Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-07-15
Fseas de Nf0 1orx Herald
NAVAL PROJECTIONS

"A cflsls hn8 at length arItReos WHisu Ia
matted most, if moi ali men in the opinion
thati il is 4 psremptory duty Of our govern
ment ia provide for rs immediate means
8 fproscetion and defence. These means
can obviously be but two fold, fortified
s;ons and Z aapy The former is openly
advocated by the American Citizen i.sslf,
and the laueris broadly limited AZ. Forti
scasioos il We had them, wo1fd particular.
;Iy protect onr properly on shore, and there.
fore VIC must have them ; butshey would
do aching towards protecting 9 com.
merce, aud nomau is mac or ridiculous e.
noogh 10 suppose they would be able to
svenge wrongs and insults committed
upon Us BY any foreign power whatever ;
we must therefore have navy also. It's
On 4 navy alone char We can place any re.
liaace for protecting POI commerce, for
defending the rights of neutrality, and
for maintaining y national sovereign
~.
Onifiis point pernis me to present a few
extracts from our own PubEus; a writer.
whose sentiments must always comnand
respect whenever they are read, aud which
.. this particular period are entitled to our
whole attention.
/" A further resource for influencing
the conduct of European nasions towards
us in this respect would arise from the
establishment of a navy, There Gao be
no doubt that the continuance OF the unlsn
under al Efficient government, would pat
il in our power, az q period not very dist
ant, to create : navy, which if il could not
vie with those oflhe great marasime powers
would at least Be of respectable weight, it
sthrown into the scale eff either ct the two
parties. This would be more particularly
the case, ia relation to operations ia the
West Indies. Afs1uships of the line sent
opportuncly 10 the reinforcement OF either
side, would often be sufficient to decide the
fate ora csmpaiga, on the event OF which,,
interests of the greatest magnitude. was
saspendsd. Our position is 10 this re.
spect . very commanding one. And tito
this consideration We add that OF useful
ness Of supplies from this country, 10 the
prosecutions Of military operations in the
West Iodies, it will readily be perceived
that q si,ustico 30 favorable would enable
us To- bargain with great advantage for com.
msrcial privileges. A price vould6 be SET
not aasly On oxr friendship but our neutraa.
sy.n
Ga the supposition, however that the
American people should want wisdom thus
20 avail themselves OF their esources, their
power and th.ir si,uation, the writer pro
ceeds shus-prophetiealiy
6 In : state SO Insignificant, our com
rasrse would be q prey to the wanton in
~termeddlings Of all nalons at war With
sssch o.hsr who haviog noshing 10 fear
from us would, with little scrapie or re-
morse, supply their wants by ~dspreda.ioos
on our property, as often aait fell 10 their
way. The rights 0 neusrahty zpi0 only be
yssbetisd, zulen fhfy are defended by all
Adequate power Anation despico6s By its
Eusdkness. forfsits even the privilege Of
being neutral"
Under . vigorous national government
he neutral strength and resources of the
country, dressed 90 2 common interest
would bsfhs aithe combinations Of Euro.
peau Jealousy 30 restrain cur growth. This
situaiion would even take away the N osiye
90 such ~sombiuaions, BY inducing an I'm.
praesicabilisy of success. An active som.
mcsee and extensive navigation, . flourish
ing marine would then be the inevitable
! 3 sptiug ef moral and physical necessity.
We might defy The. little arts OF little pc.
4isicians 10 control and vary the irresistible
aud Interchangeable course Of nature.
9 But rwishous such means to make
ourselves respected iii would be 10 ths
power Of the maritime nations, awaiting
themselves Of orr universal impotence. Z
Syescsi5e The conditions effonr political sxis