The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-10-11
CHE Gnqusrer.
RICHMOND. ,,tb OCTOBER.
COMMUNICATION.
PLAN OF DEFENCE.

pan OF oetcrce' TOR our rivers and hardours,
which had been propelled in late Eu<u;rer.
But whilf lie endeavoure.l to expofe the author
of that plan TO ridicule, be 70 completely expo.
FED his own ignorance of the fubic9 and his vi
olent party fPirit, that it was thought advifcable
10 leave him in full enjoyment of his vainly fup-
poied hyperion knowledge of the fubied and
the plan, 10 the confederation of proper Judges
and OF th.te who may adopt it, ihou!d il meet
with their appreciation. The author of the
s'sn now however thinking it pofIible, that
iome well-'nsaling citizens may he deceived by
the Ledger and preiudiced againa the meafure,
NoAl9 ii be adopted, and thereby add flrength to
the federal clamours which will be raifcd aeainf
It or perhaps any plan which can he adopted by
the preient administration, has thoaght il pro-
per to point out the futiity of the objections
made to it in the Ledger.
The hr's OBJECTION Of the Ledger is cxprenetl
in the following words After the eyperiepce
" OF our revolutionary war, we never expected
"to hear GABLES again recommended ;-the
"heit comment upon their inutility, is this
simple fact, that out of the whole number
which were built at the commencement of the
"war, there were not three remaining in fervice
"at the end of two years. Some indeed were
deltroyed by the enemy, but the far greater
part were fufrred TO rot in our rivers ant,
ports, AS monuments of our experience"
bnt as TAR as our experience of the ufe of galies
extended in the revolutionary war, we have
been aliured from good authority, they were
found to be fuilicient defence to our rivers A.
ga'nit privateers and even frigates; for not one
ever entered river where galley was ration
ed; till Imported by numbers and fufficient
force to command the thore as wei; as the ri
vers. And the American prifoners on board of
the largeit frigatcs, whif cruifing in Chefapeake
Bay, have heard the officers and falors curf.
our gallies which they faw lying underth flores
OF the different rivers, remarking that their
damned long guns and heavy balls might fend
them to Halifax for mat, whit they could
not get near enough to hit them. As to thofe
gallies rottng, it may be affirmed that they did
not rot fooner than fome of the favorite frirates
| of the Ledger.
We are next told, that "the idea of defend
ting any place with gailies and gun-hoats which
afr'gae or Hoop of war can enter, iStooabfurd
ITO merit further confederation :" But the fu-
t'ity OF this mode Of arguing mutt be evident
when IT is confdered, that when the galley lie.
| IN deep water or &c bold rivers" and within the
reach of Hoops Of war or fiigates, by the plan
Of the Enquirer it is to be fupported by an Is
lor "a FOUNDER on the land, and by fmaller
cannon with is forge for firing red-hot fhot.
The Editor OF the Ledger, however, opens bis
battery OF wit upon this part of the plan and
gives US a biawS7ne drtcription of the two can
non and travelling forge and the infantry in
tended to cover them, all in full chafe after the
ifgate under preis of fail and n,fcrab!y put TO
| It TO get round the Coves or Bays they muit
have to turn before they can come I'D with her.
| ihe reader, however, who ihal reco!iect that
ihis PidiAe leaves out the galley, which is in
tended ii p"iiioIe to flank the battery, and which
the plan contcmpiates ihall whenever pra 1ica-
bic mutually fupport each other, will ealily add
20 it the galley in purfuit ALTO of the frigate and
by nearer route than the artillery are forced
INTO, at proper diitdnCe from her, that is out
or reach OF her grape ihot, and raking her fore
and ait as long as 1t iuiis its convenience. He
may add too, what would very probably be the
true representation of the frigate, MANY of her
fails ihot away and politely her bow-iprt cut
OF, and mizer-mat carried by the board,
broached 10, and fmokng from the effects of a
fed-hot ihot, Or enveioped in fmoke aud flame
blown up by one of them entering her powder
room: This vii! appear TO any one, who is &C
9nainted with the fuhject, as no exaggeration of
what might happen: for iuch know, that the
| SO FOUNDER i'll the galley, and the Is or 81
FOUNDER with the field-piece and It's red.hot
| ihot, might produce the effects fuppofed to be
represented in this picture, Whit the frigate is
| ihppoed to be within reach of thofe guns, that
is, Whit The is falling two miles as fuppofed BIZ
the Ledger, coming up the river from mile be d.
low, and Whit paiiing them and getting as If is
|
| in coming up, file would according TO the fun.
petition be exPofed TO their fire FIX minutes, and
the cannon would not begin the idle chaCe as
10 as they could 70 effettually purfiie with the
! fSittnefs Of their bullets, and could aim one
! half of them as at fixed mark, which by the
bye NUT be the cafe whiIft the frgate is com
ing up and at certain diftaDce, and after fhe
has pah to that d;tance 70 that fhe would be
| exPoied to as many rounds from the heavy
Cannon and fielc-piece, as they could dfcharge
in l2 minutes. AS TO hitting The frigate when
p1iiing the battery, it is acknowledged 10 he a
difficult thing: but it is affirmed that fkilflI
ar,lIlerlit or engineer, knowing the velocity oe
the rigate aud of his balls, and the diaanoe they
mutt pats, whit the frigate is pafIing over
gwen ipace, can fix marks by which the cannon
may be directed 10 TO hit the flip, as certain
| Iy as it it were fixed AZ anchor. For inftance I:
| tuppofe whil6 hip moves over certain ipace
IN the time in which CannOn-ball can pafs from
the mouth of tine cannon to the flip wiich
| ipace fhall fubtend given angle at the cannon
and two marks be placed in fllch directions be-
| tween the river and the cannon that line
drawn from on of them paf1ing over .he mouth
and touch-hoIe Of the cannon and another line
from the other mark be drawn over the touch.
! hole; the two lines making there the given, an