Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-08-09
% Tsa Cons. i. ss.
FIRST SESSION.
HONE SQUADRON,
HopsE or Rtrs,,

L.. Is, IN
muee on Naval a lr,l,s
The changes which tho introd action Of steam
power has already effected and is constantly ptodu
eng III the naval armamenls of the maritime pow
eis al tuiore, evidently require the most pfomp
ana tthrleut action on the pant at tho Govr,nmen
ol TIE tuucd STATES 10 meet this new and powerful
auxiliary IN nasal warfare, by 80 changing the enn
snhenon and employment of our nav, rs most Il
ietthaiy l" protect our commerce and quad oui
sca"coasl against the sudden approach of an enemy
employing this new aud formidable description o
l"ice, and It Is the opinion OF the committee that no
measure isnlo,e Inpe,lorslv demanded by every
consideration ot prudence and safety Than that re-
commenced III thotcpott 81 thc Serfntaly--thc en-
Posment at home squadron, composed in pan OF
AIMED steamers. Tie very Justly remarks that "had
a waf with Gtea Btlttln bren the result us WAS
at one time generality feared, of the subjects of diff
henlty LOW IN course al adjustment between that
fewef aud the United Sales, not only would our
rade hnye been liable TO real interruptions, and on,
metehan's to great losses abroad. but naval force,
comparatively small, mlghf, on our very shores.
have seized our merchant Sims and nsult.d our
tldg, without suitable ans of ties stance of nmtdi
ate retaliation being At the command ul the Govern
ment. To guard ~ inst such result, to be ever
ready 10 tcpel of promptly 10 chastlsn aperesslon
nfnn ON own shn cs II Is necessary that pn" etful
squadron should be kept I'll 1at at h Tins
| sure IS recommended by other oonsl,erallons.-
There ~ no situation ~ whth gteatet skill OF
mHhsllp can be exercised and acquired lhan on the
coas OF the unlled States; aud IN no service would
ouf officers and seamen become more thoroughly
initiated IN all tia IS necessary ioi the national de-
ienee and glo,s. Ia thai sciuce, aided by The
coast survey now Ia Inog1ess, thorough acq aain-
lance would be gained with our sea coasl, extensive
aud hitherto hnl lmprteeIy know u; the various pods
would b VISITED The b,Ns, tulels, aud hubots care
Iully examined, the uses ~ Which each could he
made available durug wat. eithe, iol escape, DE-
teDee, or annoyance, be aseettaiucd, aud the coul
deuee resulting trom perfect knowledge would gsc
us, what We ohshl surely 10 possess decided ad-
Vantage over an enemy ON our own shore" In ad-
dniun 10 the excellent aud compteien view pie
scented by thr Secretary the committee beg leave 10
submit lew observations 10 lrea,d 10 Tic present
State al our seazcoasi dctencrs, then In.lhCjency
c1se OF war; and the measures now being adopted by
Great Brlan AID Flanee TO change then naval az
mamenls iiom tie common vessels ol war to armed
steamers II is acl. alnosl 800 noiolous lor re
mark here, that out iurtIhealous ar IN u most m
cftc enl condition. Many ol those that itsye been
completed are not supplied wui cannon; Others
ae going rapidly 10 decay some are Unfinished
aud progressing 81 slowly that II viii irq ne unuy
years 10 COM ete thcm noue OF them pfopetlys
gatasoneJ, and somc hive not nan to keep The
gates closed.
These iorIresses have coet immensesnus Of mo-
MY, and, II snpp1et with gus and rpffsous would
oliori but pofinl protection To a lev poins ouf
srd= eoasl AID 10 our MIned squa,Ifans ~ time 81
"ar. They could not datead u, against the a1lnrd
steamers "t an enemy, wheh mrg It pass diem the
night, OF avoid hem 10y rnle'i hutbots Whcrethete
dte no Qualifications. Tins Ias remark IL pea uIlarl,
applicable TO the Southern coast where III, re AZ
numerous hatbois on lie Atlantic and the Gull oi
Mexico, and not Tori, lnm ChalI ston ID Mobile,
IA condition 10 lie GIN. Pensacola aud rct.
haPs others, mi2n be sefzed and held l., the cue
my, OF any of ouf Unprotected hHibofs might be
tered hy fleets OF AIMED steamers, loaded wH black
troops from the W est Indies, la annoy aud punder
the county. Tie northern por ION 1T the Atlantic
here = hen ri
place IL III stair OF defence, would by no means be
secure NJ llus the rdpd movements Of such an
my. The hdtbor OF New orb Itself might be en-
tered through the inlet Al Amboy, aud Staten Island
Sound, aud the iar fcat,ons at TIC Nauous tullre-
~ avoided. Ile cay M. hi be sacked or aId undrr
contribution, brne II sufficient force could be col.
lected 10 prevent tie approach or escape ol so for
mdab'a an enemy; and II ls seriously 20 be feared
that there IS not a harbof on the whole coast, how
ever well defended against The Ealing ships of m
| enemy, that these steamers nigh not nrer by a.
vodlng the forts, or passing them IN the night II
Tins - true, II must be Ietoeiyed that 0uly our
commerce, but our cities. with all thelr wealth,
would be at the mercy OF an enemy employing force
so rapid aud certain IA us movements. II therefore
becomes question Of the most utgsnl aud vital M
rorIance 10 the people aud Government Of the Uni
ted Siaies, how they soone 81 aud bes, provide
the IL cans OF meeting tins new aud powerful auxllia-
| ~ IN nai'lnhe war HE en- ployucnt Of II home
squadron, as recommended by the Secretary OF the
navy, must De 1uslIy regarded as not only the bc ST
means OF meeting any sudden emergency that may
arse, but leading such ullerlor measures 10 may
be lound necessary TO give 10 our commerce and
coast The greatest possible security.
As connecting itself Immediately with This sub
Jec, ana calling ior the most ylgiIant ofpol-
icy on the pat OF the Government al tue Inteh
Sl"es, lie committee beg leave to call the attention
OFT House 10 tho measures now beng Adopted by
Great Britain, 10 tsep anoat and actively emplo, ed
on our northern coast, aud in the West Indies,
oil them with ther guns board. aud tie Others Al
all Il les ready 10 receive them.
Some time since, contract WAS made with thai
Government by Mr.. Cunafd and lls associates tt
carry the koyal mail from Liverpool to llaIliax fo
the sum Of SKY lhous ND Pounds sterling o SOL
GOO per anuum.
In compliance with this cortrsct four steamer
have been CONSTRUCTED and pLiccd ON the lIne o
twelve hundred tons burden and four hut drtd ant
MY horse power zach. These vesse leave Lover
pool aud Halifax every fortnight aud pcrl rn H.,
mp across the Ailnuc each way, wlh great certain
~, IN IL days. he-e steamers are commanded b,
oiheets OF tie Royal Navy, and are 10 at all line
subject to tie olders OF the Government. So erea
has been not oily the ldGiliie. afforded 10 commerce
ana intercourse, but saving to the revenue mn
cost oi carrying the an HAT II Is proposed Il
double the number Of steamers, hat they may Iedv
ulef respective ports every week instead ot ever
i1tihehi. lie l. pudun Jeutual oil Commerce SAYS
Ohaei the DID packet system, between FalmeuU
"nd iidIldH by he gun btgs, the expense to Govern
heh' was about forty Thousand pounds sei ling auuu
any more than he receipts oi postage. BY Iii
nue oi CunAH's Steamships balance Of twent
thousand pounds app"ais already 10 the credit sid