The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-14 00:00:00

The effect of these incursions would be terrible every- I
where, but in the southern portion of our country they
might, and probably would, be disastrous in the extreme.
It is obvious that a war thus conducted must be
successful to a ♦ery great extent, in spite of all the de-
fences on land which we could contrive. The policy
of increasing our navy, without further delay, is o'svi-
ous. How far it shall be increased, the wisdom of
Congress will decile. Looking to it as the chief, if
not the only adeqnate defence of our country against
those wars of incursions from which so much •vil is
to be apprehended, I respectfully suggest that we can-
not safely stop short of half the naval force of the,
strongest maritime Power in the world. With less)
than this, our fleets would serve only to swell the tri-
umphs and feed the cupidity of our enemy. It is
better to have noes at all than to have less than
enough. I am aware that this great increase of our
isval power cannot be effected in any short time. 1
propose it only as tile object at which our policy ought
to aim, and towards the attainment of which your Inca-
esres ought to be steadily directed. An annual appro-
priation, as liberal as the means of the Treasury would
allow, will in a few years accomplish all that is desirable.
Of what description of vessels our navy ought to be
composed, is a question of great importance, and one
which we are compelled to decide with reference to the
practice of other countries. Doubtless a very large
part of it ought to consist of steam ships. Experience
has shown that these vessels may be rendered per-
fectly safe at sea, and that they may be so construc-
ted as to adapt them, in other respects, to purposes of
war. Of thtir great usefulness the world has had a
striking proof in the recent operations of the British
squadron on the coast of Syria—troops were trans.
ported a distance of two thousand miles over the ocean
and were engaged in battle in Asia Minor on the six-
teenth day after leaving England. This and other fa-
cilities afforded by this class of vessels were so great
and effective that the Admiral declared that " his suc-
cess was owing to the efficiency of his steamers." We
may well profit by the lesson thus taught us. I
respectfully suggest, however, that it would not be
wise in us to engage verb extensively in the construc-
tion of steamships of war of the largest class at this
time. Imitating the example of England, our wisest
policy would be to aid the private enterprise of our
citizens in constructing packet ships, t• ply between
this country and foreign ports. These should, of course;
be so constructed as to fit them for war purposes, and
should be field subject to the demand of the Govern-
ment upon equitable conditions. There will, in all
probability, be enough of such vessels to answer all
the purposes for which steamships of the largest class
would be required, and they would be furnished at a
comparatively small cost to the Government. Experi-
ments are now in progress which promise important re-
sults in these respects, and it would probably be judi-
cious not to expend large sums in the construction of
steam ships for distant cruises until these results shall
he made known. But the same reasoning does not
apply to steam vessels of a smaller class, destined for
the defence of our own coast and harbours. These
ought not, under any circumstances, to be delayed.
They would he particularly useful on the lakes and iu
the Gulf of Mexico.

In my opinion, there is no necessity at present to
increase the number of our line of battle ships. Some
of those which we now have would be more useful if
cut down to frigates of the largest class. There is,
even in the present condition of the service, a pressing
demand for sloops of war, brigs, and schooners ; and I
recommend that a suitable number of them be imme-
diately built. Not loss than ten are necessary, even in
the present condition of our Navy. One of them should
be kept in commissio❑ and ready for service at each of
our principal ports ; and this may be done without any
considerable additional expense, because they will al.
ways be prepared to perform a variety of duties for which
the Government now pays high prices to merchant
vessels.

In view of any considerable increase of the navy, a
large addition to our frigates of the first class ought to
be made. Our present 44-gu❑ frigates would not en-
counter, upon equal terms, the modern frigates of the
first class of England and France. To enable us to
contend successfully with these, the principle maritime
Powers of Europe, we must not only increase our gene-
ral naval force in proportion as they increase theirs, but
we must also build vessels of corresponding size and
description with those which they will use against us.
I renew, with anxious desire for its success, the re-
commendation so often made by my predecessors for the
establishment of higher grades in the naval service.
This will be absolutely necessary if the Navy should
he considerably increased, and would be highly useful,
even in its present condition.
It is, as a general rule, wise and politic to establish
as many grades as possible in all military service. The
officer should always have before him some station, vet to
be reached, a ndjworthy of a high and generous ambition.
He who has attained all that is attainable has no need
of any further exertions than just enough to sustain him
where he is ; all beyond this is supererogatory, for lie is I
not pet mitted to hope that either the utmost exertions
of his powers, or the most generous self-sacrifices in the 11
public service will ever raise him one grade higher in
the ranks of his countrymen.
Of the importance of marines in the naval service,
but one opinion is now entertained. The principal
maritime nations of the world, with the exception of
ourselves alone, have within jate years greatly increased
this part of their force. I respectfully suggest that
there should be provided for each ship not less than one
marine for every gun, besides a sufficient for the police
of naval stations on shore. ♦ still larger proportion
of marines would, in the opinion of experienced officers,
be highly valuable in the service.
The laws and regulations for the government of the
marine corps are extremely imperfect, and require
amendment. A new code has already been prepared
by a board of officers constituted for the purpose,
which it is proposed to incorporate in the general revi-
sion of the naval code, bereinbefore recommended.
The propriety of establishing naval schools has fre-
quently been submitted to the consideration of Con-
gress. I again respectfully bring it to your notice, as a
subject of increasing interest to the Navy. The use of
steam vessels in war will render necessary a different
order of scientific knowledge from that which has here-
tofore been required. If our Navy should be increased
by the addition of any considerable number of steam
vessels, engineers will form an important class of na-
val officers. It will be necessary to assig❑ to them a❑
appropriate rank, and to subject them to all the laws of
the service.
Having recommended a largo increase in most of our
squadrons, it followed, of course, that I should ask the
requisite appropriations to support them. Presuming
that Government does not build ships without designing
to use them, it would appear to be the obvious duty of
this department to keep as many of them in constant
service as can be profitably employed. This is, indeed,
the true economy. Some of our finest ships have de-
cayed to a serious extent, while yet upon the
stocks, and still more have, after having been launched,
required extensive repairs before they have been sent to
sea. This is the necessary consequence of keeping
them in our docks. Ships in actual service are gene-
rally clean, tight, dry, and properly ventillated. A
careful guard is kept over them, so that slight decays
are immediately detected, and repaired without any
considerable expense. It has frequently happened that
our vessels have been found, after their return from
long cruises, in better order for service than when they
left the docks. On the other hand, when they are kept
in port without crews, they decay rapidly, for want of
the care and attention necessary to preserve them. It
may well be doubted whether the aggregate of losses
sustained and repairs rendered necessary, by the non-
use of our vessels, has fallen very far short of what it
would have cost to keep them in commission.
But this is the least part of the evil. While vessels
are un•mployed our officers are idle. They thus lose
the opportunity of acquiring a due knowledge of their
profession, and naturally full into those habits which
idleness always engenders. It would not be surprising
if they should forget, in some degree, their respect for
the flag which they are S 3 rarely permitted to hoist,
and lose in indolence and despondency, the lofty spirit
and generous aspirations to which the Navy owes its
past renown.
An efficient Navy cannot be built and supported
without very great expense ; but this expense is more
than repaid, even in time of peace, by the services which
such a Navy can render. In war, it will be worth to
us all the value which we place on the safety of our
exposed seacoast, on the security of millions of our
people, and on the well-earned glory of our naval flag.
It is enough that a necessity for this expenditure can
be shown ; the amount of it will be a secondary con-
sideration with a people who truly love their country
and properly value its institutions. A. P. UPSHER.