The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-12-31

ing 10 the gentleman's motion for the con
struction OF four additional frigates for tn,
octence OF New York: he was told from goot
auth ority that the commandant Of the pun
boats stationed at that place confidently de-
clared, that with fifty of those boats, in rcn.
junction with the forts, he would he able t,
rePei any force that could be sent aeains,
hlm-and Mr. >. said he had no reason tc
uouot the correctness OF this calculation -
Nearly all the effective impression which
the arms of the u. S. made upon Tripoli wae
bygun-5oats, and that was the first cxperi
ment ot the kind they ever made; and i.
might be supposed that great improvement,
IN their construction and management had
been since made. Besides, they were then
put to IN use for which they were not oripin,I-
iy intended; they were nient to be employ ed
as defensive weapons. not offensive The
| next experiment was tried at Algesiras and
tne last at Boulognc. From their efficacy
there as auxiliaries to the batteries. was to
be ascribed the salvation of the French soma
dron and the escape of the town from plum
der and conf1agr 5tion.
he British have not dared to attack a
single French rort since, though they had
MI possession OF the channel and every means
OF attack which their unopposed nsv.l 81
per7rty could afford. Though they saw
preparing in those ports materials for their
destruction, though they saw rising up in
them means Of offence SO much dreaded AS
to require the utmost rigor OF national ever
ton to provide against them, still did they
stand aloof. HID Copenhagen been defend
cd by Sun-boats distributed so as to act witt,
the batteries, She wouid not have fallen so
easy prey; in fact, the few gln-boats they
had did all the execution that was done To
the British shipping; for the feet which re
named In the port Tor its defence had no re-
treat from the superior force 81 the enemy,
but where they could &c pursued by vessels
= equal SIZE, while the S4n-boats ran under
the icrts ana con.,nncH 20 anHpg toe British
ships until those forts ere taken bv lard.
And II all the vessels winch y e-e captured
had been gun-boats, how much better would
1t have been for the Danes how much less
heavy would the loss of a few boats have been
than that OF SO manv urge ships, s. lone
building and accommodating, and at snch an
immense expense. But in order 70 she,y the
lnuthty OF gun boats, as well as Notifications.
this House was told the British coud succeed
against our.towns BY LANDING sufficient mum
Der or men below cur forts and ,attackino.
them by land. This is exactly, Mr. = said,
hat he wished TO hear; for it was concedinc-
at once that our gun-baat and fortifcatici,
defence would be too much for them to Dass,
that they would be compelled to give up the
idea of CARRYING the place by water and
WliCD
their boosted irresistible naval power could
afford them. If it proved any thing else. it
was an argument that equally applied aeainst
making any preparations for defence at al
Tor as they could not pretend to put their
whole line OF sea coast i'll a S ate of defence.
an enemy might always find some place at
which to land, and 1t might as well be said
that one place ought not TO be put in a state
Fof defence, because landing might be ef-
fectea at another MIR. .. hoped they should
be prepared to meet theIa Al every vuinere-
bic point; he hoped their care would be ex-
tended to all our large commercial cites in
such manner as would, with the aid OF their
patriotic citizens and the militia, protect
them from the predatory incursions oi the
enemy, tor II was that species OF warfare On
Wnlcn the enemy seemed mostly to leiy. To
her disgrace 6e 1t spoken, that the chief hos
Utility at present carried on by Britain was b.
buccaneering, robbery and punder, they
watched opportunities tn tresp pass upon the
property OF individuals by surprise and insi-
llouSiy carried eli every thing they could lay
their hands upon. The British, he said, find
their sources OF weal distracted from be-
ing driven with their trash from the CONT
nent CT Europe; and in order to support their
expensive establishments and the appear
ance OF nation, they made up the defcien-
CieS by such crimes against neutrals a. in
individuals would send them to the galows
they became highwaymen by sea and land
they were guilty OF violations not only OF the
laws OF nations, but Of the municipal laws OF
almost every state, through every grade of
criminaiity from piracy eyea down TO petty
larceny; we are therefore to provide against
them, not as an honorable, open enemy, but
as a gang OF robbers. Ii they went Oh and
adop1ed the defensive measures recommend
ed in the bill reported BY the committee of
aggressions, as we'll as this bill, they would
be sufficiently prepared for their reception,
without going to the expencc of building more
irgates Should they attempt any thing
more serious against US, said he, l trust *
snail be prepared to meet them OH equal
grounds, and that we shall not be outdoDe by
The Spaniards in Buenos Ayres, or even by
the Turks at CCnstantinope Of this kind
OF assault, said he, we have little to dread,
they have sufficient employment for their
men without sending them abroad to fight.
1t is their despicable, frec-booty mode of
warfare against which we have the greatest
occasion to provide that they may not, with
few ships and men, seize upon New York,
for instance, and carry off the accumulated
millions of her banks and merchants; and
SUCH provision is already amply contemplated
in che two items OF the bill reported by my
rollpapue