The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-02-06

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'S. NO. "a.
quarter; il is, also, at the head Of the deer
water in the bay, and will be that portion q
it most likely 10 fill up and shallow hereafter
when the surrounding country becomes clear.
ed, cultivated, and liable TO wash from the
heavy rains Of the summer season.
All of which is most respectfully submit
ted,
BY your obedient servants,
CHARLES STEWART,
A. J. DALLAS,
w. c. BoLToN,
Commissioners.
To Hon. Mahlon Dickerson,
Secretary Of The Mary, Washington.
During the stay Of the Commodore at PEN
sacola, he made extensive notes and observa-
tons, and shortly after his return to Phiadel-
phia, he addressed to following letter to the
Secretary Of the Navy.
Philadelphia, Nov 90, 1886.
SIR In your instructions directed TO me
of the eighth Of July last, relative TO the plan
Tor the construction Of the navy yard at PEN
sacola, you direct that "All the buildings and
improvements should be comprised in the
plan which at any future time would be ne
cessary al that yard !" and that " an enlarged
view should be taken OF all the matters con-
nected with it as a dock yard, or a building
and repairing establishment" Having COM
pleted plan for the Improvements of the
yard, and submitted ii to you, beg leave now
to submit to you ALSO some ideas which oc-
Cured to me in taking that enlarged view of
this establishment which your instructions
seem to aim at.
In studying the position of Pensacola with
reference not only 10 our own adjacent coast,
and the great outlet Of the Mississippi which
it is SO favorably placed to protect, but also TO
the neighboring countries of Mexico and the
islands of Cuba, Jamaica, and ST. Domingo,
which are all liable at some future period to
be occupied by nations at enmity with the
United States, the national importance Of the
place could not but force itself on my mind,
and excite some surprise that it had not
hitherto attracted more the attention of the
Government. In evidence how little has as
yet been done there, may mention the fact,
that the revenue schooner Dexter, had to resort
a
few other trihing repairs which she needed.
Yet, at the same time that this great section
of our country, Of (which Pensacola must here
after become the naval depot, has been thus
overlooked, we find large appropriations APP
piled to the construction Of navy yards in the
middle and eastern states. Casual observers
unacquainted with the lukewarmness with
which the development Of our naval energies
has been prosecuted, might naturally conclude
that this disparity had its origin in an indiher-
ence to our true policy, or in sectional selfish
ness; or how else could they account for the
extraordinary fact, that our whole seaboard,
from Norfolk TO the Sabine, an extent Of
nearly two thousand miles, does not afford the
means of even repairing sloop Of war !;
whilst to the north and east, in less than one
Thousand miles Of coast, the means not only
for repairs, but for construction, are so singu-
larly multiplied, that in the Chesapeake wa
ters we have two--the navy yards at Norfolk
and Washington; and in the bay of Massa-
chusetts, two others-one at Portsmouth and
one at Boston. There is great deficiency in
the southern section of our country as respects
for naval defence, where it may
be most needed, to protect the rich and exu-
berant region which has its outlet in the
straits of Florida. In the event of war, every
means would be wanting TO afford permanent
protection for its great and valuable products
issuing forth through so many arteries, and
now rendering all Europe tributary to us, and
promote the prosperity not only OF the States
which produce them, but at the same time the
wealth, power, and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of our
whole Union. Through the Florida stream
flow all the commerce and valuable produc-
tons of South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri,
Indiana, and Illinois. All the produce of these
various States, except that of South Carolina
and Georgia, must pass through the straits of
Cape Florida, the only practicable outlet Of
the Great Gulf of Mexico which is thus con-
stituted for egress, close sea, as much so as
the Mediterranean, owing to the north east
trade wind which prevails to the south, and
the island of Cuba and the Bahamas closing
it on the east
All the states enumerated are highly inter-
ested in the establishment of an efficient naval
depot within the Gulf Of Mexico, embracing
all the elements necessary for the repairs, con-
and equipment Of ships of war, and
the gradual acclimating of troops for Southern
service.
BY means of the strong current Of the Gulf
Stream, naval protection could be afforded to
Georgia and South Carolina with as much IA
cility and despatch from Pensacola as from
any Of our northern naval stations F; and, on the
contrary, naval force rendezvousing at Ports
mouth, Boston, New York, or Norfolk, would
be as unavailable for our coast and commerce
in the Gulf of Mexico, as naval force at
Brest or Cherbourg would be for the protec-
ton of the south of France and her commerce
in the Mediterranean. Indeed, the ships of
our northern ports would be still less available