Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1841-10-23
From the Southern LiteFary Messenger,
LETTERS TO MR.. ChAY.-No. ~.

from the Southern Litefary .Mcssenger)
LETTERS TO MR.. chAY.-No. W.
SIR :--"I.et us now look into the condition
Of our Naval establishments and means Of
defence in the South.
"Take the map OF North America, and cast
your eve on it from the Capes Of Virginia
down the Atlantic coast--passing around the
Florida reefs, into the Gull of Mexico to the
| remote South Western corner OF the United
| States-a distance of about two thousand miles
land you will not find a single naval depot,
| at which even a s~loop-of-war, whether disabled
in a gale, OF crippled in an action, could be
repaired. Not a great while ago, a small reve-
nue. cutter, had to be sent from the so-calieh
navy-yard at Pensacola, to Charleston, South
Carolina, to have her sides catked and some
other slight repairs made.
Now, take the other side OF the picture. tic
back to Mason and Dixon's line, and run your
finger towards the North on the map, that you
NAV see what has been done for that region,
in the way of naval dcfcnces and improve
ments. Inthc waters of the Chesapeake, you
find two well appointed navy-yards, and one
naval station. In the waters OF the Delaware
is another large building yard--less than two
degrees farther on, you come to another ex.
t~ensive dock-yard at New lork-and a few
hours thence, to two more-Boston and Ports
mouth-both in the waters Of Massachusetts
"Yet in all this partial protection, and un.
equal distribution of the national bounty, the
South and West have complained not. lr
these matters, Southern and Western states
men have taken grounds far above mere loca
interests, state prejudlces, or sectional Jeal
ousies ; they have occupied the high emlnenct
of patriotism ; with a free will and a liberia
hand, they have been among the foremost 4
vote away the public money, wherever am
whenever the honor, the safety, Of the welfare
of their country required it Without asking
whether this or that State would De most bene
fitted by a naval appropriation, they hav'
striven to make the navy all that the dlgnlt.
of their country, abroad, or its safety at ffoine
requires it to be.
"a despatch vessel-of-war Gent from New
York to Pensacola, in the Gulf Of Mexico
was thirty-tour days in making the passage Oh
one occasion, and ~ffty-six on the other. Upol
an average it would take twenty or thirty day
for a naval force, from the nearest port Of tn
North, to carry relief to the property OF gu
citizens in the Giilf OF Mexico. In conse
~quence of such unequal distribution OF tn
public dock-yards and depots, most OF the Eu
pean powers, witt, their steam shlps-ot-wa1
are actually nearer to our commerce in tn
Gulf of Mexico, than we ourselves: !
case of war, they have, much nearer tina
we, secure places of rendezvous for vessel
of all kinds. To us, there would be n
sufficient shelter nearer than Norfolk.
Is protection less due to the South, than t
the North Does the vicinity Of the West
India Islands with their black. a-moor reg
ments, afford to the South an especial glaran
ty, that in war, she shall enjoy imtnunitie'
and be exempt from dangers, unknown, to tn
North! Or is it because the safety OF Georgi
and the Carolinas, the integrity of their so
are less sacred-the products of Wester
Pennsylvania and Virginia of Ohio, lrdlan'
Illinois and Missouri of Iowa, Florida an
Wisconsin; of Kentucky and Tennesse'
Mississippi and Alabama. Louisiana and IA
!, kansas-which pass through the Gulf of Me,
leo on their way to market-are all these il
terests. | say, left thus exposed, because the
are of less Importance in the federal eye, tina
, their sister-interests in the North Or sha
the defenceless condition OF the South and tt
w est, DS aSCEtDCu W Liz SEIEtcttlCS2 Va si
North ard the East, which hitherto haze bee
ascendant in the National CotIclls No 81
Ascribe that rather to the apathy of the form'
two on the subject, aad to their nernerlc
Weakness in the legislative halls of the natlo
: 1t rests with YOU to rouse them up. Undt
the new superintendent of representation, the
, representatives will outnarnber these OF Il
Northern and Middle States on the foor
Congress. FeTbum sak.
: Bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, are tt
t Islands OF Cuba; Jamaica, and st. Domlag
besides groups OF smaller ones; and the Stat
!, of Texas, Mexico, and Central America an
or all of which are liable to be occupied
powers at war with the United States.
: "The Gulf is the Mediterranean of the
countries which, owing to the winds at Il
South Cuba and the Bahamas at the East,
!, as much closed against egress, except throu!
I the straits of Florida, as is the Mediterrar1e;
proper, except through the straits OF Glbralt;
''The only pass from this Gulf belongs to l
and by us should be secured at whatever Co
Kes-Nest is the Gibraltar of these strai
. with a harbor susceptible of being strengthe
ed and rendered impregnable as that
:, "The South and the West are ne~er secu
"a nor their d~efences complete, until this
made a strong hold, where the public vess'
NAV rendezvous in war, and merchantmen
is treat fsr safety.
+. "Ffance has made T'oulon, in the Medlt'
ranean, her great naval establishment. sp
: too had her c~arthaseal, What Toulon is
ii France, and Carthagcna was to Spain. II
~saeola is 10 US. Though Spain had the 10