The Arkansas banner., 1844-01-16
THE MARITIME INTERESTS OF THE
 SOUTH AND WEST


 From '.he .a,uly and Napy cAroaicle"
 THE MARITIME INTERESTS OF THE
 SOUTH AND WEST.
 We give below an article of great aintional interest, from the ever vigorous pen of " Harry Bluff" It appeared originally in the last number of the Southern Quarterly Review, and has been noticed extensively. and copied, partially or entirely, in several papers. We have been furnished with cor reciions and additions by the author.
 The south has claims, and the west di- rect interest in the navy the shores of the one are without their proper defances, and the gulf commerce of the other at the mercy of all who would spoil 1t in war. Hitherto those claims have been disallowed, and this interest neglected, because these two regions wanted the numerical strength to carry through the forms of Federal legislation those blls ol right which the north and east have had the power thus to withhold.
 Ever since the war the south and west have freely and liberally contributed to the sup pert of the navy; the people from these two sections have seen the seaboard from Nor folk along to the eastward studded with forts and castles, with magnificent backwards. with the munitions and the implements of war, and all the sources of coast defence :; they have seen the extensive naval establish ments there crowded about with thick-rbbed men-ol-war, calling annually on the public treasury for the appropriation of millions, and giving steady and useful occupation to thousands of artiicers; but they have not seen one dollar appropriated from this public fund for securing in case of war even so much as free passage for their commerce to the ocean. The Gulf of Mexico is only a basin to the Mississippi; it's mouths are not at the Balize; they are in the straits of Flori- da, Key West and the Dry Tortugas are in a position for commanding these straits.- Yet the people, whose only road to market IS througe them, have witnessed the appro- priatlon of millions for fortifying the Rip Raps and for protecting the towns and har- bors of the north, while their representatives ln Congress have been outvoted upon every bill proposing to occupy and strengthen these important points at the south In the Florida pass is presented by far the most assailable and exposed section along our Atlantic front, and the Tortugas Islands occupy the most commanding position along the entire sea- board of this country. They are the keys to all the wealth which the Mississippi pours into the Gulf for commerce; yet, because the south and the west have been outnumbered III Congress, these important and exposed po- sitions have been left utterly delenceless- These two patriotic sections of the country have been burdened with protective tariffs for the benefit of the north, they have, moreover, cast into the public treasury literally of their substance for naval purposes and coast de- fences for thirty years they have seen im- mense sums drawn from them as appropria- hons for these objects and sent to the north for disbursement, while their own'commerce has been thus neglected, and all protection withheld from it. They have contributed to the defenees of the north, and forborne to make known their wants and to urge their claims to protection, until forbearance is crime. The north has not been defended too much, but the south too little.
 The new ratio- of representation will strengthen in Congress the hands of these neglected regions, and give their legislators the power of fighting their wrongs.
 The commercial relations of the west and the defenceless state of our shipping in the Gulf, are matters worthy the most anxious consideration. In war there is no safety fol them, unless the Dry Tortugas be fortified
 The navy that is intended for service 1T the Gulf should no longer, be built and man ned and equipped at the north, as it alway. has been, and then sent to the south as to foreign station, from which 1t is again to re turn to the north, there to be discharged ant paid off and expend all its money. The south has its harbors and the west its rivers which afford all the advantages requisite fo backwards and naval stations. Here suita ble naval establishments should be erected and at this these Gulf forces should be col lected and equipped, manned, paid of, ane discharged.
 In case any of the vessels of our Gull squadron be crippled in action or in a gale or by accident, they must no longer be under the necessity of returning two thousand miles to the north for repairs, as they now do, an6 for twenty years have been doing. Ther( are fifteen thousand boatmen on the westerf rivers there is no lack of seamen in Charles ton and New-Orleans, in Mobile and othei southern ports, for all the purposes of Gul defence. We have in great abundance here all and the best materials for ship building and navy, and we hope to see at the ap- preaching session of Congress, southern and western members of Congress uniting and cooperating with each other to secure justice to the south and fair play to the west, in the matter of Gulf defences and protection, ot naval supplies and Federal disbursements.
 The chief measures we advocate are these viz: A yard al Memphis for steamers o war, dock-yard at Pensacola for building and repairing ships, and naval depot and place of refuge for distressed merchant ves- sels at Brunswick, St. Mary's, or some other point near those regions where the Gull stream enters the Atlantic. We advocate the occupation of the Tortugas with forts for pro- tecting, and with magazines and workshops for repairing and refitting disabled ships ir war In short, we are for giving to the south and west such protection, and such share in the means of defence, as their position and d.. # sls<