The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-12
Prom the Norfolk Beacon.
OUR NAVY.


Much has been recently said in the various news
papers of our country concerning the Navy, ana we
glad to perceive prevalent spirit IN FAVOR o. ~
That favorable spirit should not be left TO supsius
without effect Ii is the spirit OF the people, ar"
should be proclaimed by every public organ ,nious,
out the land. The public servants snouu DC niaue
TO recognise this spirit, as the Embodied wishes oi
their constituents and the press should not cease 10
remind them Of il until they act IN accordance Inc
people expressly desire an efhcien nava force, ana
ibey expect their representatives to determine, and
nroyide for what shall be efficient force to pro-
tect the maritime interests OF the country. Upon
this point as upon the financial provisions Of the Go
vernment the expectations of the people are held in
suspense.
sand miles, we have at this time commerce extend
ing every port in the world, which exposes aoat,
upon tbs earths wide waters, $500 900 900 worth OF
American property, and seventy thousand American
seamen. In of sudden war with any nation
strong in naval power the question arises is our ma
Wy now large enough to protect the maritime lnte-
rests of the country? If is not-whlch none deny,
il should be made so, be sold to more liberal ma
ton. 1t has been wisely said OF our navy, by The
distinguished head of that Department, 1t is better
TO have none at all, than to have less than enough
With less our fleets would serve only to swell the
triumphs and feed the cupdity OF an enemy"
Admitting that il is best to have an increase oil the
navy in case of q war, will il then be urged or pre-
tended that when the emergency comes, there will
be time enough to enlarge and strengthen 1t In
these days naval warfare is not ntuitiye art de-
pendent only upon seamanship and bravery. Ofi-
cannotnow in the earlier days OF our history
be found in the merchant service ready at once to
take a war-ship into battle against an enemy, with
officers and men well trained in gunnery, discipline
and naval tactics. Merchant ships not now rea-
Oily found suitable for the naval service having great
strength, with capacity and speed, able to contend
with modern frigate to run down and take
even armed soop. What then can we depend
upon for naval efficiency, if we do not increase the
navy now, and educate sufficient number of officers
for the purpose, unless expect to rely we vain
ly did before the last war; upon the forbearance and
tender mercies of powerful rivals on the ocean?
The country may be told by politicians, who
clamorous for retrenchment, whether for partisan
purposes from honest convictions, il matters not)
that the navy can be increased sufficiently fast, upon
the same sum which has been granted in years Just
past. But it is shown in the Report of the Secretary
of the Navy, that the sum appropriated last year,
would not have been even enough to keep the present
number of ships and officers in active service. The
amount of means asked for the service by our dis
corning Secretary, is not even now half much as
it might have been, if the navy had been regularly
increased from the time of the last war, in proper
ton to the resources of the country.
If with a commerce employing million tons of
shipping, could and did sustain six thousand men
in the naval service ought, at the same ratio of
increase, when we have two millions one hundred
thousand tons of shipping, employ at least twelve
thousand six hundred men in the navy If we take
nearly the augmental. If take the increase
of population for ratio should now have four
teen thousand six hundred men in the navy. If we
would proportion our navy to that of Great Britain
in the ratio which our commerce bears to hers, we
should have forty thousand in the naval service
or, if we take France guide, in the same pro-
portion, should have fifty thousand in the navy.
Now mark and say if our worthy Secretary has not
even been over prudent, when he only asks for
this year, far to increase the Navy to employ
about nine thousand six hundred men in the service
Will the Legislators, who soon to act upon the
question, refuse the for this very moderate in
crease, which ought to have been added annually for
the last five years. Will they refuse to sustain the
urgent efforts of the Secretary of the Navy, for the
honor and safeyof the country, because, TO sooth it
may cost the people, upon average, ten or twelve
cents per head more than it cost last year. If they
decide thus, without feeling the deepest shame
their constituents will blush for them, and send them
others back perchance too late to repair the wrong
and retrieve their credit.