American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-07-22
From the New York True sun

From the New York True SUM-
COMMANDMENT OF SAN JUAN DE ULLoA.
1t is announced that council of naval post
captains has been summoned to Washington to
decide on the expedency of attacking this cas-
tie. The decision of this council we have no
doubt will be adverse to the enterprise. The
Secretary of the Navy may have deemed it adj
visable as matter of prudence to call this
council for the express purpose of giving this
project the seal of official condemnation.
So great is the superiority of stone over
wooden walls, that our naval commanders and
engineers have deemed it impossible for the
whole force of our navy to take the Castle Of
San Juan de Ulloa, defended as it is DIT present.
1t is laid down as a rule and confirmed by ex-
perience, that one gun in we'll constructed
fortifcation is as efficient as ten guns fired from
a ship. The chances are that in an attack be-
tween a land battery of ten guns and ship of
one hundred, the latter would be destroyed. A
ship is every where exposed: her hull, rigging,
men, guns and carriages. A fort, and especi-
ally that of San Juan de Ulloa, exposes to the
fire of an enemy only the gun itself, small
part of the carriage, and now and then a head
or an arm raised above the parapet. The ratio
of the exposed surface are as about twenty to
one in favor Of the fort. Moreover the ship is
always in motion, so that her gun, though
pointed accurately for the moment, may, by an
almost imperceptible motion of the ship, carry
its shot at wide distance from the mark. The
gun in the battery is perfectly stationary, and
the motion of the ship can almost vary the shot
aimed at her but few inches. A paxhan gun or
shell or hot shot, which would be destructive to
vessel, would be powerless against the stone
rampant of fort. A ship has many vital points
A single shot may disable her by carrying away
portion of her rigging or her rudder: few
shots may sink her, or hot shot may set her on
fire. The risks of the battery in comparison
with these are small.
One case in which fort car be put on an
equality with shipping, is that in which the
magazines are exposed, as were those of San
Juan de Uloa at the time it was taken by the
French. This Castle was then lost, as it were,
by accident. Two magazines were blown up
destroying large number Of men,-and six
more were left to follow the same fate The
governor of the garrison surrendered, to pro-
tect himself against his own means of destruc-
ton.
The French did not themselves dream of
taking it, and the $3.50 shot and shells they
fired, might as well have been thrown into the
sea as against the stone walls of the Castle, as
it regards any effect produced, except that Of
the explosion of the magazines The Castle at
that time was without bomb-proofs now it is
strongly fortified, we'll supplied with bomb
proofs, which will secure the magazines; and
garrisoned by full and well disciplined corps
under the commands of French and English ar
tilerists, and well supplied with guns of heavy
calibre and furnaces for red hot shot. We can
no more calculate on exploding the magazines,
81 t.l,a Il
an army without arms. San Juan de Ulloa is
at this moment one of the most formidable for
tresses in the world
But what object have we in taking this cas-
tie? Is it to obtain possession of Vera CRUZ
This can be done by land, with much less ex-
pense of bullion and blood than by sea; if it can
be taken at all by naval force. If our object
be the capture of the city of Mexico, we can
best achieve this by marches from Santa Fe and
Monterey, in accordance with the campaign
already planned If we are to reach Mexico
also by third division from the East, by way
of the Gulf, there is Tampico, which we can
readily take-indeed, report says is already Ia
ken-and from which to Mexico the road for
an army is equally as favorable as that from
Vera Cruz. Our army can thus approach the
city OF Mexico in three divisions, from the East,
North and West. If Vera Cruz is still in the
way, and if that Castle must be taken, then a
detachment from the Tampco road can take
the city of Vera Cruz, and, by the aid of the
blockade Of the harbor, the Castle will soon be
starved into subsection.
In regard TO this summons of council of
naval captains, it may be that the Secretary is
ambitious of some gallant exploits to be achiev-
ed during his administration, and that he may
be inclined to favor the wishes of the younger
and more daring of our gallant and brave Off
GERS, who are willing to peril their lives in an
almost hopeless enterprise to win promotion
and renown.