The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-17 00:00:00

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LOND')N, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1648

OUR NATIONAL DEFENCES.

In bringing forward the Budget, Lord JoUN
RUSSELL is to propound the Government plan for
the national defences. What that plan is we know
not; but certainly it ought to be a good one, judging
by the multitude of advisers—from TIIE Field-Mar-
shal himself—from commissioned and non-commis-
sioned officers, naval and military—down to the
civil but generous volunteer. Almost everybody has
his plan—the fighting captain and the peaceful manu-
facturer. One would keep the invader at arm's
length, while the other would cordially shake him
by the hand. With the one expense goes for nothing,
while the veriest economy sways the other. " Ten
thousand soldiers at each seaport," thunders the Duke
—" bales of exports," replies the toiling cotton-
spinner. The gallant soldier, wrapt in his esprit du
corps, forgets that we are essentially watermen ; and
the manufacturer overlooks our defences in the inter-
change of trade. The one seeks security at home,
while the other would

" Have all the world before him, where to choose
His place of sent, and profit still his guide."
And so, perhaps, it should be. National wealth is
but the aggregate of individual profit. But what is
the Ministerial plan ? We would humbly suggest
what it ought to be—efficiency based on economy.
We are increasing the artillery on land—why not
increase it on our natural element, the ocean ?

" England's best bulwarks are her wooden mil,"
and the ocean is our natural rampart. Man that
rampart by marine artillery, and the danger of inva-
sion will diminish in proportion. We have seamen
and marines—we have ships and to spare, but we
have no marine artillery as a body—we have
no organized force bearing the name and possessing
the aptitude of a Marine Artilleryman—a man trained
to great guns as well as small arms—a soldier and a
seaman in one person—a man who could hand, reef,
or steer—who could storm a fort or board a ship—in
short, a man of all work—an educated man-of-war's
man—

" Alike to him the sea—the shore,
The brand, the bridle, and the oar."

Tea thousand such men would be worth fifty thou-
sand raw militiamen. They could be employed as
soldiers on our coasts, as seamen in our dockyards,
and as Marine Artillerymen on board our ships.
By their knowledge they could instruct more, and by
their experience set a good example to all.
The application of steam has vastly increased our
naval power—in fact, steam dispenses with half the
number of seamen usually required in sailing ships.
Hence the necessity of more practical knowledge
with fewer men. Steam works the ship while
science works the guns.
Suppose a body of 10,000 Marine Artillery were
organized and distributed along the coast according
to circumstances, or sent on board ship to acquire
their sea-legs ; and suppose a war suddenly broke out,
some difficulty might occur, in fact always does
occur, in fitting men of war in sufficient number for
the emergency ; but a fleet of steamers could be
armed and equipped in a few hours by means of the
Marine Artillery. It is now well ascertained that
the majority of our merchant and mail steamers are
capable of carrying a number of guns. These ves-
sels have a sufficiency of men for navigable purposes,
while the Marine Artillery would supply both men
and guns at the shortest notice. We should thus
have a fleet in the Channel ready for defence or
aggression almost with the next tide.

In the event of war the same principle would apply
on foreign stations; the Marine Artillery could lad
transhipped from men-of-war to our merchant steamers
in those quarters, and thus protect our property,
while they increased our power.
As a matter of economy, such a force would cost
little more than ordinary men, while its efficiency
would be infinitely greater. It would constitute a
marine army of reserve, always in employ, and ever
ready for action.
Such men, from their better and more varied train-
ing, would acquire a confidence unknown to less disci-
plined sailors ; they would dare dangers where others
might hesitate, as an expert swimmer would brave the
breakers where inexperience might shun the spray.
The practical value of such men is incalculable—
they would form a nucleus which could be enlarged
at pleasure. Their motto would be—" Ready, aye
ready ;" and come the hour of invasion when it
might, their gallant example would inspire others
with courage till the ardour of enterprise became
electric; and a force moved by such impulses would
achieve the most heroic deeds.

A Liberal Legislature, like the one now sitting at
Westminster, could not, with any consistency, do
otherwise than it did last evening. Knowing that a
Bill was recently introduced to the Upper House by
the President of the Council, and that it is now
lying under the consideration of the Lords Spiritual
and Temporal, which Bill is intended to legalise the
project of the Government for the establishment of
friendly relations between the Courts of St.
James's and the Quirinal, it was manifest that the
supporters of the Administration could not possibly
regard with indifference, much less with any senti-
ments approaching to those of oppositionAthe fate of
the measure brought before the House of Commons
by the Honourable Representative of Youghal. By
this time the character of the Sovereign PON-
TIFF is pretty well known, and we believe, too,
with a very few exceptions, tolerably well
appreciated. Englishmen recf)gniso in him not