Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-11-16
TWlENTY.sEvENTH CoNGREss--lst Session
(-Uaking APP Lceae"y')

h
Making up Lceae"y)
HONE SQUADRON.
MIR. THoMAs BUTLER kiSo, from me Somnit.Fe =
Naval Affairs, 10 which the subject had been refer
submitted, on the eth July last, The following
The Committee on .yarat .!0atrS, to 1ehomad accons.
Yed 50 much ofhe Presidents .Messagzr ask lcase
panying Documents rtiates TO hing for the sup.
to report on the expectancy IF PTTsmcnded in the re.
mort of home squadron, asTu
mort Of the Secretary # Me.duc,on Of steam power
The changes which The constantly producing. in
has already effected, anihe maritime powers Of Eu
the naval arma"'eni1s the most prompt and efhc'en'
rope, evidently reSf the Government OF the u D TO
action on the Rd powerful auxiliary in naval warfare,
meet ths neg the construction aud employ ment OF our
by so chaps efftctucy 10 prn,ec, our commerce ana
navy al sea-coast against the Sudden approach ." al
guar employing this and Formidable Description
eoree: aud il IS the opinion OF the comnttre tha' n"
,osme is more imperously Demanded " every con
liberation Of prudence and safety ihah tha seco'"
cd in the report ofthc Sscre,ary-ihe employment OF
home SQUADRON composed in part oil armed steamers
He yery Justly remarks, that had war wan u
been the result was at nne tEe gebeFany ea'e"' "
the subjects of difficulty now ~ course o u.
h.tueen that Power and the L. ;, not only won o
our trade have been liable 10 great interruption, a"u
,r to great lnsses abroad, ont naVa' ic'
comparatively small, might. on our very Shores nav
seized our merchant ships and ,nsuited our y, "nu'
suitable means OF resistance or ilneaiae iela. "
mo- CGmfNdDG
AGAINST such result 10 ready TO rePei OF pf"P'
cbas,;.e aggression upon own shores, II Is ecv7
sary that powerful squadron shouo oe hepl aqua ~
home. This measure rs recommencea ny ',"' 80
alterations There is no situation IN Mh'ch Eseu"'
Cd ~ or can BE- exercised and acquire. iran
- ~. -, 80 ~ 6 aud ~" ssrv's. """io or
officers and become more Thoroughly nitasfo
IN all that is necessary for the national defence anu
glory In that service aided by the coast survey now
In progress thorough acquaintance would be guinea
perfectly known; the various ports would De Vsto tue
bavs neis and harbors, carefully examined the uses
to which each could be made available curing war
either for escape defence, or annoyance De aSce''a'
ed snd the confidence resulting from perfect R'o"'
Iedpe would give us, what We Ought surely 10 pos
sess decided advantage over an enemy on our own
shores" In addition to The excellent and eomprehen'
siyc view presented ~ The Sscretary Tue coih''se
teg leave Ia su5i few observations IN regard 10 the
present state OF orr drfrnces their eciency
IN case Of war and the measures now hcing adop'eu
by Great Britain and France 10 change their naval ar,
maments from the common vessels OF war 10 armed
steamers 1t is fact, almost too notorious lot rrfh
here that Notifications are Ia mos; ineiicSn'
condition. Many of those that have been compistso,
ARE not supplied with cannon others are gong rapidly
10 decay; some are unfinished, and progressing SO
slowly, that it will require many years 70 complete
them OF them properly garr'soned, ana some
have not man to keep the gates closed
These forresses have cos, Immense sums OF money,
S.ould afford but partial protection /" few pants ON
uy seacoast and la armed squadr"ns IN time oil war
They could defend us against The armed steamers
Of an eRea,y, which might pass them IN Inc nigh nF
avoid them by entering harboFs where there are no oi
ca,ons This las, remark peculiarly applicable 10 The
Southern coasi, where there INJURIOUS harhnTs IN
The Atlantic and the Calf al Mexico, and moi o from
Charleston TO Mobile, IN condition To i're gun. IN
the event of with France or u Briinn, the Tor
tifcations al Pensacola and perhaps Others might DC
and hulI hy tlG ~
ed harbnrs IN ght b. entered by fleets OF armed steam
ers loaded with black troops from the west lndes 'n
annoy and plunder the country The northern poi.o"
nj the Atlantic coast, where such vast sums nave oee
exoepded to place It in q of defence; would by no
;nfans be secure against the rapid movements OF such
an enemy The har5or of New York itself might De
entered through the nle; al Amboy and staten 's'ar
Sound and the Notifications al lie aarrows ehtreiy
avoided The city might be sacked or LAID under con-
trhulion before sufficient force could be collected 10
prevent the approach escape Of 80 formidable an enc
nv and il is seriously to he feared, that mere - not
harSor on The whole coast, however well defended,
against the sailing ships Of an enemy, that these steaH
rrs mirht not ener hy avoiding the forts or passing
tham IN the NIGHT If this be true, il must he per-
ceiyed that not only commerce. bat our citeS, "'to
oil their wealth, would liz u; the mercy al an enemy,
employing force rapid aud CERTAIN IN It's move
men,s 1t therefore becomes question of The most
urgent and vital importance to the people and :resn
mcnt of the u S how they soonrs! and best pro.
vide the means Of meeting this new and powerful aux
ary in maritime war. The employment OF a home
squadron as recommended by the Secretary OF The Ma
w must be justly regarded not only the best means
ot meeting any sudden emergency that may arise, but
leading 10 such uiteror measures a: may be found ne
cessary 10 give to commerce and seacoasi the
greatest possible security.
As connecting itself immediately with this subject,
and calling for the most vigant OF policy
the part of the Government OF the L. s., the commit
lee beg leave TO call the attention of the House to the
measures now being adopted by Great Britain, to keep
aaoat and actively employed our Northern coast,
and in the West Indies large number OF steamers o.
The are st class, many of them with their guns on
hoard and the others all times ready to receive the
Some time since, contract was made With that Co
yefnneat by Mr. Cunard and bis associates 10 carry
the Royal mail from Liverpool 10 Hanx fer the su'i
Of sixty thousand pounds star!ns or S2l b9 per an
mum.
In compliance with this contract four steamers have
been constructed and placed the line, Of twelve
hundred tons burden and four hundred aad hy horse
power each. These vessels leave Liverpool aud Han.
tax every fortnight, and perform the trip across inc
Atlantic each way, viii, great certainty in twelve days
These steamers commanded By officers OF the Roy al
Sayy and are be al all times subject to the orders
OF the Government. S" great has been not only the
facilities afforded To commerce and intercourse, but
s1yinv to the revenue in the cost Of carrying the
mail that il nnw proposed 10 double the number oi
steamers that they may leave their respective ports
every week instead Of every fortnight, IRE London
Janrna of Commerce says; The old packrt sys-
fem. between Falmouth and Halifax by The gun 1rgs,
tho .x,eosp To Government about forty thousand
mounds sterling annually more than The receipts o.
HOSTAGE. Dv the line Of Cunard s steam ships "a
lance of.wenty thousand POUNDS s7psa's already - '
rr,d, side OF The Allaa,io mails. This lire las been
extended TO Bcs,cn.