The National Register. — London, England, 1815-09-24 00:00:00

aPprrsu THE NATIONAL REGISTER.: ~~ eel alsg, *Destitution, aim talus. PUBLISHED AT NO. 11, NEWCASTLE-STREET, STRAND. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1815. No. 404. POLITICAL. DISQUISITION. DESTRUCTION OF THE BRITISH NAVY. Whilst the triumphs of our arms, the success of our plans and the pacification of troubled Europe, engross all our atten.!ion and fill our hearts with joy, let us not be Ilaz7led by the sunshine of the hour. Let ns look be.. vend the momentary accomplishment of our wishes, and see whether future dangers may not threaten the duratiou o' our prosperity. In a word, let us look to our Navy? It has been the foundation of our greatness and is still the pi:lar of our power. With it we deride the hostility of the world, and render even war tributary to our support. Unequalled in numbers, in valour resistlnss, it has given to oar small island the trident of the *4ves, and a leading influence on the Continent. Like the oaks of which its vessels are composed, it 114. s grown stronger in the midst of conflicting storms. Shall peace destroy, what war has only served to brace and to encrease ? : Shall the sceptre of the seas be carelessly resigned, bees se we have proved it cannot forcibly be torn away from us ? Such is the ob ject of stur present inrestigatiou. It has lately been anneunced, and the resol‘itien has partly been carried into effect, that the British navy, op being placed on the peace establishment, would be reduced to a small number of ships of the line, frigates and brigs, not calculated to employ more than 12 1 0.00 sailors. The number of seamen on the war establishment, was, if we are not mistaken, little short of 150,000. This is certainly a mighty reduction, and in.point of state economy an im portant oue. Bit when the true interests 9f .the country are considered, it will be found most likely to prove fatalto our naval power. It 4 supposed that the seamen turned out of employment, will apply to the merchant trade ttpd contribute to enlarge the sphere of that commerce, which notwithstanding the shackles which war imposed upon it, embraced the world. It is hoped that those who will prefer ,resting from the labours of the sea, will return to their ancient homes and former occupations, anti will assist in extending the agriculture or augmenting the mann factural produce of the country. But these surmises and hopes are _chimerical and to an alarming extent already contradicted by facts. Instead of engaging In the titer *tit trade or resuming the occupations of Vv.!. VII. .A'u, CGCC/K PRICR gid. the greatest part of our discharged seamen emigrate ! America offers them advantages, which even in time of war, they had not always •sufficient patriptism to resist, and which they now eagerly hasten to enjoy. The payment of their arrears supplies them with the means, when they gre not furnished by the Americans them selves', of repairing to the United States, 'where they find employment and higher salaries than in England, and where, after a short residence, they acquire all the rights of citizens. The immediate effect of this emigra.. tion must be, in time of peace, a proportionate enerease of the American trade, to the prejudice of ours. It must also augment their sentiment of power, and th,eir disposi ! . tion to insult and to attack us. In time of war ) the 'aids. chief would be incalculable. In America, the press for sailors is unknown : their engagements are voluntary, and for no longer period at a time than a aruieet. lipnee they are sure to make good terms with Captains or the State; and as they can quit the service when they please, Felder numbers are induced to enter, the hope of making their fortune in a single expedition. The cause for which they are constantly told they fight, is also calcplated to seduce their feelings and excite their enthusiasm, whilst it produces a disheartening effect on their antagonists. The device, No Impressment, an(' Sailor's Rights, always floats at the mast head of every American vessel going into action, and, with the similarity of language and affinity of blood, creates a prejudice in the minds of our tars, which ; during the course pf hostilities, has but too frequently irevealed itself by their desertion, an,d now continues to act upon them as a magnet, and to encourage their emigration. Freed by Peace from the restraint which the fear of punishment, or the disgrace pf being con• sidered as traitors imposed upon them, they pass in crowds into the service of the United States, and if the harmony between the two nations lasts but two short years, they will feel themselves at the renewal of the con test, called upon as American citizens tb defend their adopted country. In this manner will the naval stretgth of England have been quietly and silently transferred to I, her bitterest enemy, and at the hour of war she may find one hundred thousand of her best sailors marshalled on the American decks to sweep her fleets from the waves. is true tint notwithstanding the rapidity 'with their youth, II —it Lip'