The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-16

the whole tonnage, foreign and coastwlse, OF the
United Kingdom, was 1894, l66 tonsj which, added
to that Of Guernsey Jersey, and Man, $50, 6 tons,
makes the whole tonnage Of ALL by the latest returns
received within the last week at the treasury,
3044, 392 tons.
The secretary's report states the tonnage Of the
United States on the Both June, l545, at 2,4l6 1893
tons. This was the amount stated by Mr. c. IN his
speech OF the l2th ultmo, on the Oregon question
lie then estimated the tonnage Of the United
Kingdom, &c, at 2,42O, 1883 tons, which was ac-
cerdIhg 10 the latest returns he relied on at the
time.
BY the latest List of the British Navy" it APP
pears that there has been a very extraordinary in
crease Of the naval power Of Eng land within the last
quarter OF the year m lo45. lie (Mr. c. stated in
the debate on the l2th uumo, from the best infor-
nation to be then had, the whole nsmber of Guns in
the British navy at 1922. That statement was
founded on the then latest returns Of the British ma
Wy The official list received by the last steamer
now shows the number Of guns TO be Il, 772 exclu-
sive OF the armament OF the sailing packets It is GER
tam that the BRUSH navy has greatly increased of
late. MI &. stated, on the same occasion, the mum
her OF English war steamers, by the only official list
then 10 be consulted this side of the water at 90
The late intelligence shows that this number has
been increased within the last quarter 10 l2l. Mr..
I. observed, IN his speech Of the 18th utImO, IN
reply to Mr. ALLEN, that he had carefully avoided
| oUeTdttng the British power His estimates were
Ioltttbly O the very Dcst information 10
be had at the time he spoke and he had rather un.
derrated the BRUSH and slightly oyerrated our own
naval power lie stated the number of guns IN our
navy at 2.352 the number Is, now learn precse y
2,329. The important result Of this interesting in-
curry INTO the relative naval and commercial power
OF the two countries Is almost precisely the same
as stated by Mr.. c. Great Britain appears. by
the secrttary's report. TO have about 600 guns for
every 1900 tons OF commerce; we have only 90
while France has l,O46, Holland $50; Sweden and
| Norway 1874; Turkey ,223, Denmark 1903; Portn.
| gal, 1893; Austria, 32l; and Russia far more than
any other naton IN proportion 10 the amount of hel
commerce TO be protected We are behind al
other civilized nations IN this respect. We have
less protection for the same amount Of commercial
wealth than any other people, and we must double
our navy before we can stand respectable peace
establishment, # we To measure our own by the
standard which regulates the other nayies of the
| world.
Mr.. BREEsE The senator's statement confirm.
what ! said, SIR for 1t does represent his OWL
country US the weakest naval power on earth il
shows that even the minor powers Of Europe have
more guns IN proportion 10 their commerce than VIZ
have And It confirms another statement | made
sir, that Great Britain cannot man her guns Sh,
has SIR It seems by the senator's showing, l., ~.
guns IN her navy; and ten men are required t.
each gun, she should have III, 22O men; wherea,
the fact is she has but 10000.
But sir, this inequality is not the point. Tn,
question IS as TO the capacity Of this nation TO arm
for contest and, IN this particular, that Of Grea
Britain, vast It may be, Is still inferior TO ours
She does not possess the elements Of preparation
and combination we do, and IN these respects W,
are the strongest naval power on the globe Look
at one fact sir, in proof Of what individual enter
| prise can do, in building steam vessels In 1884
when the whole steamboat tonnage Of the British
empire did not exceed % 900 tons, that in the Mis-
sIsSIPp valley alone amounted, TWO years ago, tC
! l2JOOO tons, OF ome-lhlrd more than that of the
whole British empire. Compare the capacity o.
Great Britain with that of the United States to pre-
| pare military marine. Sir, there is no compari
son. We have forests, which she does not possess
we have all the material the personnel and the skill
Our skill IN naval construction is unequalled. Sh,
has never posse ssed such ships as our line packes
she has never yet approached in the construction
OF steamvcssels, IN beauty swiftness and Capable
ty. We have constructed them to run twenty.sever
miles IN the hour-a speed never yet attained by an,
! British steamers, and never Will be, unless our mod
els are adopted. In every parcular-I have no
the ability now to 60 INTO the detaIs-ln every par
tlcular, we have immense advantages over her. il
the possession Of the elements of defence and az
sault, which can soon be worked up into ehecty,
means. Our capacity, sir, TO put the country il
a state Of naval defence is decidedly greater thar
hers.
But. sir, as signs of approaching war, the grea
| military and naval preparations in which Grea
| Br'talu is engaged and of which we have heard 81
much are referred to: and TO what DO thew al
amount have said, sir, did not believe Grea
Britain would 90 to war for Oregon and consider
these preparations no indication of such a purpose
She makes periodically survey Of her marine ex
amlnes and repairs her dock-yards, cuts down large
vessels INTO races; and 1t is a part of her system
She has been, and IS now, busiIy engaged in for
lying the more exposed points of her coast but the
| reason OF that was well known. All this activity
| a VI he s,fta 49,.
has been directed, commenced before the Oregon
question had assumed It's present important and in
terestng aspect; at least before it had become such
prominent question between the two governments
as 1t now is. Before the Presidents inaugura
was delivered, sir, the British premier, on the
l4th OF February, lS45, in presenting the annua
estimate of expenses, declared he should ask
a vote to increase the navy; and the reason he as
signed was, that Great Britain had then three addi-
tlonaI naval stations to maintain one on the coast OF
AFRICA, one IN China, and one IN the Pacific; and
that they would require an increase in the naval
force OF four thousand men, and for the navy and
ordnance an additional sum Of G 100000. He al
so proposed an increase Of the steam navy and as
he declared, not for any purposes Of war of ag-
erosion, but IN consequences of the extension of
their commerce in all parts. He said, 1--WE do not
propose this increase from any apprehension of war
hear, hear, or with any view whatever to aggres-
slon.' Loud cries Of hear.
All thlS was before oregon had become a prOml-
nent topic, and may be traced to the pamphlet "On
the State Of the Naval Force of France put forth
IN May preceding, by the Admiral Prince de Join
vile, and the publication of THEIRS going to show
that descent 10y Napoleon upon the English coast
was seriously contemplated from Bouogne, and
would have been carried into effect but for accden.
tai causes. This pamphlet pointed out the weak
ness of the defenCes of the British coast opposite
France, and insisted, in of war, an army from
France might easily make sudden descent upon
England, and this through the agency of steam
Steam, sir, has placed those great powers on more
equal ground. Brest, capable Of containing fifty
war steamers ofthe first class, is only one hundred
milcs-a few hours run-from the coast Of Corn
wall. DIeppe, Bouogne, Calais, and Dunkirk,
though smaller ports, are from sixty to twenty-four
miles only from the. shores Of Sussex, Kent, and
Essex With that Immense control of men which
France possesses, and with war steamers, what is to
prevent her from rePayng the visit England made
to her capital thirty years ago, Of ravaging her
coasts, unless adequate Notifications, either fixed or
floating, and sufficient military force, be raised to
prevent a landing' The Duke of Wellington himself,