The Evansville journal., 1845-12-13

branch OF the National defence; and for grave
suggestions, having for their objectthe increase
of its efficiency. and greater economy in its
management. During tho past year, the officers
and men have performed their duty in salts
factory manner. The orders which have been Civ
en- were executed with prompiness & fidelity A
large force than has often formed one squadron
under our flag was readily concentrated in the
Gull OF Mexico. and apparently without unusu-
al effort 1t is especially 10 be observed, tina
Notwithstanding the union of a considerab lie
force no act was comitted that even the jealousy
OF an lrrItated power could construe as an act
OF otaggresSion; and that the commander of tn ese
squadrons and his officers, in strict conformity
with their instructions, holding themselves ever
ready Tor the most active duty, have achieved
the still purer glory of contributing to the pres
ervation of peace. 1t is believed that at all our
foreign stations the honor of our flag has boen
maintained, and that generally our ships of war
have been distinguished for their good disci-
pine and order. | am happy to add, that the
display of maritime force which was required by
the events of the summer, has been wholly with
IN the usual appro priations for the service of the
year, so that no ddilional appropriations are
required.
The commerce ofIhe U. s., and with it the
navigation interest have steadily and rapidly in
creased since the organization OF our Govern
ment, until, it is believed, we are now second
to but one Power in the W orld, and at no distant
day we shall probably be inferior to none. Ex-
posed as they musI be, il has been a wise poll
cy TO afford to the important interets protection
with our ships of war, distributed in the great
highways of tade throughout the world. For
more than thirty ears appropriations have been
made, and annually expended, fori the gradual
increase of our naval forces In peace, our navy
performs the important duty of protecting
, commerce; and, in the event of war, will be, as
1t has been most Efficient means OF defence.
The successful use of steam navigation on
the ocean has been followed by the introduc-
ton of war steamers in great and increas-
ing numbers into the navies of the principal
maritime Powers of the world. A due re-
gard to our safety and to an efficient protec-
tion to onr increasing commerce demands a
corresponding increase on our part. No coun-
try has greater facilities for the construction
of vessels of this description than ours, or
can promise itself greater advantages from
their employment. They are admirably adapt
ed to the protection of our commerce, to the
rapid transmission of intelligence, and to the
coast defence. In pursuance of the wise poll
cy of gradual increase of our navy, large
supplies of hive oak timber, and other materi-
ais for ship building. have been collected, and
are now under shelter and in state of good
preservation, while iron steamers can be built
with great facility in various parts of the Uni
on.
The use ofiron as a material, especi lily in
the construction ofsteamersy which can en-
ter with safety many of the harbors along
our coast now inaccessible to vessels of
greater draught, and the practicabillity of
constructing them in the interior strongly re-
commends that liberal appropriations should
be made for this important object. Whatev-
er may have been our policy in the earlier sta
geS of the Government, when the nation was
in its infancy, our shipping interests and com.
merce comparatively small onr resources limi-
ted, our popuIation sparce and scarcely extern
ding beyond the limits ofthe original thirteen
States, that policy must be essentially differ
ent now that we have grown from three to
more than tweuty millions of people-that
our commerce, carried in our own ships, is
found in every sea, and that our territorial
boundaries and settlements have been so
greatly expa nded. Neither our. commerce nor
our long line of coast on the ocean and on the
lakes can be successfully defended against for
eign aggression by means of Notifications
alone. These are essential at important COM
mercial and military points, but our chief re-
lance for this object must be on a well organ
ised efficient navy. The benefits resulting
from such navy are not corfned to the At
lantic States. The productions of the interi-
or which seek a market abroad, are directly
dependent on the safety and freedom of our
commerce. The occupation of the Balize be-
low New.Orleans by hostile force would
embarrass, if not stagnate, the whole export
trade of the Mississippi, and affect the value
of the agricultural products of the entire
valley of that mighty river and its tributaries.
1t has never been our policy to maintain
large armies in time of peace. They are con-
trary to the genius of our free institutions,
would impose heavy burdens on their people
and be dangerous to public liberty Our reli-
ance for protection and defence on the land
must be mainly on our citizen soldiers, who
will be ever ready as they ever have been rea-
dy in times past, to rush with alacrity at the
call of their country to her defence. This de-
Scription of force, however cannot defend
our coast, harbors, and inland seas, nor pro-
tect our commerce on the ocean. or the lakes.
These must be protected by our navy
Considering an increased naval force. and
especiallyof steam vessels corresponding with
our growth and importance as nation, and
proportioned to the increased and increasing
naval power of other nations, of vast impor-
tance as regards our safety, and the great
and growing interest to be protected by it, /
recommend the subject to the favorable coz
sideration of congress.
The report of the Postmaster General,
herewith communicated, contains detailed
stdIehenI VI tic OPoioIlOHS VI MS uepdIlHlchI
during the past year. 1t will be seen that
the income from postages will fall short of
the expenditures for the year between one
and two millions of dollars. This deficiency
has been caused by the reduction of the rates
of postage which was made by the act of the
third of March last. No principle has been
more generally acquiesced in by the people
than this department should sustain itself by
limiting its expenditures to its income. Con-
gress has never sought to make it source