Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-05-03
dis,eu,ty in giving an answer. Yet, u

to have been VOL Propa'N'
had every advantage in regard 20 .a..
means, i, was this contest with America
Ia contest commencing at time wheh
our navy was almost liberated rom e
~ other occupation (hear, near -
when there could have beenno difhcui'J
,are]y, in sending out force capaole OIL
copeinp with the American squadron
a navy so inferior, so Inexperienced anu
so 3erfectly known 10 ali It's parts. oo'
after tho experience Of year, we were
at last tardily preparing fleets, WIZ W.
might al tho first declaration 81 war nav
so well taught the Americans OF the uiA.
advantages under which they must ian''
in the prosecution of hostl'itles.. TIC
boped the government would evlnce e.
very deposition, without sacrificing inc
honor Of the country, which he was dis
posed 10 rate as highly as any man. 70
come to some amicabje arrangement IN
regard 10 the practice OF inpres'ing our
seamen from American shIps, Without
abandoning the principle.
L2rd lWetv,le did not mean to say any
thing in supper Of the address, but '"f
the purpose OF making 'e" oo'cS'a-
tons on what had fallsn t7pm the NOBLE
marquis respecting The ravy, he request
cd the Indulgence of the hoqse, as re
himself was mere Immediately interest
cd IN this topic The nobse marquis had
stated, that the hardness IN making u'e
of our narrl superiority was deeply TO
BE- regretted and that this country
ought 20 have sent out a tcrce suhicleht
to overwhclm the American navy and
pr!vateecs at once. The marquis Lans-
downc appeared by his gestures to deny
the statement as to the privateers. Inc
noble marquis had not directly mention
Ell the privateers, gut so ne understood
his meanings. Now, he maintained that
the ,ys.ep OF thi. country had always
been TO keep on the coast of America,
q force merely sufficient to hold their
navy in check, in the event OF war, un'
t.} farther force could be sent out; *
hewss preparedto show, that at the break
Ing out of,the war, there was On the A
merican station an amount OF lorce sui
fcient for lac purpose which he had
stated, and indeed sach as would be re-
Qu!sire in case the war should continue,
and such as was there now.
If the American ports had been block
AIDED before the declaration Of war, then
it would have been said we were guilty
of great Injustice. Il was absolutely
impossible, ne stated, TO prevent ships
escaping sometimes, as had been clear
" proved in regard to the ports OF
France. He denied that our ships were
liberated from other employmrnts He
supposed that the nebl. marquis alluded
70 the Bsltr feet, but that was Foe DIS
posab!e AID 90 reloiced that government
had rot yielded to the temptation OF
ssndas any Of that fleet TO the Amerl-
can COST. He could not brig this pro-
pety under the view of their lordships,
without entering into detail. which per-
bsps uad better be reserved TIL another
opportunity but he was perfectly ready
at any tio,e to enter ,nlnuteiy into the
discussion of the subject, and 10 show
that there had been no negligence or
miscotlduol III this respect, on the part
ut any branch OF the government.
Ma,guis WeNesley fully agreed in he
geneva! tenor Of the adt.rcss the pre-
sent Struggle, and pIcde!ne the lag!s'a
ture to the govesn'neht--no man on
those points could be more decided than
himself. But he wished thai other mat
ters bad not, been suffered to minglc
with it; IN short. that il had not touched
on thc great and momcntnus gu. stion,
Of thc mod in Thich he war had been
carried on. Whether it had been Gar
Iisd On with the fitting vlsor, was ,he
main poiu. after all, though On this ne
should reserve himself for the occasicl.
he hoped speedy one, wien it was to
be brought before thsir lordslips.-
{ Hear The noble lord opposite (Mel
siIic) had said, tia. at tie commence.
ment OF the war, the force on the coast
of America was vastly superior to any
thai could be brous 1T 10 oppose 1t but
cid the noble lord say how that force had
been Gislsibuted--how far il was in the
power OF the officers on the station TO
meet the enemy for without some
light here, every declaration Of our su-
periority WAS idle. Was it TO be said
the American war was not fereseen 3
Cou!d there he doubt on the mind OF
any uan--he did not SPEAK OF a mall OF
peculiar understanding, bat man Of
plain and common sense, who pe,ussd
the papers on the tabie-that America
would plange into some wild excess OF
this naturel The noble lord (MslviIIc)
asked, would we take all the measures
of war before war? Would we block.
AIDE the ports, shut up the rivers, parade
our fleets before her to insult & irritate!
Certainly no man of common sense
would recommend this either. But was