The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-06

run mcu tInoprnessi ana positions Wncre thcy
would be secure from being laid alongside, while
they would te in proper attitude to contribute ma
terinlly TO tie defenee pf the hSrbor are afforded
but rarely. II 10 doubtful whether, As general
rule, these small foang batteries notwithstanding
their greater capacity Of endurance, would afford a
better defence, gun for .gpn, than gqn.boats;
orr 10 othst words, Wheeler this erPaei'y Of
pensation for the power OF locoioon in the other"
'But what will DO the relative state Of the parties,
II, instead Of gun-boats or floating batteries we re-
sort to steaul-bauerssi" "It must be remembered,
that by far the greatest improvement in steam-yes-
sells consists In having them adapted TO ocean ma RI
gatioD and one inevitable consequence Of this inn
proyement will be- that il the defence Of harbors by
sieam-batteres be regarded as securing them from
the attacks OF ships Of the line and frgates or at
least Of placing the defeace quite above that kind Of
attack, they will longer be attacked by sailing
vessels but by sieam-yessels similar In all wariko
properties TO those relied FOR defence Il ID not
easy conceive Of any important properties belong
ing TO sram-baeres acting defensiyely that the at
lacking steam-sessels may not bring with them, or
at least may not have impaired TO them their
rival upon the COAST unless IL should be-thought
proper TO give 10 the former greater thickness Of
bulwark than would be advisable in sea.going yes
sells But the REGULAR advantage conferred by steam
lies in the facility Of moving with promptilude and
rapidityj and any attempt TO strengthen the harbor
vessels by thiekening their huwarks considerably,
would unavoidably lessen their mobility, thereby
partially neuuazing the Advantages sought"
Thus IL will be seen, that while the necessity Of
"hoating defences" is admitted, a safe reliance can
not, In the opinion Of the board be placed in sail
gun-boas, floating batteries, even steam-batteres
In which opinion entirely concur, as we'll as in the
conclusion at which the board aniye-namely, "that
there is no way Of placing the coast in condition
Of reasonable security, but by having at any point
the enemy may happen to select force in perfect
readiness which shall be superior TO that brought TO
the attack"
Such force, will now endeayor to show, we
can provide: not by Gordon of fleets along the
whole coost-nOt by home squadrons cruising in
our own waters-much less by line-ships or frigaes
anchored in our hsrbors, but by steam gun. boats
aiding and making effective our other means Of ma.
llonal defence.
But, as a preliminary inquiry, what force, In the
event Of war with England, would be brought
against u.s. Unquestionably, combination Of her
sail navy and war-steamers, but chiefly Of the lat
ter; for, although the Hon. Secretary Of the Navy
says, IN his report, that "sea-gons steamers cannot
in the present state Of science form the main reliance
OF squadron, but auXlliares are Of vast I'D van
tage," very different views entertained by the
great naval powers Of Europe. Many years ago ,
an enlightened statesman in France predicted that
"the most important result from the invention Of
steamboats,, would be the changes which would take
place in maritime wars and the power OF nations "
And Sir Charles Napier said, in debate in Para-
ment, that "war steamers would take the place in
fleets, that cavalry had long done in armes-the post
OF honor and Of danger" while another able English
author maintains, sit is falacy to suppose that
steam-vessels TO be considered in the light of
auxiliaries only TO fleets Of sang-ships as former
ly constituted; they out to be considered as the
prime agents, henceforth in maritime warfare, as the
hrst naval battle will assuredly demonstrate" In.
deed, from every account we have, it would ap-
pear that the great naval powers Of Europe are
SO deeply impressed with conviction Of the promi-
nent part which steam will take IN future wars,
the different aspects which these will assume, and
the different results which may confidently be look
ed for in maritime affairs, that various experiments
are being made flor instance those recently tried on
the steamer Scourge) TO determine how far this all
powerful element shall supersede the present ordi-
nary means Of defensive or offensive warfare and
to what extent it shall be introduced into the crus-
ing marine as well as coast defence The success
which has attended the efforts Of France to esiab-
lish steam navy, was shown in the capture Of the
castle Of ST. Juan de Uloa, and in the more recent
operations Of the French forces in the Mediterra-
mean, under the Prince de Joinvlle; while England
has in greater degree proven the tremendous in
fuence OF the mighty power Of steam in her opera.
tons, not only in the Levant and in Chi.a, but
every part Of the habitable globe. At the capture
of Jean de Acre, it was shell from the steamer
Gorgon which exploded the powder magazine, by
which two entire regiments, upwards of two thous-
and men, formed IN position on the ramparts were
annihilated, and every living creature within an area
Of SIXTY thousand square yards was killed Ii is
worthy of remark, that while the loss in killed and
wounded on board the sail-ships was considerable,
not man touched on board the steamers
The account says, "the steamers being constantly Oh
the move, not one of them was struck; it would
seem as If artillery must learn to shoot flying
when dealing with steamers"
The advantages of steam navigation are known
tn hntta han
has it conferred greater benefits, and no where
has the art as well as science been carried
to greater perfection. In point Of strength,
elegance, convenience, and swiftness we Weld
to none. The geographical pecuiarites of our
country, as well as our domestic resources, would
secure US advantages in the employment of steam,
for the purposes of war, greater than we have de-
rived from its application to commerce and the arts
Not to say anything of what we could accomplish,
with all the materials we have at hand, in all our
great bays, rivers and inland seas we have ALREADY
lnnumerable steamboats,, well built and generally
capable of bearing, or being made to bear power
full armament. The crews Of these steamers might
be supplied without taking seaman from the ocean,
from that hardy and active of men employed in
our inland water trade, and whose hardihood, local
knowledge, and habits peculiarly qualify them for
the duties Of steamers. Under officers duly quail
fed, such men would soon be instructed in the use
Of cannon and other arms. Thus at the shortes,
~ $500 W =" 6'ihSO Hiost
bic force, capable of Transporting large bodies of
troops, and thus enabling the whole population OF
the country to join in its defence. Heretofore in
all our contests, the citizen soldiers Of the interior
have been ever ready to rally to the defence of the
seaboard but the difficulty Of Transporting them,
and the munitions Of war, have been such as to rem
der their patriotic efforts of little avail The Capitol
of the Union was descecrated by the enemy's torch
the monumehtraised to the memory Of heroes was
mua'ed and despoiled--the public works and build
lngs were laid in ashes--the archives of the nation
burnt-and even Baltimore, one ofthc largest cities on
the seaboard was near being taken, because without
our having dcences to stay their approach or pre-
vent the debarkaon Of their troops, bold and dar-
ing enemy knew they could make their predatory
ncursions before sufficient opposing force could
gather for defence But should another war ensue-
should hostile fleet appear in our waters the raj
lying call would be carried into the far Interior as
swiftly "as from peak to peak the rafting crsgs
among leaps the live thunder" What an army
would the blast Of bugle call from the mountains
and valleys through which our railways now pene-
aic in every direction! But not with celebrity alone
would an army be thus brought to the scene Of ac-
ton. They would come with spirits unbroken and
limbs unfatigued by the long and weary march.
That an army thus brought together would prevent