Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1845-07-12
OUR NAVY IN THE GULF.

p OUR NAVY IN THE GULF.
? At a time like he present, when tn
y southern frontier is placed in the jcopar
Idy Of prospective war, the import@ hc
/, Of an active and efficient navy 10 the gul
+ stream, cannot be too highly appreciated
For the defence Of this exposed portion 0
our country, the use Of steamships is su
perior to any and all other means, w,
begin now to see the necessity Of intro
ducing them into the mail serviye. The
cost Of transmitting the northern mail &c
the south, would not only fully reimburse
the government for the cost OF building
a line Of steamships, bu: VI the terms OF
our present contracts, leave an overpl us
IN the treasury. Al the same time, our
coast vii. be continually guarded against
invasion and our commerce protect ed
The two-fod advantages Of this enter.
prise are Of great importance at The pres.
ent moment The utmost economy in the
expenditures of the post office is abso.
luteIy necessary, and if this can be accom-.
pIshed, with an increase Of facilities,
both in regard TO time and the avoidance
of delays which are great and serious OBJ
sacIes, the nation cannot have stronger
Inducements TO engage in the enterprise.
As means Of defence, the following
remarks in speech of late representa-.
tive Of Mississippi in congress, appeals
with irresistible force TO the expedigncy
and policy Of the administration :-South,
RJormer.
"We are pursuing the wrong plan in
building our steamships. We should have
the machinery made and carefully pre-.
served. The woodwork of steamships
can be made with great despatch in the
event of war; and, if we have the ma
chnery ready, we could soon man sufli.
cient fleet of steamships that would de-
lend our coast against invasion from any
foreign enemy. This was the branch of
The naval service most interesting and
most important to his constituents. IT.
was the mode Of defence best adapted to
the protection of the gulf of Mexico; ard
he therefore felt great desire that the
building and manning Of The steamships
belonging to the United States should be
put upon such footing as would render
it popular with the people. He wished
to see rigid discipline and economy in the
management Of the vessels, and a p IAN
adopted to have them useIuIIy employed
in the service of the government in time
of peace. This could only be done in
one way. 1t was to employ them to car
ry the United States mail along the AT.
lantic coast. We have already built, and
are building, number sufficient to run
daily between Baltimore and Charleston.
From Baltimore north to Boston, we have
the most rapid railroad communication,
the great Northern and Wash.
ington mails at Baltimore. They could
be conveyed thence to Charleston in two
days As we increased our steamships,
this line could be extended along the coast
to Savannah, around Cape Florida to
Ship island, inthe gulf OF Mexico; whence
the mail can be conveyed to Mobile and
New Orleans in few hours. Al. this i'm
portant point in the gulf (Ship island)
there is always twenty-five feet of water
over the bar, with twenty-five feet at high
tide; and it is the best and safest harbor
in the gulf Make this the southern de- ,
pot, and Baltimore the northern, and
daily line might be established, convey
ing the most rapid intelligence to the
great southern emporiums Of commerce.
Tho government now pays nearly
hree hundred thousand dollars to con- {
Vey the mail from Baltimore to New Or {
cans. 1t is intended, by the various rail {
road companies, and others engaged IN 9
the mail on'this route, to de- {
nand even a larger amount after their
present contract expires. After the mo-
lopoly is completely established, it will, Z
10 doubt, cost the government half mill
on annually, TO convey the mail from
Baltimore to New Orleans. 1t was his g
'bject 10 break up this monopoly, that ex a
osted from travellers, as we'll as the 60 n
ernment, In addition TO the great good to
'e accomplished in having the United n
states vessels in constant employment, v
hat induced him TO throw out this sug o
.estion. He had no doubt the scheme C
vas perfectly practicable; and he hoped IL
ONE gentleman would ask the appoint I,
nent OF select committee TO collect all e,
he facts on the subject, and report them e.
o the house. He preferred select com 5
nittee, who had no preconceived opinions CT
ormed, by having, in their official capa-
ity, given apother direction to the steam h
hips in our service, The expense that Il