The Arkansas banner., 1844-02-20
From < the .8rmy and Nary Chronicle THE MARITIME INTERESTS OF THE
 SOUTH AND WEST.


 From i" the Army and Nary Chronicle THE MARITIME INTERESTS OF THE
 SOUTH AND WEST.
 tcoNcLuDEp.)
 We have laid great stress upon the facility with which an enemy in the Straits of Flo rida might annoy the Gulf commerce, and we have said 1t might be entirely destroyed by force altogether insignificant as to It's strength, and such as any third or fourth rate naval power could at ali times command and send against it Fully to appreciate the help lessness of merchantmen and to illustrate the degree of panic and consternation which an armed cruiser in search of prizes spreads among them and those who have argosies at sea, we have only to recollect what has been done in other times by our own men of war In l777, Captain Wickes, in the Reprisal, with two small cruisers, made his appearance of the coast of England. We quote from the papers of the day-authentic extracts from which have been kindly furnished by a friand--to show the alarm and distress which that small force spread among the English shipping and commerce, where they had no narrow and unprotected straits first 10 pass through.
 "Jaae 26M. TIT. ssOrders were sent to Plymouth for two of his Maesty's frigates 10 sail immediately on cruise between Lisbon and Madeira, as some intelligence has lately been received that several .american pripafeers were cruls- ing about that place and had stopped several English ships, but, being i'll ballast, had re- leased them.'' Lad .Hag., July, l777, vol. s, p. 387.
 ssJaly 2d, i7777. "Oeders were sent to the commissioners of the several dock-yards for the immediate fitting out of several sloops-of-war, to be em- ploved as cruisers for the better protection of the trade.n
 sOrders were sent to the Governors of Jersey and Guernsey for all the Notifications on the said islan1, to be put ill proper state of defenee.n
 "July 5th. TIT. 9Dublin has been thrown into the utmost state of consternatlon by the appearance oi the American pripateers on this coast. 4 Stop Is pm 10 al trade Not one of the lin- en ships that were loaded for Chester Fair are suffered to depart, upon which account the fair must be postponed, if any fair be held.
 'sThe Lord Lieutenant has thought 1t ex- pedient, lest the Americans should make any attempt upon the shipping in this harbor, to order cannon from the arsenals to form two batteries to defend the entrance of 1t.
 sNo insurance can be procured, and linen has already fallen penny yard.
 "They are unloaing the linen ships with the utmost diligence for fear of an attempt to burn them; and all the vessels are drawn as near as possible to the bridge" Lad Mag, Julp, l777, vol. 8, ?. oSS. Copy Of letter from Philip Stephens, Secretary of iae .fdmifaiiy to Hi1ia8i Cor sli', lNGyor of
 Lieefpooi.
 "July IIM, 1777. ssMy Lords Commissioners of the Admi- raltv having stationed the Albion (7J,) Exc ter (64,) Arelhusa (32, and Ceres (sloop-of- war; between the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland, in quest of American rripaieers for the protection of trade in those parts, am commanded by relationships to acquaint you thereof" Sc. Lad. Mag, July, l777, vol 8, PIP. 39-9s.
 "SAruapAy, Julyl2h, HIT. ssThe American prirateers having made se- veral captures on the Scotch and Irish coast, the merchants and inhabitants of Greenock and Glasgow have entered into subscriptions for fitting ont four armed vessels for the pro- tection ot their own trade" Gent. .Mag., July, 1777, vol. AZ, D. 349.
 "Jaly I4h, l777 ssOne hundred and twenty ships of the British navy are now in commission, viz fifty-6ve ships-of-the line, forty-six lrigates, ,J el. ,~f Rut quence of repeated information being sent to the Admiralty Board of the great number of American prirateers [only three cruising in the Irish channel, contracts are made by gov ernment for several ships, which are to be fitted out as armed ships for the better pro- lection of the trade.o Lad Mag Jnly, l777, vol. 8, p. 3S9.
 ssWHITE, HAVEN, July 18th, TIT. sDuring no time since the war, were the people on this coast half so much frightened as they have been lately on the appearance of the American prirateers. An express went off to our Lord Lieutenant (Sir James Lowther) of the county of Cumberland, to call out the militia for the defence of the coast, as they were apprehensive that the Americans would land; to which Sir James sent word that he would immediately call out the militia, and, that it might he as little det- rimental to the country as possible, he would divide the time, and fix the first fortnight now, the other after harvest. Three compa- nies are accordingly stationed here.o Lad. .Mag., July, l777, vol. s, p. 3S9.
 A list of line-of-battlc ships cruising the English Channel is then given. It shows that there were twenty-eight.
 "yuly l7ih TIT "The Lords of the Admiralty have or dered Captain Burdon of his Majesty's sloop Drake, 10 cruise between Harwich and Go rec in the track of the packet boats for the protection of the said vessels and of the trade of his Majesty's subjects. She sailed on the 18th instant from the Downs on that service"
 "July 2lst, HIT. sSThe Lords of the Admiralty have been pleased to order two ships of war and a sloop to cruise between the Null of Galway and Cantyre."
 "July 22d, TIT. aOrders have been sent from the Admiralty