The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-12-31

. who view this subject differently from me
that they do not mean to abandon the ocean
} 1t is for rhem then to shew tue difference
between not 2.1auticuiry right and not de-
ie!',i;ng it, for cannot believe that an,
| gentleman viii contend, that the nationa
defence shall be l1t to privateers. They
have most justly been considered AN aid Il
the national arm, but heaven forbid they
should be relied on rs principal a private
l arm with power to shield the nation is
what L could not contemplate without ter
ror. cannot believe it necessary to pur-
sue this argument.
To return then: The force adequate to
the defence OF our seas, would cost twelve
millions. | will not say that this whole
eKpence ought to be incurred in one year
| indeed IT ought 60 be remarked that of the
20 frigates, nearly are ready for service.
! Let the principle be yielded, and we Can
then enter on the calculation as 70 the por-
ton which may be procured each year.
lhe decision too would in nv judgment,
De the strongest inoucement to the enemy to
| make peace when they saw that YOU were
progressing To a force which they could not
meet ". indeed, the force which has been
named was not altogether adequate to the
OBJECT OF defending your own waters, you
would find, having that force, you could
make any small addition that was requisite
without difficulty. In reference to the
| opinions of others in some measure did the
select committee determine on the number
OF SHIPS and their force to be procured this
| year. Thus, if the first blanks are filled
with four seventy six gun ships, they cost
per estimate 1888 700, and will require an
appropriation of 1882, 900. If the other
blank be filled with six So gun ships, which
by estimate cost 100000 ; the requisite APP
preparation for them will be S1,320,O00:
SiO0nn Df he. lac n hav
calculated at 81 200 which would require
an appropriation Of 1857, 200; which, with
the necessary appropriation for the four fri
gates ordered to be rebuilt last year, viz:
The Philadelphia, New York, General
Greene @ Boston, will amount to SO 500, 900.
ms would give you four 76's and 10 fri
gates, mostly of the best size. Compare the
efficiency of that force with the interest of
three and half millions, the cost, and you
cannot but be grati6ed with the result.
say, Mr.. Chairman, the interest because
| though 1t was not in the province of the BE-
lect committee 10 look out the ways and
means, yet was it so interested as to their
object that they could but ask how was the
money to be had and they were satisf-
ed that three and half million could
with facility be loaned for navy purposes.
state this with 10 view to limit the ways and
means, but only that until the subject is
not be embarrassed with the difficulty of
money.
With the humble hope that the views Of
the committee have been shewn to be at
least most reasonable, if not most correct,
peg leave to say few words as to the diff
tercnt kinds of vessels proposed ! will not
ask that the clerk should read that excel
lent letter from capt. Stewart, because j
presume every gentleman who wishes in
fnr,Tn Of lNAe
From that and the other documents, the
committee thought themselves warranted
in recommending seventy-six gun ships.
In addition 20 the sufficient reasons offered
there, that large ship with fewer men and
less cost, will be more efficient than small
ones, by the table n it is most conclusiyely
evinced that a seventy-sx at one round
throws on the enemy 4 h. IL ounces Of ball
for each man; whereas, the gun boat
throws only 10 ounces. only give the ex-
tremes, that the argument may be the more
readily taken. Here too we have the fact,
that $50 men are sufficient for a rs;
while 400 are required for frigate. The
annual expense is for the large ship,
12O2, 110-for the frigate $4,000 whilst
III action, the larger ship is equal or superb
or to three frigates. To support this cal
culation by figures, we have the opinions of
captains Hull, Stewart, and Morris; and
Mr.. Hamilton says, that all the officers in
service concur in the opinion and l am told
such is the real history of naval conflicts
Mr.. Hamilton mentions one, Captain Stew
art mentions another, of French frigates
attacking British seventy four, of which
one was sunk, two taken, and the other
run off. find in the British Annual Re-
gister, two cases, which will read.
L owe it to the House to say, that / avn
told that in the East Indies was n novel
instance where two French frigates did at
tack seventy-four, and Carried her
- -, 'sOO'uUmt oVrI'utIues decides the fate
OF conflicts, / would suppose it must have
been SO then. 1t is, to say the least of il,
decision against physical force. The o.
ther cases are in confirmation of the physi-
cal power. The like result was evinced in
the affair between the President and the
Little Belt. and in the contest between the
! Essex and the Alert. 1 am aware that
some most respectable opinions are in favor
OF frlgatGs but why are they are in favor
of frlgates' because they say they are the
best crulzers; aud to that opinion 1 sub
scribe; and in conformity with that opinion
nave those who have thought most on the
subject always recommended a large pro-
portion Of frigates. The present system
contemplateS 10 to- 4 (; certainly a sufficient
/ proportion to avail yourselves Of all the adj
vantages ct cruizlng whilst, by taking the
4 seventy sizes into your service, YOU pro-
vide physical force equal in all to 80 FIR
gates. cannot but think that it is demon