The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-10-06

small craft of various sses have not included those
building in either France or England nor the number
Of guns the French corvettes carry. do not know,
but presume there is not much difference in the force
Of both countries In this list the British iron vessels
are not included they considered useless by
Admiralty does 1t include the various lines OF Bri
tisb mail steamers
Now, suppose that on the tobacco claim of Men
sleur Port, or on the salvage case, we should gel
into regular "knock down. with France, or
with John Bull on the Nicaragua, the Cuba, or any
other question, whist force have we 10 meet their
war steamersl We would be blockaded in foreign
ports, or driven into our own harbors Prlvateerng
would be a bad business, for single steamer
would insure fleet of the enemy's merchant ships
from attack, against fleet Of sailing prlvateers.
Our present steam navy too Insignificant for
enumeration. 1t would'b exposing our weakest
point TO give the list. We have the Mississippi,
ten guns, at sea; the Ma ssachusetts and Edith, ia
the Pacific; the Michigan, the On Upper Lakes; the
Allegheny, the Princeton, (ten guns,) and two or
three other smaller vessels. In addition to these,
however, there four first class steamers on the
stocks, at Kittery, Me-, Philadelphia, Brooklyn,
and Norfolk. 1t is evident, still, that before
the Secretary of State resolves upon war, he
should consult with Mr. Preston upon the condi-
ton of the navy.
more directly affecting our commercial relations,
in which Great Britain is almost permitted mono.
poly. 1t is the system Of transportation OF foreign
mails by means of steam ships. The government
has made movement in this important service
Under contracts with various companies, lines of
mail steamers have been established between New
York and Liverpool, New York and Bremen, New
York and Havre, New York, Havana and Chagres,
and between Panama and San Francisco, on the
Pacific. The full complement Of ships on all these
lines is in rapid course of completion We shall
then have, from New York, the following list of
mail steamers in service:--
Ships. Tons eaeh
Pssihc Coast lHowlsnd & AspiuwaiD4 1000 to 1900
Havana and Cbagres, Uaw Sloo Co)o COO to 5000
Bremen, Ocean Steam Nav. Coy. 2 25o0 TO
Havrc branch. 2 $500 to
Total. 10 steamers
These, according to contract, could be at once
convertible into war steamers in case of war, and
would give very respectable nucleus for
steam navy. for offensive as we'll as defensive ope-
rations. This system appears to be the rcadiest,
cheapest and bestfor the establishment of steam
navy We should, therefore, promptly appropriate
the full advantages of the system. Lines should
be established between our principal ports and
the principal ports of Europe, (ncluding the Me-
di,enanean) and of South America. Other lines
should be opened between San Francisco, the
Sandwich Islands, China, and the opuent East.
Then, with railroad across the Isihmus (for pre-
sent purposes) should be in the full tide of sue
cessfu competition with Great Britiin. /, is only
by tits system that we can divert the trade of
Asia, via San Francisco and New York, TO London,
pocketing ourselves the profits of the transporta-
ton. Build the chips, place one or several young
men of the navy board to learn the art of steam
navigation, that when wanted for active war
service, the ships may be under efficient manage
men', and you have a navy in reserve, ready upon
short notice for action.
In addition, however, to a general system Of
mail steamers, the navy requires few more active
steamships in the immediate service. At least one
steamer ought to be in attendance upon every
squadron, just as a squad OF stupid old women are
given in charge to the sou,es boy on the farm, to
see they are not lost We have had squadron for
rome years on the African coast in the suppress ion
Of The slave trade, but we have no steamer among
hem; and while the British run away with all
he prizes, our ships have TO content themselves
with the prospect Of stumbling upon slaverina tog.
We trust that a steam navy and a general sys-
by Congress. In this day Of revolutions, we know
not what may turn up tomorrow. Self-defeuce
end the very safety Of our existing navy, demand
that steam should be put into II I; oar CONNER
clsl .necessiies can only be accommodated by
steam; and by steam alone can our commercial
supremacy be won. Will Mr.. Preston have the
eoodneset to put on the steam
The GEORGIA AND MARYLAND ELECTIONS
WARS THE MATTER Now l-Suilicient re-
returns are received from the gubcrnatorlal cleo
ton In Georgia, TO show that Towns, the demo-
cratic candidate, isre-elected, and that the Sun
terrified democracy" have gained in the State from
stem TO stern. From Maryland, too, where the
wings, aided by the cabinet and cabinet organs
at Washington, expected to redeem their late
disasters in other States, the democrats have
gained a member Of Congress, besides doing
other damage. These results were to be anticl-
pated; but they are even worse than the worst or
prehensions Of Greeley. The cabinet, for its inter-
meddlrg with Cuba, and Collamer, Ewing,
Seward, Greeley 81 Co., for their intcrmeddling
with the negroes, may account for the coase-
quences. To be sure, dumb candidate on the
slavery question In Georgia, could not be expected
TO run; but the great mistake was, that It left him
open to suspicion Of beng party to the abolition
clique Of Ewing and Seward, and an enemy to a
compromise. II thus the battle goes in MARYLAND
and Georgia, what are we to expect in the cleo
tons yet to come Is there no hope for the cabi-
meta Have they done nothing to satisfy the peo-
pie ! IL the administration, rs now organized, TO
be left without party IN the country. and with
minority Ia both horsesl IL looks like H. And
yet these results only increase confidence that
General Taylor will clspeTse the demagogues Of
his cabinet, and take upon himself the responsible
hy The prosper brigh,ens for a bold, energetic,
consistent, and brilliant administration.
TIE CABINET, AND SPANISH DEsronsx.-The
organ Of the spanish government in Havana COM
plimtnis the administration at Washington for the
course which II thought proper to pursue, 10 pre-
venting the unfortunate people Of that island from
receiving assistance towards RIDING themselves of
the despotsm which they have SO long suffered
under, aud asserting their Independence Of the