The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-20


(liear, hear.) Last year this house sanctioned
vote for two basins IN the co srucnon and repair
of steam vessels-oDe at Portsmouth and the
other at Davenport. We shall pro- ose to
take vote in the present year for proceeding
with the basins which thus received the sanction OF
the House last year, and the vote will amount to
flS7 900 We shall take, also, vote for the pur.
pose of enabling us TO maintain the steam navy OF
the country for the purpose of providing means for
the construction Of vessels which may keep up IN
this country respectable steam navy, suitable to a
peace establishment. On account therefore, of the
service connected with the navy, and with the ord
nance in immediate subordinaton To the navy,
there will be an increase IN the navy and ord
nance estimates of nearly 81 600 0U0 The est-
mate which shall now present TO The House, is that
ofthe total expenditure for the year ending IN 1916
The charge for the debt will be Cos 395 600; and
on the consolidated fund, e., 400 OO0--making a
total Of ego, $4,000 The votes for supply will be
as follows: For the army &C. GIT 900; for the navy,
&c 936 900; for the ordnance, 81 l42 600; and for
the miscellaneous, f3, 200 000-making the total
for supply of about elS,s95 900; which, added to
the charge of f3O, 1876 900 for the debt and CONSOLE
dated fund, will make whole Of f49, $50 900.
For this increased expenditure, the revenue next
year, even if you do not determine TO continue the
property-tax, would provide"
If there were other causes for the appropriation
than those stated by the premier with SO much APP.
parent sincerity, they proceeded from the fear of a
collision with France. In May, 1874, the Prince
dc Joinville wrote pamphlet on he state Of the
pat forces Of France" which exceedingly inhamed
the public mind of England. From this pubica-
ton make the following extract
"With steam navy, the most daring aggressive
hostilities permitted on the sea- We are sure in
our movements, and free in our actions. Time,
wind and tides, no longer give US anxiety. We cal
culate with certainty on the day and the hour.
sin the event of u continental war, the most UNI
ex hiyersinna ar nOssihe The arrneR 0f
France can be transported, in some hours, to Italy,
Holland, or Prussia. What has already been done
so rapidly at Ancona, with the aid of favorable
winds, can now be done without, or even against
them, with still greater rapdity. As ] said before,
these new resources suit us admirably, and this
modified warfare no longer leaves the chances as
they have been. France may be thirty years in ad
vance of any enemy she may encounter. 1t is Gu
rous to see the interest which the progress of steam
and its probable employment exctes among our
ncghbors the English.
.The Duke of Wellington, in his evidence before
the committee on shipwrecks, appointed by the
House of Commons, in relation to the coast Of Eng
land, opposite to that of France, says:
"'In the event Of iVar, l should consider that The
,cant Of protection and Of refuge chch crisis,
,poiid eape The coasts Of England, opposite 10 those of
France, in pery precarious situation
sin the session of the House of Commons, of the
29th Of February, 1874, motion was made to es-
tabsh ports Of refuge on the coasts of England;
and it Is declared in this motion;
"'That it was the duty of her Ma esty's govern
ment to provide means of safety, not only to Eng
lish commerce, but also to the coasts of Great Brit
AIM 1T was decidedly the opinion, that it, at the
time of the camp of Bouogne, steamers had been
in USE Napoleon would have costly dsembarked
fifteen or twenty thousand men upon the coast. 1t
was added, that lit would not be said that such a
Decentralization would have met with much success;
but The effect which ioould hare produced ,eod hare
INsULAR POSITION INSPIRES u.s. Ii finished by
urging the legislature TO take into consideration the
great changes effected in years past in steam
navigation, and the use which could be made Of it
in of new war;
"'These notes of Alarm sounded in the British
Parliament should have salutary reverberation
in our chambers and everywhere in France. We
are indebted to our neghbors for having traced out
for US our line of conduct"
| could quote to advantage much further from the
pamphlet of the gallant Prince, to show that the
British ministry, in the proposition which it brought
forward to increase The naval strength of the king
dom, had no reference whatever to this country,
unless it apprehended an invasion from u.s. But it
is unnecessary for me to burden your columns by
doing so, as it is perfectly apable that the
was intended exclusively for the French. The
Duke of Wellington is not single in his opinion
that in the event of war the channel coast of Eng
land would be placed in very precarious condition
general belief that France could by her already e-
icctive steam-marine, throw fifty regiments of SOL
diers upon the shores Of her Jealous neighbor, and
march them without formidable resistance to the
British metropolis. The sums which John Bull
would have applied at other periods Of his exist
enee, when the world was writing under the severe
application of his rod, to carry on his unjustfable
aggressions, by strange and happy reverse in the
order of things he finds it iniperious upon him to
employ to prevent sggressons-aggressions which
threaten to extend to mis- very bosom's core
But notwithstanding these military preparations
were projected in February last yet we must not
disguise from ourselves the two important facts first
that they are prosecuted with astonishing alac-
rity; and, secondly, that they may be employed d.
rcctly and vigorously against the United States
Therefore, contend it is the part Of wise and far
seeing statesmen to brighten up our own armor in
it may be wanting. We approve, therefore, of
the movements of Gen. Cass in the Senate, and
Mr. Black in the House of Representatives. ain
peace, prepare for war;" Thus, effect both OBJ
iects We have greater chance of preserving an
honorable peace; or, if war be inevitable, we have
every assurance of prosecuting an honorable war
Prenes garde-Prenes garde!
AMERICANIIS