Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-02-18

Maritime Protection.
Continued.
But 1T is said, that :. we have not CO.
pacity TO maintain such naval force. &
Is it want of pecuniary. or want OF ply
steal capacity I'm relation to our pecu-
MARY capacity, will not condeseend to
add any preof to that plain statement al
ready exhibited. showing that we have an
annual commercial exposure. equal to sac
hundred millions Of doltars. and that tzoo
thirds Of one per cent. upon this amount
of value, or four millions Of dollars, is
more than is necessary, il annually and
Systematically appropriated. for this great
object so anxiously and risitfully desired,
by your sea-board. and so essential to the
honor and obligations Of the nation. 1
will only make single other statement.
by way Of Illustrating the smallness OF the
annual appropriations, necessary Cor the
attainment Of this important purpose. The
annual appropriation Of one siCta CT one
per cert, on the amount OF the value OF
the whole annual commercial exposure.
Zone million of doilars) IS sufficient to
build in two years, six seventy four gan
ships and taking the average expense, IN
peace and war, the annual appropriation
os the same sum is sufficient to maintain
them afterwards. in condition FOR ell
cient service. This objection of pecuniary
inability. may be believed in the interior
country, where the greatness OF the com
mercisl property and all the tender obli-
cations. connected with its preservation,
are not realized. But, in the cities and in
the commercial states, the extent OF the
national resources is more truly estimated.
They know the magnitude oil the interest
at stake and their essential claim TO pro-
lection. Why, sir, were we seriously TO
urge this objection of peeuniary ineapa-
city, to the commercial men OF Massachi,-
sets, they would laugh us TO scorn. Let
me state single fact I'm the year 47i5,
the state, then the colony of Nlassachl,-
sets Bay, included population CT geo, 00C
souls, and yet. in that infant state of the
country, ID owned feet consisting Of three
SHIPS. one Of achich carried tacenty ga.as-
three snescs-one brig-aRd three sLoOps;
being an aggregate Of ten vessels of war
These partook Of the dangers, and shared
in the glory. of that expedition. which ter
minated With the surrender of Louisburgh
Comparing the population, the extent OF
territory. the capital and all the other re-
sources of this great nation, with the mar
row means of the celouy of Massachu-
sets, at that period of its history, it is not
~, 4,
possessed, in proportion to its pecuniary
resources, WAS greater than would be, In
proportion TO the resources Of the United
States. q feet of .f5'ty sal cjf the line and
enc hundred frigdies. With what Ian.
gsage OF wonder and admiration does tla,
great orator and prince Of mora! states.
men. Edmund Burke, IN his speech fol-
Cancellation with America. speak Of the
commerce and enterprise OF that people
8. When we speak Of the commerce with
q our colonies, fiction lags after truth
;. invention is unfruitful, and imagination
s. cold and barren" :. No sea, but wha
Sis yexed by their fisheries. No ciima
(. that is not witness to their tolls. Neither
a the perseverance of Holland, nor the
:. activity of France, nor the deSterous
{. and firm sagacity of English enterprise
ever carried this most periIous mode o
s. hard Industry to the extent, to which
:. Il has been pushed, by this recent PEG
:. pie; people, who are still, as il we're
8 but in the gristle. and not yet haFtiene'
a. into the bone of manhood And shall
the descendants of such people be tol,
that their commercial rights are not woril
defending, that the national arm is no
equal to their protection And this too
after the lapse of almost forty years ha
U.t<>J :, a., NO.