Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-04-11
PEACE DEPARTMENT.
For the Freeman.
THE BRITISH NAVY.

observe that an article, originating in the
Courier and Enquirer, giving some statistics
with regard to the strength of the British Navy,
is going the rounds of the newspaper press
After stating the number of war-ships, cannon,
muskets, marines, cutlases, captains, sabres,
sailors, red, blue, black and green admirals,
long mines, leutenants, and all the other human
and inhuman elements Of this vast peace anna
ment of Great Britain, 1t is thus compared with
that Of this Government, in the language of
DR.. Duncan one of the uneasy war-spirits of
Congress Says the Doctor of the comparative
strength of our naval force 1t is so little that
it could be hid in the British Navy, in all the
stiffness and secrecy of the heart Of dense and
boundess forest. 1t is SO little that you might
detach its size from one wing of the Royal Navy
of Great Britain and Queen Victoria, would not
know that she had lost vessel"
Now, then, Mr.. Editor, " in case of war
with England that everlasting proposition
we might infer from DR.. Duncan, that single
broadside of the whole British Navy would send
ours, with all its glory and paixhan "peacema-
kers," to the bottom of the ocean, As war
establishment, therefore, it would be decidedly
insufficient " in case Of a war with England" a
Power which malignant patriotism is taught to
regard as d" our natural enemy" But what is
its use as peace establishment? Is it neces-
sary to protect our commerce no, not at ALL
Mr.. Editor, will you believe it, and impress the
fact upon your readers, that the cost of our lit
tie Navy exceeds all that is earned by all the
merchant vessels that sail under the American
flag, above their expenses This fact | have
learned from an extensive ship-owner, who ar
rived at it at the end of long and accurate cal
culation. | trust this fact will occur to your
mind whenever you look upon the forest of mass
which almost girdles New York. Let your rea-
ders remember that all the American vessels en-
gagged in Commerce. and whitening every sea
and ocean on the globe with their canvass wings,
do not clear enough to pay the cost of their pro-
lection (O by the American Navy. This is
governmental insurance of commerce with a ven
geance at the patronizing, paternal rate ofone
hundred per cent Now, Mr.. Editor, if our glo-
rious little Navy were safely moored within Da-
Wy Jones Locker" do you believe that the rate
of insurance on American merchant vessels
would advance l-2 per cent. in Wall street
For one, | wish that the dsproporton between
our Navy and that of Great Britain were fifty
times greater than it is We should be the stron
ger and richer for it, There would have beer
hundred times more commerce in the worlC
had no war-ships ever been launched upon tn,
ocean, They are the " natural enemies " of al
commerce. civilization, and Christianity The
breed distrust, jealousies and animosities where
ever they go. Staggering like tall, fulfilled, al
rogant DULLES from port to port, they interrup
the natural course of trade, and then consum
all that the spread canvass or the world can earn
The British Navy were it all anchored by tn
side of the Royal George, Great Britain Nigh
yet be the mistress of the world and queen {
the seas E. B.