Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-12-13

ever must be the chief commercial city Of
America, and the daily resort of the largest
merchant ships, still every naval man
knows the difficulty attending the bar at
that port that it requires the most favor
able weather, flood tide, smooth sea
and moderate breeze 10 pass ship of the
line or even a first class frigate safely over
it-a combination of circumstances which
could never exist in those emergencies
when ship is seeking refuge. The cap
ture Of the President is fairly attributed to
the injury she sustained in passing that bar
on her way to sea. The Ohio, about two
years ago, struck and was delayed some
hours at the same place. The Philadelphia
station is closed by ice in winter, and 10 so
far inland as to be difficult ofaccess at any
time, while the liability to blockade, and
the Inconvenience of its vicinity to a large
city is equally true ofthi. as Of New York
and Boston Norfolk i. in many respects
the most efficient station we possess, but
this too has some weighty drawbacks. A
blockading squadron at Lynnhaven OF some
other roadstead of Chesapeak bay would
be effective. The detention OF the frgate
Constellation, during the war Of 1912, de.
privln5 the country for so long time of
tho active services of Com Stew art, illus
tra,es this point. The difficulty of beating
into Hampton roadsIwith a Northwest wind
the necessity for pilotaee, which, al
hough the present buoys and beacons an
swer their purpose in time of peace, would
still be essential in time of war, as these
would then be remoyed-ihc want Of sulc-
lent room under the guns Of the fort for
fleet evoiuticns and, lastly, the absence of
means for rapidconmulica,ion, except by
sea, with other parts of the country, arc all
valid and weighly consi 'erations, not one
of which will apply to NArragansctt bay.
Charleston, 5. c., is nominal naval sta.
ton. The vel known difficulties of the
bar prevent its being an extensive one.
The elast OF the seven Pensacola, is the
s,aton for the Gulf of Mexico. by its po-
sition i. must always b. seperate from the
rest and the proper resort for the Gulf
squadron.
have thus passed briefly in review all
our naval establishments on the Atlantic
Each answers n valuable purpose in itself.
1t is not that they are bad or inefficient in
themselves that have mentioned only their
defects, but that Newport is far superior in
natural advantages ; which could best be
proved by showing wherein the others were
defective. The advantages enumerated on
the one side and the objections stated OH
the other are those which the experience oi
naval men, the common observation of al
rejecting people, and the facts of history
set forth as conclusive arguments why New
port should be made, as was early contem-
plated, the great central naval station of
America. We trust we may live to see it,
or if not, we hope that no future naval war
may ever teach our country the lesson that
party strife, or sectional interest has jeop-
arded the wel-being of the whole,
to serve the votes OF section, or further
the designs of demagogues
All that pertains TO our national defence
should be above the reach Of political in
l,iguc.