Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-25

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due regard for the OF the country imposes "
build more ships than have seamen to man theih
w'uld be to Incur useless expense; ana Inc '"t'e p
prrd by the ought NOT tor many yen,'
1, come, be exceeded Anxious as ana 10 SEE VA.
offences of the country established upon permanent
basis aud equally DESTROYS to every arm OK luz oe
vice rendered perfect and useful as pnssioie ",
be pardoned for travelling out OF my own GEL
aud urging the usefulness of fixing this or some ot'e
determined limit to our naval forces. Tins p!'hc'pe
established The number and SIZE Oh o"' nav
tablshmens, store houses magazines, anu ptepa''
Of every kind wnnd BE- ordrIed !" cohi"'n'',I W w. ,
The number of officers would likewise oe i,hi'seo W
a due prnpnrlion and the young and lie ardent anu
entrrprs,ng officer nigh, aspire to command We
bes, interests of The country require mat lhs
should be atnped and the preparations be MADE 10
carry the navy tins limit AZ promptly as Poss'o"'
but this measure will not enable US To dispense VIII"
permanent Publications. Without theIn Tue c"f'e"e
,ent of n war will always be disastrous. Our laws uo
not allow the use Of the summary means es"rteo 10 ny
other maritime powers 70 man Their meets ouf s,'P'
of war are TO br manned by volunteer seanen hnn le
coas, might laid waste and important points occuP
ed before our naval 1rce could he put III molion. IN
deed without furcntons, and strong ones 100, shPs
wnr are pxpnsed be captured destroyed before 'ney
can be fitted for At Copenhagen, the wn',e D.
feet WINS captured the bate res s-nced ana hun"t'
ing ermS IlHpusrG upon natioi, oy tue ouuos'' ~
Of an overwhelming force. IT,,
With rrspect 10 the ma grude Of the works, 10 WHICH
objections have been urged, they WIN or ""fse .na.
useless if they be not OF description 10 slop ah
not promptly TO br succored, strong enough Ia resist
a coup de main; not such assault as the common ac,
cpptaon of the term implies but to offer MI ehrc'ua'
resistance for five six days, against an hl'acRihg
force of 1000 men, furnished with all The means anu
appliances conduct siege Not to provide against
such expeditions would be 10 neglect the lessons oI eA'
peence and 10 act in opposition TO lie principles OF MO-
drn warfare. 1t has been said that we are TOO strung
dread assaults, and need not proVoe against
them; that the enemy could hope to keep per-
possession OF any part OF our territory aho'
therefore, snie from attack. An active aud en-
lerprsing enemy will make war upon the resources OF s
adversary and by the temporary occupation o. any one "
our naval depos prnc pal cities harb0rs, tey might
drive this country to expend an amount OF blood ana
it, ten times greater than he COST Oh
the expedition There is always danger g" the attempt
heing made, and without due prPcauon, we are expos
ed suffer the degradation of having our soil occupied
by foreign e From these dangers, neither ships OF
steam batteries can protect The natinh' Tue ~"
mer caunut be rendered effective to The full amount o
their force the cement OF war, nor untii
commerce receives such check MS to throw out "i emf
pluyment sufficient number OF seainrn 10 man lhe
fleet; then ought il 10 be retd upon TO watch over
our long line OF To resist The natives of England
or France be- concentrated and either The Allan
tic frontier that Of the Gulf Of Mrxc" be abandoned
With regard TO bateries they ought only 10 De
rpgurded in the light OF auxiares ~ lr permanent de-
fences of the coast important, is true bu, for reasons
which would be tedious 10 detail here entirely mace
qna,e of Themselves a'rd sufficient protection TO the
great interests called upon To guard on our Allan.
tic frontier, and on that Of thr Gulf Ut Mexico
As il may be objected 10 the completion "i all the
works projected. that if ever We should be involved IN
war, with either Of the great maritime powers, they
far off to assa coast with success OF TO SEND
formidable expeditions against the United States and,
tn. rpre il is unnecessary incur tits great
will simply observe that the events OF the past WIS
prove this assertion 10 be erroneous, and that suc sta
lions us Halifax and Bermuda Atlantic frontier,
and the West India Islands that of the Gulph OF
Mexico are near cuungh 10 bring those powers within
striking distance OF all The vulnerable points upon our
sea board Aud wth regard I" the expense TO DE lncnr.
red beg refer to the very ah- and luminous expo.
snn of the bonrd of engineers LAID before Congress In
February 1921 where it is concusvey shown that the
cost If projecting the coast OF liie United States,
when mrnaced by assaiIing expedition OF 2000O
men, by means of competent force of militia ipr the
limited period of six months, would exceed The amount
required to establish permanent system OF defence
Having laid before you the exposed state OF our sea
coast und stated the dangers 10 which the country would
b. xprsed in The Of war. most earnestly recon-
mend tie early cnmpstion If the Publications intended
to cover our principal cities and naval establishments
md protect the entrances OF our great harb"rs with
out entering the controversy respecting the proper
selection of the sites nr these works. winch would ue
nand a profound knowledge of eng neering. aud great
military skill aud science 10 determine, am dIspsed
10 Weld implicit confidence to the very able engineers
who planned them have considered all Their reports
with earnest desire 10 arrive al the truth, ana my
Judgment is satisfied M donhl rests upon my mind u
wisdom Of their choice aud et Ike vast Importance oil
proceeding wnut delay, 10 complete all those ioIlitca
bonrd CLASS OF
extreme probability that enemy will IN the event Oh
himself OF negligence Ia attack, and probably
to occupy of The most exposed points OF our coast
Boston, New York FhlIadeph and Charleston, are all
uncovered, and exposed 10 attack In The same cond
ton are Narragansrlt BAY and Hampton Roads. The de-
fences oil the FIRST Of lie last Importance whether II
be regarded refuge tn oar own fleets III lhr lrene
dous northwest, storms which $" often drsoiate cur
coast in The season, and from which tins hay
uffs the only entrance and protection dnring their
ntInua or ID,
occupied by enemy III time uf war, ii would be bnlh
extremely difficult aud Immensely expensive to dis
lodge him. Hampton roads is o. equal Importance,
and equally exprsrd And here let me observe that
fnrc atinns such those projected aud in progress ut
the Of this r"adstrud not only To defend
The country and navigation behind hem but [" protect
the waters within reach OF Tie auxiliary force which
ought h. within their walls and under their guns
What enemy would dare To occupy Lynn Haven hays
il batteries anchored under the hres Of Fort
Monroe; attempt To march against N"r"lk, II e~ps
de ,eserrc were within that fortress: 5" ct the works
10 defend Boston The ratification at Georges island
only that city, but protects Nan'asket roads
and will prevent enemy from occupying that posi-
ton
There is no part of maritime frontier more OK.
posed and that calls more immediately for the attention
of Congress than that Of The Gulf Of Mexico. The
rest Of coast by proper system, may be 50 united
To lend each other mutual succor but this position
Of it ia insulated, and, it abandoned 10 its
RESOURCES 1t requires for It's defence great val de-
pot and considerable naval force; and il demands
complete and distinct system Of defence. II must not
he considered merely the frontier Of Lou:si,na VA.
bama, md Vest Flnr'Ia. hot likewise that of Kentucky,
Ohio, Tennessee, Mississippi Missouri and Arkansas.
The whole of the rich aud fertile portion IF the Union
whose waters find their outlet in the Gulf of Mexico is
Interested. that the drencps of this frontier should not
only be strong nd respectable when they competed
but that the Publications Int-ad-d ft that purpose,
should be carried vigorously, and finished without
unnecessary delay.
i, is NJ" rnly necessary That the forts should he built
they must be armed and garisnned before they will cnn.
stitue Notifications for the defence Of the coast With
these necessary requisites. they are fitted only Tor
the use of an invading enemy. Not un the nPprnpra
ton for nrrlfcans. bat that for ordnance. ought. in
my opinnn, To br increased. aud the cannoH applied al
tngethe, the of the nris until tina, be-