The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-12-19

under steam power in the American navy. You VIII
recollect thai l0S steamships compose the steam ma
Wy of Great Britain, and "a that OF France. NO"
you see the American steam navy CONSISTS oil h'e
small vessels averaging less than eight guns each
Such are the facts, and my apprehension, superb
Gus ones.
beg il may be distinctly understood, that in speak
ing of the insuficency of our naval forces Tor Inc
defence of the country, do not mean to lmPugn the
gaantry of naval heroes, or the inirepldity OF
our land forces, whom the laws OF our country have
constituted the grand buwarks Of our independence.
respect and venerate both, and make doubt that
at the first blast Of the trumpet, announcing the
approaches Of foreign foe and the onset oil war,
the hardy veterans and he youthful yeomanry OF our
country would rush from the mountains, and from
the valleys, from the east aud from the west, the
| north and The SOUTH from the dense population OF
the seaboard and the deep soltudes Of the wilder
ness, to vndlcate a nation.
The question is not whether the country is in dan
ger of being conquered, but whether she is exposed
| to invasion, 10 insult, and to plumber.
In the event of invasion at the only point assalla-
ble and that is every point upon the sea coast from
| New Orleans 10 our Northeastern frontier what
| have we for defence Five vessels and 80 guns
under steam power. All the sailing ships OF the navy
when opposed to feet, utterly useless and can
only serve to swell the triumph and give ecai 10 the
victor. The sailing ship can neither successfully
| contend with steamer nor escape from her. She
| therefore falls sacrifice as a matter OF course
The fearful result is that we have nothing thlt can
be called defence 10 oppose the ruthless hand OF the
invader 1t is true we have prodigious moral and
physical force, ,oioi arms 50 900 seamen, aud,
| by estimate, $4,000 inland sailors, making grand
marine force of 225 900 men. But remember that
whenever war comes upon US, il will come under
| steam power, and steam power only. OF what Use
then will our 225, 900 seamen be without a steamship
| TO man
or this vast maritime force, for will call il by
| 4 -
are devoted TO the service OF the country COCO out
| OF DDS 600 only have arms ia their hands. Nay not
| one quarter OF the number-not more than l-l2th,
600 ia al can be said 10 be armed IN the way 10 be
Of any service 10 the country-60o mariners gentle
MOS. thnA OF n dvfvuu aud .inui-
cate the character of this Republic. For hen the
naval war.tug comes upon US, sailing ships of war
will be things OF nsught and therefore ought not
De taken into calculation at all in reckoning up and
marshalling our forces for the day of battle.
| know IT Is said we can build ships and manufac-
ture engines, and construct ortihcatlons when they
are wanted and drive an invading enemy headlong
from shores But DO these tranquIlizlng gentle
men reflect that IN time of peace twelve months is
the shortest time that any reasonable calculations
can be made for the construction OF a steam higate
with marine engines What then will be your IA
cities when the ship yards, the steam engine manu-
factories and all the of equpping steam ma.
va force, are IN the hands Of your enemy
BE not deceived. When the storm OF war bursts
upon US when our cities in flames our sea board
raysged; our commerce snnhsted our agriculture
arrested; our workshops clos, d our manufac tories
| suspended our fields mantled in the blood of our
citizens, and the nation sbipwrecked, how humilist-
ing how whitening will be the thought that all tins
came upon US through vain confidence, through the
lust Of gold through deliberately choosing exposu
to the wrath Of invading enemy rather than sub
NIT to the expense Of furnishing the means of de-
fence We have indeed beautiful country; nature
has been surprisingly pro1iga in her gifts we see
The evidence before us but We proclaim to he world
that II Is not worth defending
We have all the elements Of a highly civilized and
refined state OF socley-churches, colleges schools
nhrmaries, nurseries for the deaf the blind the dumb
and the insane, and yet have not that which Is
most Of all necessary the means Of defending them
How long shall We accumulate treasures to lure buo
cancers to the spoil How long shall we suffer our
selves to remain delenceless, and hold our lovely
country by the iorbesrance of othersl
He concludes his able and inter- sling address by
urging IN an eloquent and earnest manner the wiz
dom, the policy aud the patriotism Of providing the
country with steamships, as a means Of national de-
fence lie says:
81 admit that an armed steam shin cost, three times
as much as an armed sailing ship Of the same class
but # am within limit Of estimating an armed steam
er capable Of performing four times The duty of a
sailing ship, and have no doubt Of the fact WHY
then # follows that twenty-sx "a gun steam ships of
war would equal m efficient force, a sailing fleet of
one hundred and four "a gun ships A powerful
fleet, and one aided by few small steamers, no doubt
capable OF defending our coast and of maintaining
the honor and DRY Of our country in any war con.
test IN which we may be forced to engage