Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-08-09

lound 10 provide, MAINTAIN, keep seswolthy, an
~ complete repair aud readiness" for the purpose
conveying the mails, "a sufficient number (no lea
than luorteen) oi good substantial and lccut steam
vessels. ri such construction AID strength to be III am
able In carry guns Of the largest calibre now USE,
on board OF her Majcs,v's steam vessels oi Wal.
u adopt irom time I" tins, and nj all times suel
changes or improvements In construction, machine
~ armament. and igging, M the c,mm,ssouers may
! require. To carry a,rflaiu number oi Government
"theeis and men At n stipulated pticr. aud at all
times In bold their vessels subject 10 the ord ers o
such officer NJ may he placed on board 10 assume
command This company IL 10 receive Two hundred
andloity thousand pounds sitIi pen nnnutn. winch
may, IN ccttnin events, be increased IN three hun
dred aud ten thousand or te s 3ss 500.
! hese steamers aic all IN ippid pinpisgs oi con
slrucuon; they aie TO be about 500 tons burdrn.
and 10 receive engines of 900 hose power zach.
! hose that have been launched estimated la be
~ all respects equal to ststy gun II gates "Thns,'
II Is SAID "lhe country will he doubly se,vcd aud
while II PAYS 10 the Mad Company f@io 600 per
Annnm Ion the transport OF the mts. viii detfny,
ny tho same PAYMENT, the annual charges OF tho lar
eest and most powerful steam fleet IN the world
iulls efned with the heaviest ordnance 10 act
Irlemeswhcn required by the Government iot ,ha
purpose" To which may any time be added the
steamers employed IN tunaid's line, and those
ming Dom London aud Btstol to New Yu,k. Il il.
also said To be IN contemplation 10 establish another
ne from some pon IN England to ST. Johns, NV
brunswick, undo, contract similar 10 that made
with the Royal Mail Steam packet Company. All
these lines III soon be IN FILL operation, aud empley
at least twenty i've, aud rethais thaly, steamers o
The largest class and most approved construction;
lhoso on the Southern lIne, aud p,obahly those on
tho Northern lines alsu, hayinI their On hoai1
These steamers arc 10 be commanded by Ulcers Of
the Royal Navy, aud To thity such number Of Off
Gers and men as the Government, under certain
regulations may require who will thus lsliv all the
necessary Instruction to rnablc them 10 comm md
aud manage vessels Of Tins descti On tho fur
teen desl- nnlcd 10 cdty the West lndia mails, N
lcastfcn viii be constantly employed IN conveying
them on the various lines naccd on tho map here
Ia annexed. aud II will be seen hN reference 10 II thai
ibis formidable nee will be at all tunes within three
of inuf DAYS run ot our southern coaa1. In The e
vent ni declaration Of war b, Great Braip against
the United Smtcs-ns She will OF course, possess
the niotmaton necessary 10 enable her 10 conreu-
rnte her loiccs-all liIe steamers in the WEES India
mail service can be collected any polnt the
southern coast by tie tine the dccla alton would be
commas Cated lc the President. Those employed
on the 60tho,n lines Of New OH and Boston ma,
commence hostllnies 5uole The least preparation
can be made To meet thcm. Drpots oi coal 10
he established n Halifax. and at several potls IN the
West ladies, llom whence these Acels be sup
Piled, and the prediction made sone years s'nce b,
al Intelligent AID experienced officer, that ther sail.
log ships Of would become coal caliiets to Their
steamers, will be fulfilled.
Thee are it is said, nj Ihis tin 2, ten thousand
bach troops IN tho Blush West lod,e.; aud that
orders have recently been issued 10 increase the
number 10 twenty i've thou,nnd. These troops are
discipline and oonlma0ded by white officers, and,
no doubt. dtsgncd 10 lalm most important pot-
ton OF the force Ia be employed III any future con-
tcsl that may arse between Grral Bfiain and tho
United States aud, by uleIeuce to the map OF lbc
W est India nnil lines, II Will be seen that, IN oui
present drieneeless condition, Il ioicr, composed
Of AIMED steamers and troops Of that description,
would not only give gtsat annoyance 10 our coast,
bul must cneciuslly and al once put stop TO all
communication round Cape Flo,idn, or through
HE passes OF the West lndler, To OF tom the Gull
ui Mexico, and consequently the commerce ui the
great valley OF MIsslsslpp must tall mo he hand.
Of the enemy, lls vast productions, cut of from
market, DO rendered sduel.ss.
France is pursuing cnufsc ot policy IN every
respect similar 10 that Of Great BuIain 'ihs last
official register oil her navy shows lha she lhen had
thiIiy seven armed steamers carrying heavy guns,
equal IN all respects II not SUPERIOR To hose ui any
other nntion. TIE sudden appearance Of Que Of
them some two years ago, IN the ha,bor OF Balli-
more, must bo recoIlecied by ALL law has re-
ce lily been enacted authorizing the Government
to establish IA line Of armed steamers from layrs TO
New J ork, on the plan OF tho Blush West India
mail llne and, surprising as II may seem, number
OF gentlemen in Boston have actually sent N pro-
rosal- to take ille contract, II that city, instead 81
New Iork, shall be inserted IN II. Thus It will be
perceived that our merchants driven by the laws
Of lfsde and Intercourse about throwing the
whole wcig ht Of their SKILL enterprise, and capnal
into the hands oil one OF our great marIlue uvals
maritime rivals, Tor want OF proper acton and en-
cOuIagemenl ON the part Of lhelr own Government;
aud that the Illuminating spectacle Is likely 10 be
presented OF American merchants, who have excel
led all Others IN commercial pursurs beng en-
ployed 10 support naval fore. that may be directed
against the CUES 10 which lhey reside.
Under the old system Of maritime war our squad
he xtI ots Cit 4 ny
Gag abroad, without dagger Of aggression on our
own coast, because the llrcts of an ensmy could no
defend u.s. But the introduction oil steam power
has Effected such astonishing Changes, that arma-
nens on the most extensive scale 3ie no longer Ia
be considered as lone suited to the purposes oil
war, but the most Formidable vessels the world has
ever seen are 10 be employed III the transportation
OF The mail, passengers and eight-to Pass along
/ the whole coast and into potts, as famillarl,
| as common trading slips II these vessels can b,
rendered proiablr in tat oil elCc, 1.-The security they
viii aiioid 10 persons aud property, hom the attacks
/ o pnsateers aud small AIMED vessels, wlll te"de
them indispensable IN tn,e oi war.
Tins system s yet ia rs inlaucyI and 1t is not il
the power Of the ,oWmtee 10 say, with any degre,
ol accuracy, how lar II nay be rendered useful Il
our Commerce, prcfllably CONNECTED with GU
navy; 10 what extent 1t may be made To support II
sell. OF the policy # other Governments, and
ploperiegafd for our safety, uay render lis Il
doption wise OF necessary. I hese qUestlons 9
the utmost importance 10 all portions ol thIs wide
extended county, aud Ought 10 be promptly AM
properly nq0iIed into aud lIslaCtorlly answered.
"A gentleman OF great responsibility aLd much ex
petence IN commercial ahlrs, and particularly Il
steam navigation, has given II as his uplnion tia