The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-11-05
NcAYY

he question, on the augmentation of the .Nduy,
seems to be received as an apple Of discoyd, more
especially among our friends at boston The Pat,i-
OF and the Chronicle have got issue ON the SUBJ
lect-and the CONTROVERSY is managed, with degree
OF aetlmony,. which we regret to perceive, among
brethren Of the same principle. We know too well
tho usual fate of Intermediates in others disputes to
pretend to nterfere-but may BE- permitted SIN
ccreiy to lameat il. Ia calling the attention of the
public TO the subject, it could have been the OBJ
ject OF the respectable print, which preached it, to
excite the warmth oi alteration, much less the rli-
tation OF personal allus As. Such mode of discus
sion we verify believe, Cannot tend to any useful re-
suit. 1t excites heat, without throwing much light
We cannot conceive that Tiers can be the slightest
motive OF divided interest-and difference of opi-
ON surely may be expressed, and, each side, MAIN
taiped, without pickering or reproach
After what we intended should be "A fair cxamina-
ton OF the question for ourselves pro and con- we can
not think any considerable augmentation of the navy
either polite or useful 1t might to be sure do away
all i,nputaton of sskort-sighted, DO ket-Icar,e5 a.
ca,ice," as the Patriot elns any apprchensions of
the expence-it might eviuce very determined spi-
rit of chiyalrc valour-it might excite Temporary
glow of martial, and even of patriotic, exutaton.
but would 1T tend to secure our liberties. benefit
our country lit cannot imply a very dcbas,sl stat
of national spirit, that should choose or oxen
means of defence ofeuce. 1.-THE government and
the people are convinced, that the commencement
OF system OF naval warfare on the part of America
would be the commencement of p system t..niine to
national degradation aud the elimination OF national
happness--t does not follow, that either the govern.
patriotism. We remember wen, when the imputa
ton oi" short sighted pocket-hcartcd avarcc'' was
very freely cast upon men, who oppored measured
much ike those now advocated by the advocates of
permanent navy-and remember too. that th,
reoble sOon entrusted to- those shoyt,siehtc' men
the care Of their public eoncerns-aud We know.
farther, that TIA Patriot has very ably Supported these
pocfef-hea,ted men, who have preferred public
economy and prudence, to cashing gasconade.
Thinking, as we do, that the inevitable expense of
navy ought to be considered in the discussions let us
enquire in the first place, Sphat Soouid -and
thinking do that expense should not deter from
necessary measures defend rights, Sphat zpould
1t come to
The pecupiary cost must be immense and burden
1t must, il carried to its natural extent swaI-
low up all our present resources-and in all piobabi-
lily, compel to the usual means of anticipated reve.
nue., an INCREASING txbiie dem. The wages of our
seamen, on board merchant ships, must Furnish the
ratio, for the wages of the seame of our Spay
1t may be- even impraccable to it, at that rate
without the curse of forced naval power inibyess-
nent. This, we know, as it against every principle
OF our government, written or ,uwritten, would not
now be resOrted to. Bat, in time, what may not as
sumo the gnise of necessity? These may be thought
mock terrors. But in a Republican government,
the jealousy of measures, which may lead suppos-
ed necessity of assuming power, far preferable to
Jealousy of power, when it must the aspect of
direct opposition to government.
What sponid It come TO 2 The following extract
from the baltimore Wg expressed, as is, in the
Vivid and decisive tone, which charact,.rzes that
print, contains for serious reflection There
may be, as il said of Drydens raiIcrv, some
yhorse play" in his expressions-but there is force
in his statement.
&c According to Steels List for July 1871 the B,i.
sh navy consists of 1912 vessels of of various
crptons--543 are at sea, and 70 in cominssion-in
ordinary and repairing, 26tlOl of these are in the
american seas, viz. at Halifax, Newfoundland, the
West-indes and South America. Besides which she
is building 62!! From this statement, our takers
NAV derive wholesome iessonamd those who think,
extract stronger confirmation for their opiniop Of
the madness, wickedness, or folly of attempting to
build permanent navy in the United States The
Enssb navy is composed in part of the following
sels taken fom other nations
From the French 100