to seeming some ofthese formidable vessels; and if a hesitation due to the want of statutoryauthority had led the Department to defer building until after Congress met, it would at least by that time have digested its plans so thoroughly thatthe work could begin at once. Nevertheless, for four months after Mr. Wellesentered upon his office no steps were taken, even of the most elementarycharacter, toward procuring iron-clads. In his report of July 4th, 1861, at theopening of the special session of Congress , the Secretary, by way of calling at-tention to the subject, makes the following somewhat ponderous observations:

“ Much attention has been given within the last few years to the subject of floating batteries,or iron-clad steamers. Other governments, and particularly France and England, have madeit a special object in connection with naval improvements; and the ingenuity and inventivefaculties of our own countrymen have also been stimulated by recent occurrences toward theconstruction of this class of vessel. The period is, perhaps, not one best adapted to heavy ex-penditures by way of experiment, and the time and attention of some of those who are mostcompetent to investigate and form correct conclusions on the subject are otherwise employed.I would, however, recommend the appointment of a proper and competent board to inquireinto and report in regard to a measure so important; and it is for Congress to decide whether, ona favorable report, they will order one or more iron-clad steamers, or floating batteries, to beconstructed, with a view to perfect protection from the effects of present ordnance at shortrange, and make an appropriation for that purpose.”

In consequence of this recommendation, which, it must be confessed, washardly such as the urgency of the measure demanded, Congress , a wholemonth later, on the 3d of August, passed an act authorizing the Secretary toappoint a board of officers to investigate the subject, a thing which was cer-tainly within the scope of ministerial powers without any special legislation,

J Eight of the “ double-enders” were built of iron.