Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-04-17

tifying the port & harbour of New-York
{ and ofprotecting the valuable and extern
sive commerce of the United States.''
Remarks.
Is Mr.. Hale acquainted with the subject
he speaks upon Does he know enough
of the principles of fortihcation to explain
TO the house what is practicable and what is
impracticable Did he ever see a fortif-
ed town; fortified, 1mean, on the establish-
principles of fortifcation; Docs he know
scientifically or practically what places
can be fortified and what cannot If he
does not know those things, he has waded
out OF his depth in making his resolves.
He speaks of the ssPert and Harbor of
New-fork." But what ideas does he affix
to the terms sport and harbor 20 Ii by
port he means the City of York, it
proves he knows nothing of ratification;
tor the condition OF New-York. as well by
nature as by the irregularity of its outline
renders terrifying it impossible.
Again, ii by the term "harbor," he
means the water at the wharves within the
range of the Harbor Master, the case is,
that to bring fortihcation there the ships
must be sent up the East or North River,
and the wharves turned into parapet bat
teries with embrazures and planted with
-
not be in the same place.
But II By % haIboc>" ne means the bay DE.
tween the City and the narrows, she most ehectu.
al defence woald be by gun boais, each Carrying
twenty four pounier A gun boar being a
movable tortihcatiop, has large sphere TO acs
IN and battery at land small one shin
| can always keep out of the reach of land bar.
terry or with brisk wind and ,iie can be o., OF
ne range of lis shot In fifteen n,inutes, and be.
ing moving object all the time, the chance is.
that not "a shot would strike her
before men assume 10 make motions and re-
solves about fertilization, they should md avor
to unders'ard thenr The history # fortihca,i.
ons during the revolutionary war is the history
] OF traps. All our principal losses in h., war
were oecasioned by trusting 10 for, IA ATOMS.
Fort Washington, with two thousand 1--WE hun.
| @ted men, was taken in less than four hours.
ana the men made prisoners Of war The same
! fa'e would have befalten the garrison az Fort
| ZEE on the opposite shore. had not general
Green marched suddenly IF and gained tiack, n.
AK 6'dge. In the sPrins md sur mer IT '76S
gen Washington had posse sion of New York.
and fo,uhed IT; General Howe pass u he
East Kiver landed his p aDou t,-snty miles
aoove the CT y. and after akDg possession of
| hing's Bridge, marched down upon the civ.
q had not General w as!Ington stole of on he
N'rtn river ide of Norih is an 9, he < the army
| with him had been ~. tners. 6 y. Lirocln
|
were shut NJ hi b. the enemy, & mace prisoners
oil war. Ii is an imposition on the uub.ic to
"oll up The idea of Notifications as places of
| satey The open field is always the best. One
OF tile principal cares of general is to secure
rerreat in case ofdefea, but there is no retreat
Tor men besieged in fortified town. pass on
10 his second resolve,
Resolved, that, when this state in accedinv
TO the government of the Unned Sta;es sur.
| rendered las valuable and encreasing impose
| revenue tor The general bene6l OF the union.
It was done under full conviction mar ;t
would then become the indispensable duty Of
the United SAFES in return TO afford the capi-
Ni. hA'oor ana commerce of This state, full and
competent protection"
| This resolve is founded in error. and every M.
sition IL contains iSf.lacious The several sac.
agreed 10 consolidate the impo, revenue for hi.
tof The whole. There wa, no ,u-,.nder
! IN the case. Every state did The same thing
because II was It's duty to do It This c,nsolids.
t'on OF the impost revenue was FIR the bur.
rose VI SINKING The debt, as well foreign az
domestic, incurred by the war, and also TO de.
| tray the expense ofthe general government.
ana hSd II not been for the extravaganza of for.
mer administrations, which increased the debt
instead OF diminishing il, the debt would have
oeea funded before this time. The presen, add.
mre u ''S
- DFOSDerltV
new YORK arises from the very circumstance
OF winch this re- olive complains Had New York
not agreed to consolidate the impost revenue in
common with the Other states, she would have
oeen excluded from the Commerce and carryino,
trade OF all the other states and have sunk inc
'oiitay insignlhcance. Her wharyea wouId no,
nave been oTouded with ships az they are now.
is by consolidating he impost revenue into
awhoe and thereby eaving every safe, and eve
y Pari OF state, free 10 choose IFS port of ex
port o. import either in its own, os ano,beI
stare thai the commerce, CT rather the CARVING
iradc OF New York, has Of late years encreased
so much Were New Yo,k confined 10 ,hc. ex
ports OF her own state, and to import only for
tne consumption of her own state she would mar
nave more than third of the commerce and OF
me carving trade she has now. The console
cation ct the impost reyepue, has opera,ed a.
bounty 70 New York. and yet this short singh.
teo legislator complains of it. Bu houeh men.
as merchants. tied down 10 the study of their
'eoSers and cash books. are in general bu, dun
Poiteians, II is necessary for them to understand
I y, o"H aura Z they ought TO have advised Mr.,
nae me- TO have brought in the swing of fool.
ish and il'-founded resolves he has done
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