Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-01-16
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
X I c II NJ o n d.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1912.
PRINCE EDWARD, December.
no. Iy.1

one, I am willing 10 admit that she can tleyas
tate our commercial property atioat on the o.
cesn, and make few encroachmcnts- upon our
rights, but still adhere to the opinion of her in
capacity 10 aim any blow. that will ultimately en-
danger o',r precious, dear-bought liberties
The data which found this sentiment, are
drawn from the annals of our revolutionary his
tory. and from tic present circumstances and
| condition at tho warning woriG.-Durin,s the Re-
v2lution, Sir, when greater portion of Tic na-
val Force. thar can possibly be spared at the
present day, was or the American s;ation-our
pr.vaeccriny interest was more than a cot,ntcr-
balance, tn the marine fore. &c George H. MI
nerons prizes, of incnlc,iittic value, were tn
ken Under letters of mar',u, and reprisal-and
nescr did G. Britain suffer more seriously from
TIC exertiors offindividual enterprise than she
did NJ that epoch. Our privateering interest is
now, erreater Than il was then, by almost qua
dtnple r.tio--it IS said that there could be arm
edAnd equipped, from the ports of the United
Staees ri the shortest notice, not less thar 1860
priyateers-nay it is asserted BY some Tamil
dare SAT-, with truth that the privatecring M
teres. OF the Ur,cd STAGES of America, is grea-
| ter Than that OF any other nation on earth. II
this be the fact, seeing how thai interest, under
| the superintendent and direction ofprovidence,
during the revolutionary war, so gloriously tri-
utnphed over the common enemy of mankind
may we not believe, that, at this time, the same
| interest could produces much greater and more
Watering interest has increased, so has the
British navy. Ncry true indeed Bat at the
same TING. points of destination and permanent
| stations have also encreased for that navy; So
that, at this time, there could not be as many
( ships of war, spared for the american station,
as were sent over At the period of our momer-
tous revolution Therefor, the mighty odds
would be in our favour. The British navy at
this day is distributed into squaifons, station
ed in the order following-and their cations
! they dare not desert, lest the ships of Bona
parte and ofhis tributary states, concentrated
| should cause the nicely poised balance ct pow
er, to preponderatc in his favour. The whole
British navy consists OF 1892 armed vessels, of
which % are in the Downs, 81 III the N. Sea and
the Baltic, So in the T.. Channel and ON the coast
of france, 10 on the Irish Station, off Jersey,
GUERNSEY, &c. "a on the coast of Spain, Portu-
| gal and Gibralter, IS in the Mediterranean,
two on The coast of Africa, t%cnty-n;nc At
! Halifax, New Foundland, &c. 50 on the West
| India station, 10 in South America, i6 at the
| Cape OF Good-Hopc 30 in the East Indies. &c.
From which actual disposition of the British
| ships of war taken from your very useful pa
per it appears, sir, that there are but ships of
| the line and 81 small vessels in the American
| scas.-in all lol.-,Now, Str, it seems impossi.
bic for any of the force thus disposed TO CO.
| operate for any length Of time. with the n. A.
! merican squadron; therefore the 101 vessels
Just mentioned would be opposed to the mighty
odds flour national frigates, Gun-boats, bate
| ries, some auxiliaries Knight add and 1900
shsrpr Observation-Disclosures, sir and II is is.
possibie the whole of this feet of 1O1 vessels
| to approach our coast unmolested-at the worst,
they could but demolish a few seaport towns
1 and they could not thereby, reduce the coun-
try, for in tkis country, whole realm is not re-
i duced, as in Europe, by sacking single town
The conhagration of rich mart, might, indeed,
scare mercantile Gupislity, but it could not burn
fha IL IL
large, illimitabie fields, and who il necessary
could take refuge on their Ararats. But Jet us
reverse the picture and scatter these vessels A.
long sea coast of 1890 miles in extent-.wl,st
could they do , They might indeed, now and
then capture an empty priyateer's-man, but such
capture would be expensive to them, and they
would be forced to eyclam as did the conquer
ing Antient, ga few more such victories, and
We are undone'-What could one huge I'M
wieldy vessel do which surrounded, in front
ofAmerican Batteries, by 10 or % Gun Bosts,
or assailcd on tho open seas by, almost score
OF Priyatecrs! Why netting bat surrender, as
they did in the days of revolutionary memory
We should want neither Graves nor Degra sse-
| we should be an host even single-handed.
Admit for anomont that these corsairs could
effect alsnding what then They might car.
~ on predatory war--but their plumber, would
not equal their consumption. They might de-
| rastate certain districts, but as Lord Chatham
4 "
in ex; ent, could they occupy the posts which
had passed No.-But they cannot spare an ar
my, sufficient to make, barely nm honorable
stand, IN this country For the Irish Catholics
: must be dragooned The birmingham ard
Manchester Weavers must be kept in subordi-
nation--:ln army must be kept on foot, in ST.
cIiy-=the f.. Indies Inust be watched, and Spain
i and Portugal must have their huge quotas.
And where is Canada, where Florida--one the
The child of Old England, the other the putativc
daughter Of Span; the sister Of England, both
1 must be protected But the majority Of the
Canadians are dissfected and they sigh for lib
erty. aud f. Florida is Inspired with the A.
meriesn Spirit Do we SUPPOSE them to land,
under, the fiery salutatiOn OF our Gun D0ass ard
| batteries LAND What will become Of their.
| mer--mcn impatient Of the CALLING yoke ofncs-
| potism-men whom the rigors Of martial law
| can scarcely keep az their posts 9--Having eve
| ~ Eciiny in their power, thcy will, assufediy
| Gestit " thousands, and array themselves, va.
| der the b.1sncrs OF freedom. Let them set foot
| on oursscred soil--arG the Illusions of happy
freedom, so ingeniously fabricated and indus
! triousls circulated IN G.. Britain, viii vanish
| Ike meteor, before the cfiulgcnt beams ofour
| sun OF Independence, and the half-released
child Of oppression, viii leap into the sanctua.
| ~ 81 our freedom Let them land when they
may, the glittcrIng paHaents undone Eve
~ rcsoiutc soldier, who lands, will be feather
| piucked from the royal diadem, which unl,u-
med by degrees, will become quite naked, rude,
! mishapcn ard grEceless. Dit dty will find
! their minions even here. The satellites of
| George III. the celebrated tories Of eighteen
haa.iyed ant elcvca, will do al ,hcy can, in aid
Of The British cEsse. Granted let them do
| their worst and rememhcrthe tory-catastrophes
| OF '76-lct them remember Benedict Arnold
who gold himself for goiL let them look ri tory