Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1841-07-29

Mr.. X. here went toto . comparison o
the popelaiIon OF tbis county al two differ
cot periods. and at The same time Of 10,
anoual OF Ionnsgs and the guns to Dc
lfsnd IL.
10 1900. with = population of6 500 .OOI
end an amount Of Coz. 90 registered ton
osgs, we had SIG Euns sfoai; 10 iS4l
DOR population was IL .OOO. 600. our too
gage 2960 .Oe0. and yet our guns wer,
bot 1907. This showed bow lar our Of
val force was from keeping up with ihs
growth Of The population and the CON.
msres Of the country. Applying ID,
sane ratio ef deisnes at this day which
had exiaIed IN lSOO, We should require
GOO guns ahoat aud an sppFopriaiioh oI
over seven millions.
Nr. < observed that slthough the i'm.
pof'anes Of a home sq1adEon mad been
very clearly Get forth ia the report OF the
Secretary Of the Navy, there were some
other considssatioOs which could not but
still more siropgly impress it uPoa the
mind. He hero iOTeibIy referred to the
deSHstAiioos % the eaemy's force 10 the
Chesapeake and on the exposed coast Of
Georgia aud South Carolina: their coun.
try bad been plundersd their dwelling,
burnt; thelr property Stolep; aud bad the
eontest continued noIhiag bot Que ex-
tended scene Of desolaiioa would have
spfead fToG the Chesapeake TO the Sa.
bine.
! The war had cost the country from one
huHdfed and 6lty 10 two hundrS q millions
OF dollsTs; and did anV gentleman sup
pose that. had the United States possessed
twenty ships of var veil Srnst and fully
mSDued, these ouHHgss on our eonmeree
would ever have hSppeHed which gave
the occasion for so deslruciiye a conflict Z
No mSn would mAintsiD Il. For il must
se remembered that Eilb nations var IVES
question OF policy. however the sia,es-
nens concerned might pretend IL 10 be =
question Of honor. Questions OF veracily
and questions OF honor could easily be
negotiated away, 90 all history ab0ndsnlly
proved; bul Nheu policy end inlereSl die
iaied war. the thunder Of the enemy's
CANON was generally the frat annUncla.
ton that hostiliiieS were commenced, and
lhen long array Of IeASons was gotten
up - . pFetext for the blow.
MT. X. here referred 10 and read an ex
tract IRON the Richmond ERquiIeE, " hich
sounded the toesih Of slaFm by snnounc
ing that British vessel called the Thur.
der wAs al this time engaged In survey.
'ing the chSnoei Of The Chesapeake snd
OF the Delaware bayS and was about pro-
eeeding 10 the SOuihward for The same
purpose. no doubt with tbs intention OF
facilitating the eniranee OF British feet
into our harbors. lie then said the object
OF home squadron was TO prevent the
completion Of such q purpose. lie ex.
pressed HE great surprise at the remarks
OF some geatlen'en. Nho seemed 10 sup
pOs4 that the invention Of rsilroad., by
facilitating the assemjlags OF troops. au-
perseded the necessity both Of foTii6cA.
lions and Of a navy. Instead Of this, thsse
several modes Of defence ought to 20 hsad
10 hand. and be combined Tor the general
cad Of Che safety Of the country.
hr. K. alluded 10 The change which
bad manifested itseli in the naval policy
Of Great Britain. Ia regard 70 q ss5sli,G.
ton Of s.saD power for osdlnary ships of
YER He stated the eauInsratioa ol the
British Heel IN ls4o 10 be % iollows:
ships Of the lIns los; vessels OF . lover
grade. ia ell, 403; aud NsT steamers. 81
The number Of steamer bad siace then
been stated 81 300.
The French uavy 10 1910 consisted Of
- ships Of ihs lac, $50 lesser vessels.
and 36 steamers besides q hisb, there
hsd been 81 that time eight more steamers
on the socks. Thess vessels could be
propelled by siesm aeross the Atlantic 10
i~elSe OF iouTte0u dsys. What would
be the condition d the lives cad property
Of ous People, IL encountered by force
Of this description. without 9 gun 10 dc
lsnS themselvess
Bio, nol only was stesm sSGiled Of Cor
vessels Of war. properly so called The
GovernmenIs Of france add England
sefa. sdoPliag an entirely hsw policy. By
emploSink armed steamers fof eoDBeTcisl
psFp0ses--ihas causing The ssgaeliy snd
enterprise Of lhs mercantile communii,
70 seaport be sxpsass Of their naval de-
ienees--a great sod eOndsral step 10 abe
preparations loF msdhms warfare.
appended 10 ibs report q he Naval
Commiifre would Be ioand. IN fslsfeBcs
20 these very imporsni iscls. stssoisiion
tattAHN AAfA ANa rAraNtHNeN OF en-
souTaging puE opB noFchsals ~ establish
liaes ~ sSfusd sissmefs siniilsf 20 thosr
recently established by Franee ED Esr
'snd. 10 sadliios 10 the lines pfssio.sis
sEisiIng. hew Gee bed recently bsen
termed, on q conifact siih the Bianilian
6oVerumeni .s1ieudis lfcfn Gffai Britain
70 esefg iaportaai poltin Braul Tbsas
vaiiona iiHer Lad been n,ulipliod iil they
nos resemble perfect Hsb scfoss he
9ceen. III. = Bad 90 apprehension thar
ihai ioFnidsbls snd sagaeions Poser hsd,
ahy ieiselion ~ iumedials var aiih ihit
1suaiFy e Weula not a pFossni suii hsf'
Poilsg bui she uns grsdpally ed s.ieniig
yet saFelT sifefine haf eho,s ynem Size
eesiffi shove tt Aina9 10 snansipsis
hefseh inn ihs nersisiif N depsndias oa
spy ci oas pfoducis iog cssrvine g. thoss
melaiaciu4ss ahieh sefs iha rrsss sou,.
ssoi be- wealih fieacs. uhils shs ga
tmaatlpaied bee sisyesin ils IVsa faa,ss
sae siiA reirihei miiIlaaa ID sIssere n
lNtia. esd wts enteseafiue 90 aaaI hss-
"H.| =. r..aIa -. 80. q