The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-11-29
aDifteitatlp.
Anspers 10 Mr. Kaikoen's Queries.
h LETTER III.
.fmsserdam, October 6, 1870.

LETTER Ill.
.fmsscrdGm, October 6, 1890.
SIR,
YOUR third proposition is "to shcw that
America, notwithstanding the war, daily in
creases in strength and force"
IL is an undoubted fact that America daily
increases in strength and force but it may
not be easy 20 prove this to the satisfaction
OF an European, who has never been across
the Atlantick; however, some things may
be broaght into consideration, which may con-
vince if properly attended to.
l. 1t may be urged from the experience
of former wars, during oil which the popula-
ton OF that country was SO far from being
dininishcd, or even kept at stand, that it
was always found, at the end Of war, thar
that tho numbers of people had incrcascd,'
during the course of it, nearly in the same
ratio as in time of peace. Even in the last
French war, which lasted from 1855 to 1863,
(during which time the then American Col
onics made rs great cxertion, had in the
field as great number Of men, andp them.
selves to as great an expense, In proportion
to the number OF people, as the United
States have done during this warN 1t was
found that the population had increased near.
ly as fast as in times of peace.
2. IT you make enquiry into the circuni-
stances OF the different parts of America, at
this day, you End the people in all the States
pushing their settlements out into the will
derness upon the frontiers, cutting down the
woods and subduing new lands, with as much
cagerncss and rapidity rs they used to Go in
former times OF war or peace. This spread
ing OF the people into the wildcmess,i is a de-
cisive proof of the increasing population.
3. The only certain way OF determining the
ratio Of the increase of population, is by au-
thentick numcrations of the people, and reg
ular official returns. This has, believe,
. never been done in former wars, and has been
generally omitted in this. Yet some States
have made these returs: the Massachusetts
Bay, for example, had valuation about the
year lg73, or l774, and again the last
year, i77e, they had another In this peri.
od Of FIVE years, that State was found to have
increased,both in number Of people and In val.
uc of property, more thun it ever had grown
before in the period Of time. Now the
Massachusetts Bay has hada greater num-
bcr of men employed in the war, both by
land and sea, in proportion to the numbers Of
her inhabitants, than any other State OF the
thirteen. She has had more men killed,
taken prisoners, and died Of sickness, than
any other State yet her growth has been as
rapid as ever from whence it may be fairly
urgcd,that all the other States have grown ia
the same or greater proportion.
4. II has been found, BY calculation, that
America has donbled her numbers, even by
natural generation alone, upon an average, a.
bout once in eighteen years. This war has
now lasted near six years in the course Of it,
We commonly compute, in America, that we
have lost, by sickness, and the sword, and cap
tiyity, about hve-and-thirty thousand men,
But thc numbers of people have not increased
less than seven hundred and fifty thousand
souls which give at least AN hundred thous-
and fghting.mcn. We have not less, proba-
bly,, than seventy thousand lighting men, in A.
mc,ica, more than we had on the day that
hostilitics were first commenced, on 9th Of A.
pril, I775. There are near twenty thous-
and fghnng-mcn added to the numbers In A
merica every year. Is this the case with
our enemy, ,Great.Britain Which then
can maintain the war the longest
$. If America increases in numbers, she
certainly increases in strength. But her
stength increases in other respects the dis
cipine of her armies increases the skill
OF her officers increases, by sea and land
her skill in military manufactures, such as
those Of saIt-pctrc, powder, FIRE arms, and
cannon, increases her skill in manufactures
of flax and wool, for the first necessity, In
creases her manufactures of salt also in.
crease and all these are augmcntations of
strength and force to maintain her In
dependence. Further, her commerce In
creases every year the number Of ves-
sells she has had this year, in the trade
to the Wcst-Indies the number of vessels
arrived in Spain, France, Holland and Swe-
den; shew that her trade Is greatly increased
this year.
But above all, her activity, skill, bravery,
and success In privatecring, increases every
year the prizes she has made from the Eng
lish this year, will dcffay more than one half
of the whole expense OF this years war. l
only submit to your consideration a few hints,