NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



electric signals from a cordon round a vessel, 

 or moored in channels, denote an approaching 

 adversary arid indicate his movements even in 

 fogs or darkness. They, moreover, enable an 

 operator to fire guns laid in advance, or ex- 

 plode at will any torpedo within the radius of 

 whose destructive effect the enemy may pass, 

 while the electric light renders his movements 

 visible. The offensive modes of indirect at- 

 tack have not made so much progress, being 

 confined thus far to direct methods of attack 

 with small vessels or launches partaking of the 

 nature of a forlorn hope, and with little chance 

 of success against a watchful enemy provided 

 with suitable means of discovery and defense. 

 (See ORDNANCE.) 



Under the law authorizing the enlistment in 

 the navy of boys between 16 and 18 years old 

 to serve until 21 years of age, the department 

 has had in operation for two years a training 

 system for the purpose of introducing a class 

 of well-trained young seamen into the navy. 

 There are now 458 of these boys under train- 

 ing, and 324 have passed out of the training- 

 ships into the general service. The English 

 Government has availed itself of this method 

 of training its seamen, and its navy has derived 

 material benefits from it. The Secretary sug- 

 gests that, as the navy has been reduced by 

 Congress to the low standard of 7,500 men, 

 it should empower the department to enlist 

 750 boys annually. This number annually 

 enlisted will eventually man the navy, keep 

 it supplied with seamen in time of peace, and 

 form the nucleus of a larger force should it 

 become necessary in time of war. 



The present condition of the navy, relatively 

 to other powers, has less aggressive force than 

 at any time during the past third of a century, 

 except during the war, or less power to inflict 

 serious injury upon the commerce of an enemy. 

 Indeed, the fact cannot be concealed, and 

 ought not to be, for it is well known to other 

 nations, that third and even fourth rate pow- 

 ers, almost without exception, are superior to 

 us in this respect. 



In discussing whether the navy in its pres- 

 ent condition is sufficient to furnish the neces- 

 sary amount of protection to our commerce, 

 he says: "If you consider our commerce at 

 its present stage of development, or are con- 

 tent to leave it to be transported abroad in for- 

 eign ships, and thus deprive the American 

 producer of the profits of his labor, it may be 

 sufficient. But if we are to take the position 

 among the commercial nations to which we 

 are justly entitled, if we are to secure to our 

 own people the right to transport the products 

 of their industry into whatsoever part of the 

 world they may be demanded, so that the profits 

 may be returned to increase the aggregate, 

 then, in my opinion, it is not in snch condition. 

 There may be ships enough in number if 

 they were all in proper repair to increase oar 

 squadrons to a sufficient size for this purpose. 

 To put them all in repair, however, would re- 



NEBRASKA. 



537 



quire a larger expenditure than is practicable 

 in the present condition of the Treasury, and 

 probably larger than would be justifiable at 

 any time until our revenue from customs shall 

 be sufficiently increased. As we may expect 

 this from a gradual development of our com- 

 merce, so, as this occurs, we may gradually 

 carry the navy up to the point of necessary 

 improvement: a point to be decided by the 

 existing wants of trade." 



The Huron, one of the vessels of the navy, 

 was wrecked on November 24, 1877, on the 

 coast of North Carolina, at a point near Nag's 

 Head. She sailed from New York under in- 

 structions to make a scientific reconnaissance 

 of the coast of Cuba, and arrived at Hampton 

 Roads on November 17th. On the morning 

 of the 23d she left Hampton Roads, and short- 

 ly after 1 o'clock A. M. of the next day struck 

 upon the beach and was wrecked. She en- 

 countered a moderate gale and a heavy sea 

 from the eastward, but being in good condi- 

 tion, well manned, and with her engines and 

 machinery in perfect order, it is believed she 

 could have encountered the storm without 

 harm if she had remained out in the open sea. 

 She had 132 officers and men on board, 34 of 

 whom were saved, and the remaining 98 lost, 

 including the commander. A court of inquiry 

 was ordered by the Secretary of the Navy to 

 investigate the facts connected with this un- 

 fortunate event. 



NEBRASKA. Little of general interest 

 took place in this State during 1877. The Leg- 

 islature was in session for a short time in the 

 early part of the year, but the acts passed were 

 chiefly of local importance. In January, Alvin 

 Saunders was elected to the United States 

 Senate as the successor of Phineas W. Hitch- 

 cock, for the term beginning March 4, 1877. 

 In the fall an election was held for Chief Jus- 

 tice of the State and Regents of the University. 

 Mr. Lake (Republican) was elected to the 

 former office, receiving 25,569 votes, while 16,- 

 639 were cast for his Democratic opponent, 

 Mr. Howe. C. A. Holmes and N. R. Pessinger 

 (Republicans) were elected Regents of the 

 University, the former receiving 29,698 votes 

 and the latter 28,987. 



The condition of the public schools for the 

 year ending April 1, 1877, as compared with 

 1870, was as follows : 



