The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-17
both lhe North Carolina and pennsYlyania win re.

war said 10 be in commission, one Of ihem---the
ontario-is a condemhed hulk, moored OF Felfs
Point, Baltimore, as receiving vessel for the ae-
eommodstion OF seameA shipped at that port or
the I'VE schooners said to be in commission, one
only Is war sesselj the other four east-oh
yachts, or condemned experiments, no more entitled
TO be cassed among cruising ships Of the navy than
are tie launches and baTges of each ship respeciive-
ly. OF the six steamers said TO be in commission
the Mississippi, Princeton, aud Michigan only are
armed the other three are of-cast from The army
and in no respect adapted TO war service. The
Michigan is on the lakes, where she ought TO bel
and Know nothing Of her qualities or adaptation TO
the purposes for which che Was built. The Prince
ton Is now in dock at Charlestowr, half burnt up
That she 10 failure, | believe few have now the
temerity TO deny or the ships on the stocks and
in ordinary, nothing is said in the report, from
which an inference can be drawn as TO the true
condition. and in vain have | searched 1t, TO AZ
certain the whereabouts" of the Washington
~ and the frst-class ffgates Java and Guerrero,
which once adorned our navy The two latter not
only noble ships of the class TO which they belong
ed but, like the former, bearing names comment
moratVe OF actions the memory Of which every
American citizen must delight 70 cherish.
But whatever may be the true state and eondi-
uon OF our navy proper, one thing is certain, that
no provision has as yet been made for defending
our coast, bays, and harbors by that all powerful
agent steam. The experiments hitherto made on
war steamers; whether successful or not according
to the expectations Of their projectors do not coDtem,
plate harbor deencei on the contrary the very appel
lation given TO them OF "sTEAM-FRIGATEs I" proves
their unhIness for inshore work Our coasts and
haroors cannot be defended by line-ships, frgates
or other vessels Of such size and dimensions as can
safely navigate the ocean, for let their force or siruc-
ture be what 1t may, England or France will, for
many years, be able to out-number US with any de-
scriptioD OF waryessels, that cross The Atlantic
Al this moment, the English ,Oil-nGry is in the pro-
portion OF about ten 10 one OF ours while her steam
navy, exclusive OF packets, Is about one hundred
and thirty TO one! That 10 10 cay; England has
fully that number Of war-steamers while we have
only one (the Mississippi which be relied on,
and this our only efficient steamer is of the class
and burden Of 36-gun fngate, and draws about IL
feet water. Wherever she can hoat the largest
English steamers follow, and if one can fol-
low, two or more mayi so that instead of the Mis-
sissippi being able TO afford protection, she would
herself have TO seek shelter under cover of some
! fixed battery, as was the case with the Constel-
ation 36-gun frigate, behind Craney Island du-
ring the late war, protected by the despised
gun-boats and land-batteries. These are facts be-
yond controversy, and conclusiyey show that we
have yet to seek some means 10 place ourselves In
some degree on an equality with powerful rivals
As the case now stands, the mighty genius of Full
ton has enured TO the exclusive benefit Of our enemy
who at this very moment is threate ing war, rapine
and plumber by means of agent Of our own dis
c0yery, but OF which we, with ample means, and
with all the acknowledged skill and ingenuity Of our
|
ourselves. But If we cannot yet cope with the na-
yies OF the old world surely twenty millions Of
freemen ought to be able to protect their own sea-
coast, though all Europe should combine against u.s.
! This can aud must be done. Not by fixed batteries
alone, not by a sailnavy exclusively not by steam
rigatGs, not by land forces however numerous, but
by all united, aided and sustained by steam gun boa
which, from their very name, implies a diminutiye
craft, an armed steamer OF the smallest size mount
| ing long, heavy gun in each end not " q mace
I mn hut. L
Of ample dimensions and no stint of metal--no
light guns and heary shot-that great and fatal error
which still finds advocates in navy. These gun
steamers, as already said should be no larger than
Is absolutely necessary to support their armament
and engine and should be Of such construction as to
insure the least possible draft Of water, in no event
to exceed five feet Such war-steamers could choose
their position, and bore with every shot large
vessels like the Pennsylvania or Mississipp which
from their heavy draft could not close 10 reach Of
their medium guns with the steam gun-boat. The
minuteness OF the steam gun boats and the-pecuar
| form which may be given to them, would render
them almost shot-proof, and their engines COMPARE
lively sale II Is not pretended that such steamers
could effectuay prevent the anchorng of large fleets
in our inland seas large bays, such as the Chesa-
Peake or Long Island sound; but nevertheless
| comparatively few of these little warriors would
prevent any fleet from landing troops on our shores
and certainly would destroy every ship that had the
temerity to anchor in the vicinity of shoal water
|
the world since boats of similar dimensions and
structure could not be built in Europe and brought
across the Atlantic; and no feet however numer-
Gus, could send out sufficient number of row-boats
to attack, with any chance of success even one of
these steam gun boats. The economy, too, of this
kind of home defence strongly recommends it. The
amount expended on the Mississippi or Missouri
would be amply sufficient for building and equipping
ten or dozen iron steam gun-boats; two of which
! would be an overmatch for the most powerful war
steamer ahoat. Much as Mr. Jefferson's plan
OF defence by gun.boats has been ridiculed as de-
signed by him 1t was most judicous; and if it was
not entirely successful, the failure is not Justly
chargeabe TO the system, as originally projected by
that man of mighty mind and pure heart but to other
causes, some Of which it might seem inyidious now
to specify 1t is sufficient to say that in no instance
during the late war; was there concentrated one-haf
the number of gun boats required by Mr.. Jefferson
Tor the defence of any given point; for although
all the gun-boats authorized by the several
acs were never built, and many of those that were
built, were lily constructed, and often of the worst
and most perlshabe Materials SO that when war ac-
tualy broke out, their number had been greatly re-
dnced by decay and other causes. Take, for in
stance, the allotment for the defence of Louisiana
| which, as may be seen by reference to Mr. Jeffcr-
sons special message to Congress, February 10TH
1907, he estimated at forty Sixteen was the great
est number ever employed on that station; and
| these, from the causes aforementioned, WERE in
the second year Of the war, reduced TO six; and in
December, 1914, when the powerful fleet Of Sir
Alexander Cochrane, of more than 100 sail, trans
porting the invading army under Sir E. Pakenham,
approached the shores Of Louisiana, fire only, in.
stead OF forty gun-hoats, were all that could be
brought to oppose the enemy's advance Yet il
Will be seen by reference to the history of that men,
orabe INVASION whether we take our own or the
enemy's account, that those five gun-boats manned
with lsO persons all told presented 30 formidable
check 10 the encmy's mighty fleet, as actually to
have delayed the landing Of the British army for
some eight or ten days. and the English account, as
published in the United Service Journal, says ex-
Pressly, Before any attempt was made to disem.
park the troops, oa absolutely necessary to capture
| and destroy the American aotilla"
IT'S true the five gun-boats were captured, but
not until they had caused the enemy many days. de-
lay IN his vance towards the city of New Orleans
not until, forced to anchor by calm, thew were
attacked by the enemy's whole force of shall.
ops anu parges, mounting forty-three guns, and