The gazette — Portland, Me., 1799-02-04 00:00:00, page 1

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___ '^yCH'ME I.J
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, ,;99.
THE GAZETTE.
Such Things Arc.
.
= NUMBER. VII.
I [’ is a fav ng of an Englifh author of feme
«elrori«>, that nothing is trie i 1 po iics which
is not expe'inenal y g* o 1—and that every
thing is po ic caliv jet. - whivh is practically in
juricus- This text uil'cloies an a up’e held for
Jifcafll n—anJ devJ pes an e .oLf. variety of
argument—but we halt confine curfelves to the
cot«dnet oi riurue to.vards the ssmmirAA vAtr/Jl
cf this coun'ry—a c lci e c mmcn ary on
vhi-h, With the datement of fevcral urjod an *
obnoxKU' decrees, mud force co vi t.ou ok the
Blind of the mod obd irate j icohin.
Not a in n th p.iffes hut I ra ce furrifhes
mankind with pi oof j, “JlrsK^a: hAy writ," that
the is determ.ucd to m liatain her fy ft cm of ter
ror, anJ to a c mpuia univerf-1 revolt!ion.
When nations bee .me fo deprived as :o let the
edsb.iiheJ laws«f judice at de . mce—to trample
cn the rights ot humtnrty, and to conftder mo
ral an J divine p.ecepis as the forgeries rf iy*
rants and imp der»—a duty th a dev Ives on j
the red of the human tace to arm in Je er.ce ]
o: their priv* -ge:, and to repel ag rethnns by j
a unity oi fone. Such are now me vie vs rf
Fiance, fo malignant in their nature, and fo
eiten;i <. in their operation, tint ali the powe s
oi Fur pc, with p irt of the oriental w iId, h ive
c.ialci e.i Moppoie t.he progress of t!.e common
enemy : Nor has this coalition been formed by
iilcti im>te g vernm n:s to pr.ferve the exiii
ence or aibtrary pow.r, and trie perpetuity of
cp. rctlion and bondage—it has reiult-d from
the (oSer f r.fe of mauki: d, in winch in'e ed
anj f..f prefe vati n are the moil pronj’nen:
fettu-. . A Ik rc iiat.merit of French d.cre.s
relati/e to our commerce vvi 1 prove our d itv
as a nation—hat we are not txemoted from
»
tile it'd min.tied p:.i 'ofsphj of Fiar. e, and .h tt A -
me i a, among the ne ural n .tioas, is lingled
cu ns a vhd rn to tfie 'dorms of revolution.
Tiie p el'.nt .lute of things was very e irk f re
f.en hr oar confFtuted authorities—anJ they
tu. k every p ecaution to avert it. Hence t..e
PrciiJeutk t. oc ..m i* n «.f neutrai’ty.en:oia;;ig
good Ja th a all, a‘*i :orbi ‘di g a d'ftr.ba.icn
of pirtiil fav r.> by any. Nec'rakty w s cm
fid.n: w ill ur inrerefl, and with o -r nttiona!
engageme- s ; N-i her c u!J we take part in
the Fur pe n conted, nor bedow favors on one
o i ion and cc y them to others without i re
I'.u i ii.h.Tient o* our neutrality, and without cx
p> ii g o ;rf Ives t jud conipl hats an I a/grel’
(inns, and to the calamities of war.—A party in
tbk ecu u y i.i faver of France, under the pi
t onage of Genet and JeHerfon, ke;an to (how
ids f ; wh c u.fiJered the prccl mati n of
neutrality s a pe ti ious breach of the exlit’ng
eng gements between us and our ancient ally,
an i as a , re’uie* o a more intimate co.i.»effi< n
with Engla J. In the Inc e fe and cxerti n»
o; this p*.rty, Fiance ha 1 gte !; pes ; and flu
o t itt.d 4 0 meal «re to t.idmii *?c our g,vera
xnenr, a id to p if r. the minds of the people.
In nalnan c of t!.k ft heme, the hefitat- d not
to violate the ful me treaty between us-So
early as the mouth of May 1793, the natk nal
convention deer -ed, t j,‘ jhips of war andJ>rii
t:srs might dtp and l i/g Into th: ports of tbs re
t #■ r i T* f J 1 if
; \al x^rjeu tu ivrrc tuaucu n
or tn part, ei!‘ :r re:*6 pr.i'flons belonging h n.u
tr its. or -v.tr> vr* choneltze he. n?ir 7 to t .rtj. i e
Hill p irt cf his ’eerce is a breach of t ic Lw o:
jiati n> — b:w.:s.l': nentr .U have a light to fur
ulfh ta r put, t a*' vm h provifions, exc pt
LlocItaJM , rts, or ,daets previoufly declared
t > b in a ft tc|pf fei e. The feeond part is a
d ; ccl an ' op.-n in.VaFl >n of our treaty —for
that In.tr ament itipalates, tint free fhips fhall
make fee gr ’s ;—that :s, neutral velr..l> have a
rigi * tafiei ,ht the g’oe's cf one per y at war,
vi t ho a be't.gf rjj't to the arred, deten i n,
or rr-nde t na on < f the o.her. I he delign cf
ti is deer c vas two fold—ta till theeihauiled
covers o: France with the p.under of neutrals ;
a i bv the 2 r.fls of vi lenie and outrage, to
f rce he n to j .in the fta h.rd of revoluti n.
Tire ado. ti n of the Britiih trea'y in 1794, put
a f p to there Utter vkw» wiili refpeft to us,
and inrni.h d a p:e.ett f>r puiiuing the lornae*
v th ten oH rig r. \ ari 11s were ti e tn roa h
rr;en‘s of France 01 <n;r neutral rights during
the t v > iucecvdmg years —by which ou- mer
c';.*5 ,T,c.tt v fuirtre i by tne condemnation o.
th :r pr perty, and our feamen by the brutality
of French menu
I 1 Mar.h 1797, the Dire* ry went one ftep
far:!, r —it was decreed, that the vrff.h cf n.u
trali on jrsr sVS? 1Ctos cf their having enemies
p "V v., oh b'V !, rutohl be carried into i s f*/fj rJ
J'r /« v for tri. I and corn/cation—and that the ,
? "r *l, if lie withrd to lave me pi prity, mud
fnrnifh proof that the property did net belong tj an
'jr ..f. Tois J cr^e was ru t only repugnant to
tl.e i >h«» fccarcd to 11* by the 1 w ol noiona
urdhv rre;» y, 5 ut it wis cxtrc/ncly unjufl, and
m ii::Fd v ridicul us an 1 nblurJ, «n the urlt
fu'ruljn was fjgjcjcftSio cap ur« acd
\ J j' * d* *
to condemn ; an-! in the fecund pi-ice the accu
t-d pa* tv was obligei to prove bimftlf inr.ocmU or
he obliged to iuffer the nunilhtnent of the guilty.
i ne runt c.'aue, onyijl Jufpicion% g tve to licenced
robber* on the oce.n an unlimited exercifc cl
the r d.icretion—authotifed t!ic mo 1 outrageous
avis cf violence and injuft ice, ar.d legalized
every fpecics cf piracy and rapine.—The'fecund
branch of this decree, the proof cf a negative,
was again ft every rule of right eftahlilhed a
mnng men, and a pervcrfion of the order of
nature. What man in focictv, if accufed of
aimer, and obliged to prove hin.felf inncccm,
vv u J be able to avert the rod t f pur.uhment !
Tliefe feveral decrees received i modidca ion
in Januoy 1793, when it was rthei* decreed
b -' the Direct- rv of France, that tee character
of vtffels jhculdIt determined by the .atcre tf their
cargoes—an 1 t.ucretore a!! v. •els Liu a m tpho'e or
in part o/.V" the merchandize of EnghrJ, or of her
pjfgfnsy tv.re declared good prize. Aitho the
term* <1 th s Jecrce are general, yet the
An erienn commerce was the obj ft aimed at ;
Sec ale we h ivs very little commercial connec
ii n with a* y other nation—and becaufc our
trade i-. part cularly expo.id to the cruifeis and
pi ates ot France.
Tr.de leftikTons, bearing on the face of
them a determ ned fpir t of h-fti.hy, and of
plunder, (j contrary to the rights of neu ral
.nation'—to our particular interell and t • the
ft pulatiuns of a fubtid ng trea'y, it duced Con
g-e:s very early laft fummer to fpcak in the
tone ot refiftar.ee—to iufpcnd in part our com
mercial intercourfe v-i.h t ie French domi ions,
and to d.cure the exiftiu- treaty null and void.
It was hoped th it thefe energetic m afures
would ha\e ind i. cd the Directory to change
ns p iicjr—to foften the rignr of its decrees, and
to agree to a;; amicable aujument of differen
c-5 :—i>u: trie reverie has happened ;—the
m re firmly France is cppi fed, the more dead
ly is her enmity —tad while the exigence of
her c ur.c Is f lcly depend- cn fraud and diili
nrii ti >n, we cannot expert a more benevolent
treatment hiu whit is exprefled in the decree
o' the Directory c: the 29th of October lad,
that every per'ey either rum", or originally
from tre coun.sds in amuy cr alliance with
Fran.:, cr :ri a state of neutrality, who is
hearer of a :o' ’• mfficn ?ratth J !y the enemies '/France,
or w 0 com/of. s part of the crew of the flips of aear,
cr -.then id * to the eneny, jh.ill le J.dared a
traitor, and treated as fuch, without Lis he. nr
permitted in any erfe whatever to pcad that Ilk.
WAS COITELLED INTO SUCH SSK.YICE BY FORCE.
NM Wronger proof of the end.are t f a f* ft.m
of terror can pendy he imagined than this
very de r.e—it is the nepiu> ultra of human in
juuicc. T;.»s dec ice, L> wever, i> confident
with that 0; .March. 1797—the one puniih » a
man as guilty unief. he p oun himlMf inn >
cent, and "/ e other infiifts t ie pun fame.it of
traitors on men, who have been c m; e led by
force, and a ainlt their wills, to jo n the ene
mies of France. If the mc^;, lately taken bv |
a Lritifh fqu.idron from one of out a.m d \ef
fels, command.d by Capt. Phi lips, ih uld hap
pen to fall into the hanis of Frenchmen, tliey
mull be put to death. Thi% is more than
Gothic barbarity ; and if heaven Las ye. in 1
itore any thunJi !« 1 s, “ red with unccmmcn
wrath,” they wi.i ere cn c be let looie to pun ill
the cr met of 1! e Direct * v ; other w ife juflice
mud have lorlaken the throne of G<*d, and the
meicy of the nidi hi^h have degenerated into
weaknefs.
vt . M n 1 • 1 • 1 1 /■
mg ijc unexarnpivu xmlncu. to
a d peifidy of Fiance, we nay dilcova in he
mea lures oi her tounc s a u y fuatle anJ in
.enious pol ey. “ ToJtxiJc and conquer,’• is
the motto infs. bed on every page oi her mo
dern hdt a y , an » if lhe ha'* imherto been fu:
cehiul in this purh.it, ic ij b caul’s lie*- views
are too b tie a id profound lor the b lief and
penetration of nuuk nd. I idecd they are fo
much interwoven wi h p'cfedions of fiendih.p,
and with a zeal lor libecty, that neutral nations ;
have been deceived, and inured into the fatal
voitex without pace ving it. We imp ued the
conduit oi Genet to the phrenzy and delirium
of the man, an 1 not to tr>e preinediatcJ plans
of h s nation. In this we at lad found ourfelves
mi'Gken—he ailed well the pare affigned him ;
and Ins nominal difgrace was only to lull us in
fatal f.catitv. To 11 *i•* and lucli like artifites
of France, many once happy republics in Eu
rope owe their dell ruction ; and to the faithful
vigiUnce of our c<»nilitnled au horiiits, which
his been a wall ot lirength round about us,
a :d a pillar of fire in the midit of us, oar very
cxiileuce as a nation rr.u.i be imputed.
AN It ill attorney thuatened the printer of
a Dublin papa widi pf • on 1 r inferring
the death of a pafui of * , -* \ 1 to hg alive.
The menace was accOrrp, ; i »i w th this Ihrcwd
obfciVatton, “ 1 hat no (> nt**r ihould puljlilh
i death. i n el* he «a. it tx‘.n Tly cornmu-iicu*
ed by ihe party dcc'af.d ”
A paper in Pari* ventured to puM fii lately
he * fT.J.n Gazette T*v a. containing the detail
‘ ThVdbnh vh'l iv. 'rheconfequer.ee was, that
j-h'* pa er w<;s pr* h h'l d, a d the piej> barken
c*p b c.d«t of the Jhre-i •>< *.
* • * T *
AMERICAN NAVY*
Excellent Official Letter,
From the Secretarv of the Navy,
To tji cj' tU Cemautte* tf tit FjhMjbanmt
Navr.DepArta.eul, i, b Dec. i-o8.
5/7?.
T HAVB given to the enqui :e* you have done me
A. •Ac honor, as Chairman of a committee of the
Houfe of Rcprtfenu'ives, to make of me. all the con
tidrration my delire to comply promptly with the witlic*
of the committee would pc :..;t; ani now proceed,
with great diffidence, to fubmit thcreiulc
1 he protection of our co.fl, the fccurity id" our ex
tent.sl country from invaiion in fome of its weaker
“p ts, the fa ety uf our important commerce r.r.J cur
iumre peace, when the m .ritime nz.ions ul Europe war
with each o her, all tcun to demand that our naval
force fhould Ik augmented—id much augm nfe J, in
deed, as to nuke the ruoft powerful na .mi, dclirc our
fricndili p, the m ft unprtucip td relpeit our neu r,
ty i he peaceful character c. America tvil1 afford to
the world lufEcicn: fccurity. that we ilia' 1 no: be cafily
provoked to ca ry * ar into the country of an cnesiv,
and it well beer me* the wif. om of America t* provide
a cheap defence to k.e;> it from our own.
1 ' c \c ii • ps of 74 guns, as many frigates, and
twenty or tlorty fmailer vcflV.*, wuuld probably be
found (our gcogr ipivical fttuati n and our ru ans vi an
noying tbc trade of the maritime puwera c rifidcred) a
: force lufl.cient to in.ure our future peace with the nr
! tions of Luropc- It would not, perhaps, Ik haz -.rding
tco much to lay, that had we polTciTed this lurec a few
I years ago, we tliou.d not have loft, by depict.,ion* r a
our trade, four times the fum ncccflary to have created,
and inain’auicd it, during the wh te time the war has
cxift.d in Europe. If wedu not profit by experience,
and pu. ouifctves in a lkuation to refent infuft, ami
punifU aggreifion, nothing ■» more lke’y than
that ini, » than half a dozen year*, an » her occaUon
may be prcitu.eJ for a repetition of the fame mortifying
oblerv.tiou In another and txiii more mtereft-ng view
of this fubjeef, mutual l'alcty wa* a icad ng motive and
mull ever remain a ftroug cement of our uiu n Wue
ther this lccurity can be afFjtdcd, uniels we are able to
command our own coa.i ; ani wrhcthfcr the union of ad
the Stale* can lung be preterved without it, are quef
ti nswhivh merit the molt frrious and attentive con
lidcrsfou of Amcr.can legidators. I forbear lo dwell
on this fruitful, perhaps delicate topic.
However, to attend to our mure prcla.ig concerns.
We cannot feel entirely I’ccure that wc arc not to be
tipoltd to great calamities from the ambition or at:i
rr.ofiry cf France, until a confiderable addition be made
to our nival force It twt.ve iLipt of 74 gun*., arc
added to cur navy, an iavafi»n cf any pan of cur
country would be rendered to difficult, that t would
fearec.y be attempted ; for it is not poiiible to conceive ]
ih»t France c«.u.d ptomiie berfelt any „«van:agc by an {
iavattoii of tins country, cijuai to the cn rim us ct- J
ptnfe, and Hill more cuorm.u* ritk, if we tin,u d he 40
prepared to refill l.tr She wan'd be u'lliged to employ
more than uoubic the number ot llt.ps o: cejual !< rte, to
co voy tier armies, provisions and ft ore , and to keep *
the tunirr.un cation open between her armies and her j
own country. Fra cc caa caltu!. te and will calculate, 1
the lob and probable g« n of her 1 ntet prizes. When i
flic finds hat ltie cant >t decc. ve u* ; th.V Cic ca.m.t
arm nor citizens to carry cu her w rk of fnbjugation— (
icfo'ent and un funded 1 aped*: 1011 1 that we aic deter- ;
mined on manly rtfiftuie: ; and t!i 4 w; uke vigorous
mofurcstJ put ourklvo in a proper p> flare old trace.
Eve.. France, vu li a'l her pndc, and htu t.n,
will co full her altered mid avoid war with America ;
aud, hk,.- oth, t nation*, li e will 0 a-ver. ihat it will 1
n< t only be ju.t but pot it c to indu ge us in our favor- ■
ire w .fii, « f pitlcrving peact wit » al.the ww*\d
'Ft,us. then, in whatever v ew the lubject is confide? •
ed ; whcthei our vbjedt tie to prevent invaGou. to pro
tect our commerce, to obt in a ip.cdy and a prop.r
peace, to uia n'atn pcaee fit: rafter, or by adord.ng !c
curny to every part of our country, to guard agiinli the
long train of ihs which r.mft rclult from d fun ion ; the
w dell ebeaprf*, and mod pe.uea.blc means of obtaining
the tnj we aim at, will be pron.pt and vigorous mca
fu cs f. r thee; cation of a navy, fufficicut lor defence,
Isiii" nnr far r*r\rsrs 11 f f I
i'l.c Uuit il butts urc doulvlcfs aide to bear ar.y ex
pence nccefary fur their prtfent fafety : ud their future
irmiq illity. No coun ry increafo to fait in population ■
an4 refource-, end no country can incur a duo:, w un
fuch au abfolu’c cur ainty of d fchargiug it, w ithout
laying new burthens on tire peop c. Our revenue ari
fiiig trora the irrqiull and other lonrcts, mull iuereafe in
proportion to the inert aft- of population, a d as the
iuereafe of the latter is certa.n, no country ever had
lets to tear from the conftquctKCs of incurring any
thebe, nccelfary for dcfc. ce and lftuety
On the fabjcct of procuring {hips of 74 <nins, we pro
bably have it in our option to buy them or to l»ui!d
them. 'I he tonne: w.i! be the moft expeditious mode
of procuring them, but the latur, if the pretFurc of our
affairs will admit, will he the moft honorable, anJ the
moft advantageous f.*i our couuiiv. If we buy them
from a foreign nation, it i; not to be eepcAed that we
diall be *blc to proctircthofe of the be ft quality ; and
the turn given for them wili not be kept at home, and
difti ihuttd among our own citizens, but will operate
again ft us, like an unfavorable balance of trade. ,\Jy
f wn idea i», that we certainly ought to build the vefftls,
iu preference 'a purchafmg them ; that immediate
me.<fiiics thould be taken to ltcure all the iieccfTary
timber ; but that tne Prcfidcnt Vou’d be audio ifed to
obtain, as the exigency i f our affairs ||l.iy require, twelve
thips of 74 gin«, by purcha Ft or otherwile. if it thould
be found ntcefTary to procure than former tlnu tlicy
can be built, the timber may be preserved, by dockmg,
until thulc purcha td decay, ui i.>r a century, if it j
lliot'M not befoouer wai.ttd.
The elUtnatf’ he ewitli will thc*v the opener of budd
ing a .d equipping twelve fh:p» of 74 guns and lix brigs
orfchoufttia. to mount, not exceeding eighteen r.u-u.
The latter would be highly u rful in fconring the Weft- '
Indies, and we have not a fuiltcirrjt ptoportion of vtf- j
feU uf ttiis lize. Threcoft4elargtft.it rhe 24 gun
1 tli’ps might he converted into m^.vts of 32 guns, ft I e 1
whole annuai taveute of jiiaintainii.g the navy would
then be, Dobs,. _ 6
The annual cxpeucc of heeiiftin - navy 2,434 26i 10
'Ike duit rcnct w u’d be.the annual t>
pen« e I the; r- pofed addition, 2,7") 27° <76
In times of peace, a lei 11 p oportion « Tw» la n
J would be fuftic e. t to keep the imps in a date' of pre- (
j fervation
> t .try material a.tljtle for ti e building and cquipaacn*. 1
of fliip* of war. copper excepted, and probably coppe
a-io, may be [Tocurctl llic i^roiK tii or manufacture o?
cur own country It is true that vc h-vt heretofore
uici cordag.- tr. de of hemp uf foreign growth, and im
ported canva j and thti» articles coihi stucc, if wear mi
tear he included, one third of the expeafe cf budding
equipping, and Kliiting our vcfilh of war. But maau
fadones oi cauvai have Iveen heretofore eftub iC.id ia
t. icliiflern States, and w,ih proper public encourage
mcnt: may be revived and made to fupply at ieaft the
puoiic demand; and it is moll certain tint any quail
ncyof hemp can be railed, on the Ohio an:1 Mi (blip pi,
the Sufquehannah. the Potomac. James Kivcr. and
i-tuei parrs of toe United States, if the growers of jt at;
atiured of a ready n.atku, and at a priee lc£» than thrt
given ior imported hemp ; :ho it the prices of cordnge
and canva*, the cm re growth and manufacture of he
country fhe-uld be found at lirlt a little dearer than the
imported, thr g od policy of paving the difference tw
ou own citizen*, to render ourftlves independent of *.
1*.reign countnc fat ar.iclcslo clicn.ial tooux defence,
cannot for a moment be doubted.
1 in her can at prefeut be bad in almoft every part
the Lilined State*, but ia t ie g. catcfl abumlante, ar.i
ot the be * t quality, oa the Chclapcak Bay, and the wa
ter* w fiicb empty nto it—in i ia the Southern ltve».—
1 he live oak o. Georgia it thought to be ulmofl ind f
peithble t**^ lOuftru&ion of cur largell lliips t>» lie
u. cd n : .o e parts m«(t luhjofl to decay, but the white
c-aiiot th»- Chcupeak is not greulv’infe ior It is how
ever. h gh y de. tab c to ■ fc the five oik of Georgia s
uing as it can be obtained, more efpec'.-Uy in the thip*
bui . call vard of ihc C hefapeak—-acd by a proper mix
ture of tins timber vvrh that of the g.» .vth ofihe c-uii
ry> iJoud Vcilci* may uC bu.it iu ever * iv.it ul our coun
try
J
inemanc* * n the crtyi of Geor-uj, on wSL'i the
Uvt u k t* *.*ut»J. arc fuppofe to he inure healthy than
the main land near the co .ft—they <,»c ado thought to
be v.rv import..*, for tit. pro.ulmii i f cotton—litncc
this vt liable i.noer t> beCmiong Uarcc titr^ ivlie e,
convenient to water tr.ui 'port .lion Two method*
luggi.lt ibctnfclvi* tor obtain og fnpplies, beyond the
immediate demand. To buy one or two of nc mofl
valuable ill tnd, aud caufc the timber to be preferved lor
:hc luture ufes 01 :he navy, or to | archaic the tint ce
. s the iflunds are cleared by the o varii aui have it
traa.ported to tlie* place* Died o . for but ding our lltip*,
aud docked until It be wanted. \\ it refbtcl to .t pur
chafe, tlie laad> arc held at prices greatly "bcvOnd what
wa> the fupp >ii.d valu of the it. .« lew re a: * a • • , and
i* *• be lie red they have become kfe valuable tv public
purposes in confequencc of theenr.r s which have been
made, &(. ire da.iy malting to clear them lor cu .ivatt n.
Oa the fubjcA of other Lind* of timber, pomb.y
iv..tn it is ftxu bv.he citizens,that t is wotth orefcrv.ug,
it may U. fuilkiait to trull in a great degree to their
atteution to private intereft. for t.ie pref rv .tion of a
quantity eqjal to the public demand. It would however,
be but provident to expend oue farad cd thouUuo dol
lars in a way to fecur enough of th„ w!i te ck and jc.
low pine, both of which are in lifpe .lwb’e in the coa
ffruilioa of good velTd*. to I a ft the public iu aid of
I applies from tn ividoals, f >r f>»t—ioo.,.oc dollars
cunt l be i > .niu out , 1 lg..itvc t**e cxpctivnturc v>ou.d
he judicious.
Mo extraordinary mean , are neceiT -y ‘o be ufed for
procuring naval a.id military It :c» txvip* the articles
of hetnp canvas and copper. C mi *t mh be inadcm
many of the Hates equal‘to any tha. OMikl be obtained
from foreign countries, abb .aui t» and boy on ts, put
o », I aords. bcardmg pike . and indeed, every other
ar.icle n.-ceiTary tor ih.,>3 of .v^r.
_ Although copper m ties are found in tr.a v part* cf
the country, yet the mutt certain meins cf moaning
p eten: iupplics will be by importation. The carer*
prizing Ip nt of 1 t rrcichauts, n o hcicto ore t irntlhei
enougli t r he pu* ic demand, ami mav be (tutted for
future iu •, lies, to far as may he utcellary for the flops
n w contemplated to be added to our n .vv. It is to h«
prtftimed, that before n ore fhips arc wanted, and pofli
b)y befotcany th- may be aurboj ized, are in a ttate la
require the upper, mean* may be dev.id for obtainin'
tt iu the United States.
Docks w 11 be highly neceflary in repairing our fhlp*,
to avetJ the ttiii jti*. exp*.i.Gvc & ldmct mts danger ou*
op .ration of heaving down. They tan undoubtedly b*
made in the Eaftern fta’es. where the (ides rile very
coubiierab y _pr hably iu New H mpGiic Malta
chulctts. or Rhode bland VWiet tr thev can be made
wuh equal advantage, or to anfwer vauab c purpofes,
to the i mb ward ot R bland, or New-York I cannot
tor.n any accurate judgment from any mfurmatioa 1
poiwfs4—though it ivou d unquestionably be a great pub
lic advantage, tw have a ducic near the entr.ince into
the CheUpeak Bay, and .no.hcr Bill fu.ihc-r loath, if
circumftances wnl admit. Do ks for lep.tiri; g fhips
ought to be convenient to the !c and vet no. cahly
accciublc to an enemy. Yards for building the {hips,
wheic large quantities of niateri Is would be depicted
(the deduction of which would always be an oOjeet
w ith an enemy) lhoulil he according to the opinion of
Mr Humphreys, a gentle man of coiitidcrabU- l-;ence
and exp.ritnct in naval arcnitcclure. »* in the vumit/
of a coaimercial city, for the convenience of procu*
“ ing able woikmen—wi hin the reach of good white
“ oak timber—in frclh water, where timber may k dei
“ poiited without dan er from he worn ; on a river
“ lunuing EaR & Weft, or nearly lb, with a hgh bank,
‘‘ »ud wheic the harbour is fccurc from frethtts and
“ ftormy weather out of the reach of an enemy —and
“ near a good ftrea u of water i8or 20 feet higher th at
*• tha fur face ot the r ver, ler the conver.icn c of nuk
ing lock do Jr* fawi.ig tiaibcr, lvf many other
*' jratu W* ufe> ’’
Pcrlup- th* rnoft c*;: editions no.!,* of b aiding flops
immediately wanted, xr.ll be to fct them up in f.aral
cl.lTercnt places, -nd by f eh means avail ourfebei ci
the r-fource* of diCcrcut par:* of the country. 1 am by
no mean* certain that t! ,* method will not ado be the
moft cron n.bal under puLnt ci. cumdanrcj. and with
little ft afoot d timber in the country ; a.;d it will cer
tainly diftribut" i-'.:re cqua lv -mong all the S ate , the
: dvan'agcs which u«y anie com fupply ing the materi
als and the labour. But the in j Vi being u-y. ] ’arn
not pof.elT d id lultuieu; ir.tor on, to fute >vi<It pre
cifion. where :htfc p'aets outfit to be- At a In:ure
time, when the ptcllure may b Irk. and < ai experience
great r, two o three places, u . ting the pr./itft 1 um
ber cl dvaira-’cs. may he fixed on lor Lu«. a g all the
Lrpe fi.ips o the Ut .liii States
'1 itt mode he rtobirr purfurd for ol taiairg naval
(lores, for th -flops in public fervicc, l as be; n to ct
rueh 1 pplies on the fpt t » could he protureJ on no
tr. eieiiTi* bv the agent tar budding ,>r tquipp n. t.,_
fh ip—L tiding f on. I1..: aitclphia, or clfc where, fucla
otic c» on y as could not be to fuppiicd- l mi it ca ;
be ifeertained. what, pi r * tb.ojl * be kloTuu ,.,r t.«V
Kiai-vnt ba.Ling yards, uc g-«a: iueouveukuee will ,-y