Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-10-21

/. whenever the situation OF public at,
f,;rs, should, in his opinion, render it ex.
nedieo,, TO cause to be sold, they being
srs. Invested of their guns and military
stores, which were to DC carefully pre-
served, all or any OF the ships and YES
sells Belonging TO the navy" except the
thirteen frlga,es which were named II.
the act. Six of these frigales were dl
rected to be retained in constant service,
even in time of peace. On the same
day, Congress appropriated FIVE hundred
thousand dollars g for the expences at
tending ak seventy-fuur gun ships, and
for completing navy-yards, docks, ana
wharves On the next day, MIR. Jet
irrson was inaugurated as President OF
the United States Lut us sec how the
Navy was encouraged By him.
The keeis Of SIX seventy fours were
laid in MIR. Adams time--but they have
10, yet been finished. They lie in the
pasy-yards, and arc rolting from expo
,ufc
|, is worthy Of observaiion, that altho'
Mr. Jefferson, ih an Inaugural! speech,
prolessee to state. in narrow compass.
III general principles the policy winch
w0uid shape the course OF his ad-nInls-
trs;icn,shc AID not a word about the ma
w. thnugh he stated lbe io'psr,ance OF
III, mllltia L, Gil be recslicc,ed, thAt
he immediately sod oil the We sells wE'ta
he was authorized TO sci, AID caused o
Tiers to be hauled up into dy docks.
In his first message 10 Congress, Dec.
8, 1901, ho told them that ihe erfrn4t-
tu,ce of ri Nary needed rsptsat The
expenditures were therefore, reduced,
ard ibe Navy desI AIDED, by a systematic
rcdac IiUn 0t the number ct men retained
III the ,ervice, ant by building fleet OF
Gun. Bosls, which cost the United States
vast sulhs. and which are nov universal-
" confessed 10 be ofvery lit,le use, com
rared with their cost The object seems
% HAYS been, 10 besittle" the Navy, *
to moyt,f, the pride gifts Officers.
Me. Jefferson, in his message to Con
pres., Dec. Is, 1902, stated, that our
relations ard prospects with regard To
Trip.R, end some other ot the baroary
powe,s, mighl require our naval force
in-,he Mediterranean TO be augmented.
-Accordipgi on the 2Sth of Feorua-
~, 1908, an act of Congress passed.
empou ering the President "to cause to
be bnilt, ~ 10 be purchased, ut the ex.
igencies OF the service should require
i'll four vessels OF war, !" to Garry not
exceeding s guns each to be armed'
mannedi and it,ed out, tor the protec-
ton Of the Sramen and Commerce OF
the United Stotes. in the Mediterranean
and adjacent seas. and tor other pur-
poses, az the public scrvics might re-
opire.' Ninety-six thousand dollars
we're appropriated for this purpose
This is .all that was done, during MIR
JrSersnn's administration, TO increase
the Navy The valor OF our Seamen
in nc Mediterranean, In 1901, was no
ticed by him in his first Message; and
il is matter OF regret, that they were not
afterwards properly encouraged and
supported. AS MIR. Lloyd said, IN
Congress, &" At the moment shen VIC
tory had perched upon our standard
when VIC might have exhibited the M
terestine s.eyJacie, of the mint go
yernmcnt &C the United States, holding
in sabiecuon enc at the powers OF bar
bary. Ia whom all Europe had been sub
,ph
quest was completely within our grasp
the laurel wos torn from the brow OF
as gallsnt Chienain as ever graced the
plaias of Palestine, and we ignomini-
ousk con<erted 10 pay Tribute, where
we ufpht have imposed nae."
In March. 1906. a Resolution was
offered in Congress, 10 huiid SIX iins
of battle ships, that might protect
our commerce, and defend our har-
bors. Did the friends OF the present
Administration vote for it2--They
did not aud the Resolution was ne
gatiyed.
so late as January. 1879, a bill
was brought late the House OF Re-
for building. equip
pia-, and completing, - Fri
gates. averaging sS gas, or there
abouts. This bal Was lost in the
House AND not uutil after war was
declared. and the successes OF our
little band had given Instre aud ee'at
10 the Navy. d;l the supporters of
the present Administration show a
ny attachment to il. or disposition
20 cherish and strengthen II.
Had Wasi,ingteu's advice been
followed, and Navy gradually built,
according 10 our ability, anu the ex-
tent uf our commerce. We might
have prevented the embarl'assments