Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-02-16
ruE coSsrururuo~-srArE nIGHTs.
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
INCREASE OF THE NAVY.
MONDAY MORNING. FEBRUARY 10 1896

large share Of the attention Of the Government.
Our long line of coast requires movable as
well as permanent ramparts of defence. The
chief strength Of the enemy with whom we may
he called 10 cope, is upon the wave. The great
est dispatity exists i'm numbers between the naval
force of our country and that of Greit Britain.
The ocean between us may in an instant be CO.
vered with myriads OF her cruisers She has,
we believe, SIX or eight hundred ships OF war ;
We, some sixty or eighty. She has more war
steamers than we have vessels OF all descriptions
she has in addition TO these. a vast number of
steam vessels, employed as peaceful traders,
but which have been So constructed as TO admit
of being converted into efficient ships OF war at
= nome uts notice. Upon what have we to rely
Our little Navy, gallant as 1t Is, would he mere
lmouthfIl for John Bull "A sort OF snack with which
he would stay his appetite upon the sea, until he
could dine in state at Washington. Could we
RELY upon prvateersi These vessels certainly
ANNOYED England terribly in the late war, by the
destruction of her commerce, and they were thus
Jar useful in enabling us inflic equal injury
upon her trade with that which our own received;
cut they cannot presume TO dispute the passage
IF man of war. IL u.s. besides, almost impossi.
.ie that priyatecrs should now be OF any service,
ince the introduction of steam into maritime
,arfare would efiectually emharrass and cripple
heir movements Mr.. Allen, indeed in recent
,peech in the Senate, averred that 1--WE could in
mort period, with the AID of our commercial ma
rIne out a navy af at which Great Britain could
not send sufficient power to meet-and the COM
Ined navy Of the whole world could not suhIu.
,st.uslll" As Mr.. Allen lives in Ohio, and his
NAUTICAL experience is confined To canal boats, we
have some hesitation IN receiving declaration OF
this kind as gospel But il is only fair to con.
cluds that a grave Senator would not make such
an assertion without supposed foundation OF
reason and fact, we would like him to inform the
country by what plan the greatest portion OF "our
commercial marine" is to he made available for
any thing but target for the shot OF an enemy.
Does he expect that river steamboats,, and mer-
chant ships, built expressly for freight and passen
rers could be easily converted into vessels caPa
bile OF attack and defence in the desperate strug
gle OF a sea fight The idea is absurd Some OF
the larger packets might answer after an e1Pen-
siye alteration. But with the greater part OF our
steamers aud merchantmen. the recoil OF their
own batteries won d knock them 10 pieces. We
might as we'll attempt 10 convert a lamb into Il
wolf Ii he is right, we need have no navy at
all but let ''our commercial MARINE, which Is
large enough in all conscience, do all our hight
ing as well as trading. The language of the
braagart may answer well enough for the Empire
Club or the House Of Representa- but II must
cause humiliation for his country In every Anne
rican mind whcn in the Senate. a body which
il supposed 20 represent the dignity, intelligence,
and good sense of the community, man holding
the important post of Chairman of the Committee
oC Foreign Relations, 81 eaks OF defyng the comb
ned nayles of the whole world with merchant
ships! schuolboy, who would talk thus in a
Fourth of July Grafton, would make the father
that begat him blush for his tom-oolery.
Here then, we have the most formidable naval
mower in the world as our antagonist; com.
merce second only To that OF England, IN danger
Of being swept from every sea; a long line Of
coast comparatively unprotected; an immense
and wealthy extent of territory. dotted all over
with rich and beautiful cities bordering upon tie
lakes, and utterly deienceess against attack an
enormous internal trade carried upon these
lakes which must he blotted from existence, and
these great avenues of our commerce choked up.
This !, our situation, and under these circum
stances. Mr. Fairfield comes forward with his
plan for an increase of the Navy.
And what is that plan VIII it be believed
Tell II not in Gath-that avowIng his own i'm
pressions of the danger OF war; and urging h'
measure as a means of defence, he seriously pro-
poses to add ten Steamers to the American Nary
WHY this is worse than Mr.. Aliens commercial
marine. This would not be more than enough
20 defend the lakes. Ii any increase at all is
necessary. we fully agree with Col. Benton, that
Il must be a great decided addition, and one
vs may add. which should be adopted without
any regard to expense Gen. Cass to be sure, in
defence Of Mr.. Falrfeld's proposition, says, VIC
musi make beginning; but il war is near a,
he apprehends, we would be only launching ship,
for Great Britain 10 capture, unless we builC
enough to meet her upon something like equa
terms. Let Mr.. Fairfield and Gen. Cas- toe To,
mark like men, and If they really expect war
cease to insult the country by talking Of defending
with Ten steamers.
The fame Of our Navy must he dear TO every
american heart 1t has rendered essential
,srvice in both war and peace. IL has made US
,nown TO the world by lis illu,triom exploits in
,ur lat contest with Great Britain. No other
country ever before successfully disputed the
sceptre with the Queen Of the Wave. And. II
but natural that in another contest Great Bri.
ain will make extraordinary efforts to retrieve
the laurels she lost upon he sea. Let US not de-
.ert our gallant little Navy in lis extremity. Le
~ not talk Of reinforcing il with merchantmen
aud a few steamers. Let Us carry on al our nj
litary preparations upon a scale commensurate
with the occasion. Let rs meet Great Britain
m every point upon water, and upon land, an
prove TO her that the infant which stranglcd III
se,prut of dsspotsm IN it, cradle has become
man aud yields the club of Hercules.
CanbsrIaad CfufiiaH.