Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1845-09-27
Naval Supremacy Or EnsIand.

Supremacy Of England.
From the period of the overthrow cf the
naval power Of Holland BY Great Britain
in The time Of Charles the Second, down
10 the war with the q. States in 1912, tie
Of England on the ocean was
tacitly admitted. De RuYTEn and VAN
Tsomr, the last Of the great Dutch Ad-
mirals, close tie list of distinguished ma
val captains in Europe, save the names Of
those who illustrate the maritime annals
Of England. Cape St. Vincent and Cam
perdoun, Copenhagen Aboukir and Ira
falgar, recall the signal victories which
again and again Frustrated each rising eff
fort Of the Continental powers to contend
against the overwhelming mastery of Brit
ish seamanship. The trident came, at
length to be regarded as the undisputed
the emiem Of supremacy, OF the
Island Queen. w
With the idea firmly established in the
world, the war Of 1912 broke ont between
the United States and Great Britain. It
will not cause much surprise, perhaps al
though the fact may Lenew 10 many, that
our Government was with the utmost diff
ficulty induced to allow our ships Of war
to go to sea at the beginning Of hostilities,
dreading to enter into naval contest with
Great Britain. Our frigates were to be
laid up in the harbour Of New York, at
which point an attack was expected, and
converted into batteries, for the defence Of
that city. Mr.. C. ]. IxGERsoLL, in his
forthcoming History Of The por Of 1912,
gives an interesting detail Of the particu-
lars relating TO this subject. We find ex-
tracts from some sheets Of the work in the
New York Courier.
1t appears that Immediately upon the de-
CHARLTON Of war, Captains BAINBRIDGE and
STEWART went to Washington 10 solicit
commands, and there learndd to their in
finite surprise that the national ships were
to be kept safe in port, instead Of being cx-
posed to what was regarded as unavoid-
able capture at sea. 4 he narrative goes
on thus:
"Bainbridge and Stewart demonstrated
with the Secretary Of the Navy against its
suicide, by the hands Of its own comman-
,ler-in-chief The Secretary listened kind
ly to their appeal, but told them that the
thing had been settled, on full considera-
ion, in cabinet council. The frieates
were to be laid up in the harbor Of New
York, their guns taken out Of one side,
batteries, 10 be manned by their crews,
and commanded by their own officers
Stewart and Bainbridge explained to the
secretary why they were convinced our
ships were superior to the English, and
would eight times out Of ten capture them
in equal combat. They were SO urgent
that the secretary, unable, indeed not in
clined, to refute their arguments, offered
to take these gentlemen with him 10 the
Presidential mansion, there to repeat what
was deemed SO clear and SO important.
Mr.. Madison listened with the greatest
attention to all they had to say; candidly
and anxiously weighed it. Eight times
out of ten, sir said they, with equal force,
we can hardly fail; our men are better
men, better disciblined; our midshipmen
are not mere boys, only fit to carry orders,
but young man, capable of reflection and
action. Our guns are sighted, which is
an improvement Of our own the English
know nothing Of While we can fire can
non with as sure an aim as musketry or al
most rifles, striking twice out Of every
three shots, they mnst fire at random,
without sight of their object or regard to
the undulations Of the sea, shooting over
our decks. We may be captured, and
probably shall be, even altar taking prizes
from them, because their numbers are so
much greater than ours. But the Ameri-
can flag will never be dishouored, seldom,
if ever, struck to equal force. The nation
can lose nothing bnt vessels, and few
lives dearly sold.
You Will give us victories then, you
think, said the President, inclning to their
advice. We do sir, most confidently, and
not upon irrational premises. Which VIC
tories he added with animation, will give
US ships; for with victories Congress will
supply them faster than they can be lost.
Such, too, said he recurring to the lessons
Of the Revolution, was the case in that
war, when, notu outstanding greater dis
parity Of force than now, and much great
er disparity Of all nautical equipments, our
officers and men proved themselves equal
to the English. Encouraged BY this re-
ception, cambridge and Stewart persever-
ed SO strenuousIy with Mr.. Hamilton in
another interview with him, he told them
The President had resolved TO hold acabi-
net council that evening to reconsider
the matter, and they were desired to come
to the Secretary's residence and wait there
till he returned from the council to APP
prize them of the result. At late hour
he did so informing them that no change
had taken place, but the vessels were to
be laid by and used as harbour defences.
Mr.. Galiatin was inhexibIe against send
ing the ships TO sec, with all his prepon-
1erant influence in the administration
where he had been accustomed 10 rule by
Jefferson's high estimate Of his abilities
For any subject, naval, military, financial,
commercial, foreign or domestic; and Mr..
Gallatin's mistake was nearly that Of the
whole community. The merchants, almost
% man, labored under absurd impress
ons Of English nautical supremacy, per-