Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-03-31

broad sideswthout striking any of the boats,
and as the deep water the ship was in, was
but narrow, the reaction of the broadsides
forced her into shoal water, and she got a
ground. The man who commanded the
gun boats, suspected character of the
name of White gave orders to the boats TO
cease firing, and when the tide rose the ship
iloated and made the best of her way to sea.
White afterwards joined the British at New
York.
F., When Gen. Howe sailed from New York
in l777, to get possession of Philadelphia,
ne avoided coming up the Delaware, where
the Gun boats were, and went to the Che
sapesk where there were none, and march,
ed Jv land from the head of Elk into Penn
st,Vapia. Noceise can be assigned for this
! circuitous route OF several hundred miles,
but that Of not exposing his ships and trans
[ ports 10 the gun boats. There were at that
I time fortihcation on Mud Island, few
miles below Philadelphia, and another at
Red Bark on the Jersey shore opposite !;
but Howe could have landed below these,
and out of the reach of their shot, but he
| could Land no where on the Delaware shore,
nor be any where with his ships in the De-
iaware, out of the reach of the movable for
| tho tions, the gun boats. After Gen. Howe
! got possession OF Philadelphia by land, the
gun boats quilted their station below and
| came above the city.
| The Asia man of war, Of go guns Capt.
Vandeput, s aground in n York harbor,
| three or four miles below the CITY, in the
| spring of '76. Gen. Lee commanded at N
York at that time, and had there been any
! gun boats, they could have taken her, bee
! cause they could have raked her fore and
aft, and obliged her to strike. A man of
war aground, is like bird shot in the wing
it can make no effort to save itself. AS to
the guns on the point now called the Bate
ry, they could do nothing The ship was
out of the reach of their shot.
J The Gun boats built in France for the de-
scent upon England are numerous and for
| midable, being more than two thousand.
They were began in the year ninety six
Those which have seen, being both con-
vov and transport were about sixty feet
! long, sixteen feet broad, draw about 1-2
feet water, carried "a or So FOUNDER at
the head, and field piece in the stern,
with Zap by which to run the field piece
out as soon as the boat touches ground a
shore, as they run a Wagon out of a scow
Each boat carried 100 men, and rowed with
25 oars on side. They have since built
much larger sort called Praams. These
also are fiat bettomed, draw three or four
feet water, and are from four to six hundred
tons burthen, and carry several very large
Cannon, not less, suppose, than rs pound
; ers at least.
The British men of war have made seve.
raj attempts against the French gun boats
at Bologne, but were always defeated. The
last attempt was by fire arrows, which
might be formidable against ships, because
OF their sails and rigging, but is ridiculous
against gun boats.
A great deal has been said in congress
: and in the New York newspapers, about
fortfying New York. Mr.. n. Williams, in
a speech in congress, Jan. %, said, "The
gentleman on my right (meaning MIR. Smi-
lie) meets the proposition for fortifying New
York with a most formidable objection.
Expend, says he, what money you will, il
is impossible to erect Notifications thai
shall prove sufficient TO defend the harboi
: and city of New York. He (Mr. Smile
calls upon us for plan. and tells us, that i
{ II can be defended, TO produce our plan"
n do not Continues Mr.. Williams pretend t.
7 be very wise upon this subject myself, blu
have been told that the ablcst engineer
u have examined the position, and have
given it as their opinion, that an effectua
5 mode of defence is practicable. But if de
: fence Us impossible, | call upon the gentle
VI man (meaning Mr.. SMILEY to shew where
in the popularity OF the situation of tina
d place On. Y consists, to render it so. Fo
. surely the pretence of impossibility woult
not have been made use of here, unless tn,
> city and harbor Of n. York were differen
from all other places in the world that wer,
IS ever defended"
: now come TO reply to the demand MI
y Williams has made. shall do this as con
{ cisely as the limit to which confne mysel
will admit, but what say will serve to SOW
n seeds Of thought in the minds Of others upo
u this subject, and may prevent millions G
IS dollars being wasted in vain.
Fertilization is founded on geometrica
81 principles, and where the condition Of
+ place is such that those principles cannot b
z, applied, that place cannot be fortified t
q produce any effect. A place that cannc
~ be enclosed in poygon, cannot be FORTH
d ed on any principles of ratification, unles
~ there be a part so strong by nature, as t
= be inaccessible to a besieging army. TIL
fortified parts are then sections OF a polygoI
~ New York cannot be enclosed in a polygor
" and therefore cannot be fortified neithe
~ is any part Of it strong by nature. 1t is ar
y proachable in every part by land or waite
~ and besides this, can be bombarded aero
~ the East river from Long Island.
VI 1t Us absolutely necessary in terrifying
e town that all parts Of it be equally stron
III or an enemy will attack only the weake
part. New York cannot be made equal
% strong in all its parts, and therefore IL