Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-18

No. 66.---FOLtME XXAElll.
ton, Savannah, and ST. Augustine, will furnish adequate
defences 10 those places. In consequence Of the delay
that will necessarily attend the completion of Fort Cal
houn, in Hampton Roads, the eectual defence Of that
position would require that strong field work should
be thrown up at Woughby point, the event of hos
lille appearances; and an appropriation OF SoU0UO at
this time, Tor that purpose, would he Important as It's
application would be suspended until required by cir
cumstances On the Gulf coast, Pensacola Mobile bay,
and most Of the avenues 10 New Orleans are fortified
In relation to the Notifications both these sections Of
coast II is believed to be first duty, is certainly
the strongest desire Of this Department. place the
sting works in state OF perfect efficiency IN the short
est possible time; and 10 this end such means have
been asked, as, without making exorbitant demand.
upon the Treasury, Will allow the labor TO be carried
on vigorously.
The winter season is known TO be The most favorable
10 such operations III the a,itudcs where these works
are situated, and it should be improved Indeed, I'M
less appropriations made before the month of Fe.
braary, no can be made Of them in these ATTITUDES
within year from the time they asked To provide
for the points still remaining unprotected in the
o. hosites being threatened before the system OF for
hcstions IS complete, resort 10 steam vessels oflIght
drausht will be necessary; and, in reference Of
lhrni, where Qualifications would not avail already
Indicated, that species Of defence will be inllspensa
DE- FIVE OF these in the Gulf Of Mexico and seven
on the Southern part Of the Atlantic coast are deemed
necessary by the Chief Engineer Their use, how
ed points near al hand, under which the vessels could
] ,gdezrous, and which would at the same time pro-
connie liarbo.s Tor the service Of military and
the ofiGial marine An appropriation Of S50,O00 for
Cumberlapcement ofa work, near the mouth of
near the oupund, and a similar sum !or a work al or
best harbors on'f ST. Simon sound these being the
of GEORGIA would part Of The coast within the State
pedlcnt Tie sccurtllls point Of view, be highly ex-
promoted BY work on Mobile bay would be greatly
one ut Pas an Heron, a6bln or Pelican Island, and
greatly TO the protection OF tl2ese WORKS would add
gulf An appropriation Of 500 03st passing along the
judcious The appropriations now these, woniu oe
addition TO the general estimates from gested, are IN
/ Previous 10 the commencement Of any department..
indicated, a preliminary survey Of their pos'e WORKS
be directed and the propriety OF such dectIos wan
now given, is under consideration 'ng
A third element, Of grea; importance III the consider
alton OF the detences Of the scacoas and of the North
and Northwestern fronters consists in the facility
and rapldity OF interior communications. They are
strictly Of defence, and incapable of being per.
vered 10 any purpose Of conquest; feature which
compends them every friend Of cur Institutions.
he tucilty afforded BY the movements for
the purpose of attack, BY facility Of
land, furnished By the triumphs OF genius and alt
in the application Of steam power land carriage and
in the construction Of heightened lines Of canals
The speed with which troops be moved, obylates
the necessity Of embodyin- large Of them n
any point and the amount OF force required for the de-
fence Of any given post would consequently, be dim
nsed in proportion 10 TIE reduction III the ne neces-
sary concentrate It, The whole force along the whole
line may be rendered available for the defence OF any
point in that line, while, without such means d
communication, separate army would be required
at each city, harbor or military post, that was 10
be defended This may be illustrated BY facts
within the knowledge Of all. Troops may be-
brought from New York 10 the city Of Washington
in eighteen hours in condition requiring little
repose 10 fit them for Immediate action. And the
whole physical force of the populou country between
those two points may be concentrated at any inter-
mediate place in 4 few hours. We're Philadelphia
sailed threatened, movement oi military force
from Pittshurg, which but short time since would
have occupied from twenty 10 twenty five days, could
now be accomplished III five. Similar illustrations
are furnished BY various railroads and canals in dit
ercnt parts of the country. And as the great Sc
cret Of success in war is supposed to be the abb
ty TO oppose the many TO the ew Il is evident that
IN any defensive operations, we shall be aoe 10 com
pete with and conquer any probable force that an IN
yadirr enemy could bring against that portion Ct chr
territory which IS inerseced by these interior commu-
nications. Another consequence OF no little moment
flows from the same cause The power 10 defend our
selves with armies Of very diminished numerical force
compared with those which have heretofore been Eeccs
sary in our national conflicts, those which are usual
" employed on the European continent.
The facilities afforded by canals and railroads TO col.
ec with any desirable expeditions the supplies OF an
army from Il country Astounding with them, ana to
transport them the proper points, will render large
depols unnecessary An object OF an attack TO an enc
nv is thus removed and the consequences OF the cap
ure OF large collections Of munitions Of war; or OF sub.
sistence By hostile FORCE was enabled TO MAINTAIN y
self, obvated.
The expense of military operations will be reduced
beyond any present of exact calculations by the
same facilities. During the last war with Great Br-
tain the cost cf transportation from New York TO Patts
burg Sacketts Harbor, and Buffalo, was from FIVE 10
twelve dollars per hundred The present cost To
Platisburg, thirty cents, and to the other points
named, sixty cents per hundred. twelve FOUNDER,
which, at The cheapest rate, could not have been car
red to Buffalo for less than two hundred dollars may
now be transported to the same point, in one'hiih Or
one eighth of the time, for twenty-!uur dollars
In every point Of view in which these works can be
considered their cost much actually added to the
defensive Of the nation without any expense 10
the General Government other than the subscriptions X
has authorized 10 few Of them and It may be ain
cd without exaGgeraton that The aggregate OF saving
in any future III which may be engaged, IN the
comparative small Of military force that will DO
necessary for defence and III the cheapness OF ranspof
taton afforded by railroads and canals now IN exist
ence will be equal to the cost of their construction
Ii, then, the making Of these works has been prema
turc or mprovdent in reference TO the OF the
States that undertook them, and has involved them III
pecuniary embarrassments the National Government
should complain Of enterprise that has placed
these ncalculabe advantages in lis hands and, If Il
cannot relieve VIII at least sympathise in the msiur
tunes which have resulted from such efforts.
The report from The Ordnance Office exhibits the
measures which have been taken for the armament OF
Notifications, and The forts which have been wholly and
partially armed This object will be steadily and vgor
ousy pursued to the extent of the means provided by
Congress. The estimate for tina. purpose IS the amount
originally contemplated as being necessary 10 the com
pelion Of the armamens rapidly the nature OF the
service would permit II is 10 be hoped that, in view
Of the great importance Of the object 10 reduction Of
1 the estimate viii be made.
The attention Of Congress has, for the last Ten years.
4 1.,J g,t,nl
FOR cannon, belonging to- and under the charge Of the
Government; but, from an apprehension Of the great
expense which il supposed would be incurred by
such al establishment, or from doubt Of It's neces-
sty nothing las yet been done towards its accom-
pllshmen,. Believing that plan might be devised on
a much more limited scale Of expense, which would
attain the principal objects i'll view, the Ordnance
Bureau was directed 10 consider and mature such Il
plan and estimate the cost Of lis execution. The
companying report No. ~ from that Bureau presents
such PLAN explains the important which the pub