Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-07-14
WHOLE NO. 1928.
SPEECH MIR. ROBBINS.
OF RHopE ISLAND,

SPEECH OF MIX. kOBBINS.
OF RHoDE ISLAND.
On presenting certain resolutions ofhe Legis
id1ure Of Hm Stafe on the sntjed Of .)ortG-
cations nj .Ndrrng0nstH Bay and its ddjoin-
ing consts D,hrered IN he Senate Of he
UnHfd Soirs. June ", 1876.
Mr.. ROBBINS, Of Rhode ISLAND, present
ed the following Resolutions, which were
read:
STATE or RnopE ISLAND AND Providence
PLANTATIoN,,
IN General .1ssemLiy .Hay S,ssion, a. D.lS36.
Resoired, That, in the opinion of this Gen
eral Assembly, 1t is highly expedient that all
such fprilhcations as may be adequate to the
hest Grfi'nce and protection OF the waters Of
the Narragansett bay and it's adjoining coasts
and country lie completed by the United
States, III such manner and at as early pc.
Rod as is consistent with the convenience Of
Government, and proper regard to the ef-
irctive construction aud durability Of said
works, as well as to the Importance Of its wa
ters for purposes of avigation.
Reseioed, That, in the opinion Of this Gen
eral Assembly, supported by the united opin-
ions of the most eminent engineers, the Mar
ragansett bay il susceptible Of complete de-
fence; that, being accessible at all seasons Of
the year, and with nearly every wind, to the
largest fleets which this country can ever
maintain, it offers them within its bosom the
only safe station, comprising such advanta-
ges, north of the Chesapeake bay; that il is
invaluable as a port of expedition and naval
rendezvous; and that thus not only the State,
hut the whole Union, is interested in los ef-
fective defence.
Resoired, That our Senators and Repre-
septntives in Congress be requested to lay
these resolutions before the respective bodies
Of which they are members, and to use their
best cxertions to obtain the necessary ap-
preparations to carry into effect the views Of
this General Assembly, as before expressed.
True copy. Witness:
HENRY BOWEN, Secretary.
Amer these Resolutions were read. Mr.
ROBBINS addressed the Senate as follows
am glad Of the opportunity afforded by
these resolutions TO speak upon subject on
which very erroneous ideas, or rather very
imperfect conceptions, have obtained: kmean
the importance of those waters, the subject of
these resolutions, as connected with the ma
val dcfcaces Of the country, and of the un-
wise, not to say culpable, neglect they have
met with from the Government.
For securing maritime power and defence
to this country, the waters of Narragansett
bay present the most important point for n
naval station and depot; by far the most i'm
portant of any on the seacoast, from the north
eastern extremity Of Maine, on the bay Of
Passamaquoddy, to the mouth Of the Sabine.
on the Gulf Of Mexico. ! say this on the au-
thority of the abcst naval engineers of the
world, especially of those of France and Eng
land, as well as those of our own country not
only Of the present time, but Of all time back
to our revolutionary struggle; all concurring
IN this opinion, an opinion founded upon n de-
tail Of the comparative advantages of these
waters. with the waters of all other ports ON
our coast; detail bottomed on actual and ac-
curate and scientific inspection and eXamina-
ton and survey, and tested too by experience
France and England have possessed them
selves, and long since, of the most accurate
and minute surveys of those Rhode Island
waters, with all their soundings and bearings
and with all their naval facilities Of every de-
scription. Their knowledge on this subject
has been, till recently, much more complete
than our own; and it is a fact that our surveys
have been perfected by means Of theirs
Their appreciation of the decisive and pre-
eminent importance Of those waters, IN case
OF a war has gone far before our own. As
one proof of tins, let Inc remind the Senate of
one historical fact. At the treaty of
ing transfer of our dependence on Great
Britain to dependence on herself; and dis
countenanced our insisting on the acknowf-
edgment Of our independence by Grcas
Britain as a preliminary tn the treaty, and
would have made the treaty the sole basis and
guaranty Of our independence, and herselt
ITS guardians; and, to strengthen her in this
character OF guardian, manifested desire lcs
have ceded to her Il foothold in this country
suggesting that the island of Rhode Island
should be that foothold, where and whence
she could most effectively WELD her power for
our protection. But our ministers convinced
the British minister that it was their interest
as well as our own that their acknowledge
ment of our independence should be pre-
liminary to any treaty; and France was thus
bailled in her sinister scheme.
recollcct in q conversi ton once had with
General Hamilton many years ago, lac spoke
to me Of the paramount Importance OF the
waters of Rhode Island in view to our mari
time power aud defence; and then remarked
to me that he had occasion to know that they
were viewed in the same light by the Govern
ments both of France and Enelan Indeed,
when the case is understood in all its merits.
il decides itself; for then every one must see
that, rs to maritime power defence, these wa
ters present point, formed by Nature her
self, to be-, as those Dstons consider IT, the
Gibraltar of this country. And as 1t would
be in our hands for power and defence, SO 10
would be in the hands OF the enemy Tor pow
er and offence. With firm foothold there
the enemy would hold the reins in his
own hands: To control the war, and direct its
storm at will both by sea and land.
have said those waters possess advanto-
ges in The aggregate beyond comparison be-
fore those OF any other port on our whole