The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-17
pEFENcEs OF THE GULF OF MEXICO.

| when they will be renewed
DEFENCES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO
With view to enable our readers 10 form IA
correct estimate Of the course proposed by the
| Navy Department with reference TO The de.
fences ofthe Gulf Of Mexico, we give below an
extract from the Secreary's report ON that sub
ject. The document is so excellent throughout
that we feel unwilling that any portion of it
should be withheld from the public eye, and
have therefore embraced in the extract nearly
the whole Of the paper
/ am deeply impressed with The absolute necessity
of adequate naval force TO protect commerce IN
| the Gulf ot Mexico The mouth ofthe Mississippi,
far Commerce ID concerned, not at the Balize
1t is the pass between Cuba and Florida
The trade winds and the gulf stream setting in from
the south side OF Cuba they under the necessity
! of following the course OF that stream and passing
int the Atlantic throug the Gulf Of Florida Hence
the tire trade OF the Mississippi and its tributary
rivers with the exception of the small portion OF 1t
which carried on with the countries the and
south OF the Gulfof Mexico is at the mercy of what
ever power may happen TO command the Gufof Flo
rida Two steam-iIigaes, actively employed are sut-
fcent for this purpose 1t follows, Of course that the
commerce ola country large enough and fertile enough
support population half as great as that of Europe
may be destroyed by any maritime power, at cost
| small to be worthy of calculation.
i The unsettled condition of the governments of the
former provinces on the Gulf of Mexico requires that
our trade the terror of that gulf should be protect
ed by II suitable naval force Hitherto have had 40
squadron cruising there, although this Department
has had frequent occasion TO send single ships in
der TO vndicate the rights aud redress tile actual
wrongs of oui citizens There is but little probabi-
ty that better systems OF government, lnsuring more
strict respect for The rights OF friendly nations, will
be established in any snort time WI may therefore
properly consider the existing state of things, among
other reasons, for establishing permanent force, TO
he always ready to act in every part Of that gulf
agree with the Commissioners Of the Navy that
this force ought to consist almost exclus> ely Of steam
vessels. have assigned some reasons for this opinion
in my ual report In addition these, and 10 those
assigned by the Naval Commissioners ! respectfully
suggest that such force could render the i'm
portan services in execution of the laws IL
swell known that smuggling to great extent is car
red on rough Lakes Borgne and PontcharraD and
that the revenue service, now organized Is unable
to prevent it, Should that service be Intrusied the
Navy, as is now contemplated and AS in my opinion,
is highly advisable, those waters would be at all times
completely watched and guarded, without any addi-
ton the present Cost of that service and to The
4 great increase of the public revenue.
Should this policy be adopted, the necessary means
Of carrying il out must Of course be provided II will
be necessary, in The first place, TO construct suitable
navy-yards and Docs for the building and repair
of the requisite vessels Wccannot properly rely on
our present establishments on the Atlantic coast, for
Tins work Their distance. requiring great loss Of
time to leach them, and the dangers OF coast
CATION conclusive objections any such arrange
ment agree with the Commissioners Of the Navy,
that for all the ordinary purposes of he gulf squadron,
the navy-yard at Pensacola altogether sufficient.
That yard, however is yet unfinished and requires
considerable expenditure OF labor and money, to
put it in proper condition for all the which
II Is designed No other need be constructed at any
place the Gulf OF Mexico Its, however, worthy
of consideration, whether such establishment, up
large scale, ought not to be made at suitable
point en- the Mississippi rver. Such a location would
enjoy at least decisive advantage all Other $
adopted in its perfect security against all attacks
from an enemy. There are other reasons, however
scarcely less strong, which recommend it to ia it
viii be in the midst OF populous and fertile country
Astounding in wood, water, provisions, and all the
necess ary mdteret of navy 1t seems now to be no
longer doubtful that non ships will answer all the Iur-
poses coast md harbor dei.nce, and probably also
of ocean cruising II is The wish Of this Department,
to construct many vessels possible, OF this
teria I his is desirable not only on account of lis
superior durability and cheapness, but because, by
extending the of it, the Government would afford
well deserved encouragemento the industry OF large
class of our people, and and IN developing and bring
ing into action important part OF country
| resources Supplies OF iron, TO any xten, may he
afforded by Of the Mississippi and its tbuta-
res and this too, at comparatively snail cost of
Transportation Ii Is also worthy of remark that a
rope wa connected with such an establishment,
would he OF immense value to the hemp grow ng re-
zion OF our country. AT present that necessary COM
modify is hurdcned with heavy charges in order to
reach our Atlantic markets, which operates very
! serious Encouragement to the cultivation of IT, The
country which now supplies II, and which neels only
suitable encouragement, 10 supply 1t TO every edi
extent for the most part convenient TO the Misss-
sipp Missouri, and OHIO rivers, so that the contem-
plated establishment wosd al ,rd Already market easy
of access all times, and costing but little reach
it, This would render the material at once cheaper
| to the Government, and valuable To the pro-
ducer.
Hence it may be assumed, that no position could be
selected in our whole country presenting many ad-
| vantages for all the purposes now contemplated as
some point the Mississippi, sufficiently remote
from its mouth to be safe from all enemies, and yet
not remote as TO render approach to the ocean
either difficult or tedious. Such an establishment
together with that at Pensacola, would afford all
needfu facilities for fleet of any size cruising in
the Gulf of Mexico or the neighboring seas.
The next subject to be considered, is the formation
of depots of fuel and provisions. There ought to be
several of these, at convenient distances along our
own coast For provisions, Pensacola alone would
suffice but the supplies of fuel will be more speed
lily exhausted, convenient of fresh supplies
ought to be provided The cost of these supplies will
be but little increased by multiplying the places of de-
posite Coal does not decay and no other protection
for it is required than cheap wooden sheds. A small
guard may be necessary TO secure it against thieves
but there little danger that it will be stolen in
country which abounds in wood, and where wood is
the common fuel. In my opinion, not less than four
depots OF coal necessary. Advertng to the
port of Lieutenant Powell for the comparative fac-
tiles OF the different points embraced in his survey,
recommend that these depots be made at Pensacola
ST Joseph's, Tampa Bay, and the Dry Tortugas At