Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-12-13
EFrom the National in.clligencer,

81 1Tta'Se on !'drdt Gh'He'y, published ioh The an
PROBATION ard permission Of the Lords Commi ssion-
1rs OF The itnirtdiy, BY Col. Sir Ho,rard DOUGLASS
{nf *. 5. c. c. -. Z. e 5. $c--Sr Sc
Terhaps no circumstance in the History of Enc.
ianu mas ever cupScd much surprise and cI,gr;,,
:" her, as The succe>s al ON navy during our late
contest and certainty sune has ever caused 81 n,ucb
;,S'ohs'lncnt and pride To rs The high snte NJ nor
,ecuoh ~ winch nautical knowledge was supposed
70 nave attained IN her navy ire great exDcricuce
"i hcr officers, the stricfness of their discipline The
hummer and superior condition of her sIn, when
Honi''s'ad with our infant and dmimltivc navy were
cacuat~ To destroy NIL rational homes ON oar ;,,,
OF successful issue 10 contest, viii, Snu,I I -,
ana an proportion TO raise The confidence and excite
we contempt OF the enemy. Tie Fl, st trial of skill
however, proved TO England thar neither in ,isc;I;nc
VI e'nciehcy were we behind hand with her and
y'e'S succeeding trial, proportion AS the dcsnon-
"oy oi Enssnd became great the confidence of
,n.s nation was increased In aim 81 every situation
where our ships were opposed To those OF ENGLAND
me great superiority of our skill and ,liscinnc 49,
Ter of Surprise 49, " "''''-
When peace took place, England felt herself hmm
meg IN her naval pride she could hoasl of only one
uopny oD'ained ON any Thing like equal terns-wb;l,
me ilags OF the Guerrero, Java, Macedonian Bover
IperVier, fcacock, Fiolic S,. Nc and those of the
meets on the Lakes, graced the walls of the Navy
Office. Vi VIC -'"'y
AN inquiry was set on foot 10 ascertain the cause
OF result so extraordinary hut no satisfactory So
ipa LII" was gwen TO The problem. To England, as
wen as To tins nation, the matter appeared to he in
vowed IN mystery this nation remaincd satisfied
WIN the CONVECTION that the superiority on our part
existed and England, although she iet it sorciy
""s 100 proui To acknowledge it, and was dispnsed
10 ascribe our success TO any other cause tl,nn in
one SO mortiiyiHs 10 her pridc.-Writers were en-
pioyed TO de'ract from the merit of our officers by
reversn. the former order of thnqs .nJ ,h;I
her frigacs were shrunk inio q cock Lo,,. >,
ours were sweiled into "7i's in disguise" Win
rule and line, and guagc and scales they eneayo, ed
10 PROVE That our ships were Of greater dimensions
earned guns OF greater cahre, threw more iron nj
info
ture and more physical strength than those Of En-.
gland every thing was in fact ascrhed to Superiot
Suengui' ana not TO superior skill. One Wilan,
James, Surgeon in the Navy, was amonr the ncr-
sons employed 10 write up the broken spirit of tho
pr'usil navy, ny Offering apologies for their defeats
ny cngea'orlns TO nvaidate the official accounts oil
our ohccrs, and 10y wilul eXaggeraliOns and misrr-
PRESENTATIONS Superior strength on our side was
IN all cases insisted on, and the defeat of the Br
ish forces was represented by him ms Certain aud
unhVoidabic rom ting mere defect Of ply strength
whenever uieir courage prompted them TO cnco,ntcr
porlioned.
Mr. James, after series Of publications, entitled
-. synopsis of Naval Actions nc " mustered mn oll
htS might and strength and vented himself in one
great volume confirming J28 pages with an appcndix
OF ZI1, a preface OF 10, aud an index of SIS nnnv
more, to prove that Britannia still ruled the waves
and was sill s,tpefortO all nations, aud particularly
- america, on terms of ;uy thing like equality
Inc Americans are represented by him as " more
wiling TO boast tian TO Egh and the msforiuncs of
on t'cIr part not TO he restrained from attacking
hs ny any approximations of Consequences however
appalling they might appear perfect fire eaters |
whose only desire was TO close with the enemy
IL would seem strange that an inhabiiant of the !
cockpit should become tho champion of the British
navy and still more strange that its reputation should
nave heen permitted TO rest his defence The
elect was disgust at his evident f,lsehood -, o,r
part, aHd AN inquiry among the officers Of , British
Navy, and the people Of England, how Cur proof, |
Mp",n pear h'm Out. Unfortunately, ! say unlortu-
nTeiy Tor Alr james aud The Lords of The Admiral
y, the President, Tie Chesapeake and the Essex !
were al the English Dock Yards and although tl,r,
were placed in situations calculated 10 produce the
nest elects on the eye rs to their size Others, ~
wen as MIR. James and thcir Iordships had Scales
apd measures 10 ascertain proportions Mr. J1tnra'
book, although Hdttering tn the pride of EuuIn,,d |
before its iaseo0ds were detected so1u stpE inf,
dssrePute aud contempt before die good sense oil
me bn9bsh people, wher they discovered the impo.t
non praciiscd on them. The army, NOT tl,,. nav,
vrs still the fiv0rile Of the nation and the nenntt
oi Nelson was los tin their ndmiralion fur W no,on
\ work more rational and more true has since AZ,
peared aud, what g still extraordinary is re-
CARDS tlie author IS written Nv nm officer of the mr.
n.y.. Tits marked by spirit OF cant0Hr tl,,t cnt; !
yes II to our respect. TIE writer has accounted for
he success Ol our Navy in manner nor oulv chi. /
9eiOry to the world, hut highly gratifying to onr
ride and no American cai, atcr pcrnsal iav down
us book without astonishpent at the science and
khl which he proves 10 exist IN Navy, hy which
lOne " rendered Itself superior Nv every en1t cop.
esi with tina; Of England. This work met viii, tbt
most favorable reception from the Lords or The Adj.
nHaity, by whose authority il WAS Published, and II
,oes 10 recommend n total reform not only in The sci
nee and praciice Of Naval Glnnery, but in Naval
Tactics IN gencril-he conirOyerts the old o,;s;on
y iaFour Of the weather gage and asserts, what il
ave oiten heard asserted by our officers that tle
dTa'tage was always in iayo0r Of the lcoward sbp
e feet, IL the enemy WIS an asssSnr one Tbgs .
running counter TO ancient prepidre buf HE 81
iaaa ious and diagrams Rave 70 doubt on the mind
: q INC truth of his position. An approaching ship
ON % wjndward must necessarily be exposed TO the j
dkitz Gre Of one determined 10 await the attack q
nd 10y sk'lfu manwurerins this advantage may be- .
t'Incd until thc ships are ~ close action lywiiich G
me The advancing ship has, 10 her crippled cond v
%, lost Che advantage she Nigh, slhefwise have d