The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-02
The French and English steam Nnvies.

To the Editor of the Times.
SIR When the Duke of Wellington wrote his
celebrated episte the prospect of INVASION writes
Captain Slade in the Naval and Military Gazette
invasion was practicable. Our naval defence, then
available at short notice, consisted OF little more
than the guard-ships at the home ports-those time
honored and weakly armed ships-a state OF inse-
curlty incompatible with his grace's silence. lie
accordingly stated his opinion, and it was acted
upon. Batteries built and steamers armed.
Now Sir Charles comes forward and sounds the
alarm Wherefore? is asked with surprise. May
ask, sir, what has become OF Captain SHADES mem
Dry! When the Duke wrote his celebrated letter
lying in the Tagus with the home squadron,
consisting of five six sail of the line, four, think,
three-deckers, as many steamers, besides frigates
and small craft; and, II my memory serves me,
Captain Slade commanded one of them. France
and all Europe were in state of profound peace,
and not the least appearance of a disturbance.
" Circumstances" he says, ARE changed. Eng
land is now In better defensive attitude than she
has been at any pacific period of her history.
Circumstances are changed indeed. The home
squadron is disarmed, and 800 men have been re
duced, (for at that time we had 1850 men above
the estimate;) and is il possible that Captain Slade
can be ignorant of this? If he Isl am not and
that is the reason have sounded the alarm.
What substitute have we for this force? We have
half Unnamed 81 guard-ship at Cork, and another
at Spithead, two steam two-decker screws, Zone
commissioned after my letter appeared and 10 or
20 advanced paddle-steamers.
Who" exclaims Captain Slade, q" originated
this grand idea Of the advanced steam S4ttauTOn
Whoever il was has deserved well Of his country.
The laurel crown voted by the Athenians to Peri
| cles was not better Won" grand idea, indeed
you have paid off your steamers, and laid them up
| in your basins to decay. This is your advanced
/ squadron. If Pericles got laurel crown for in
creasing the Athenian navy, shall not say what
the Government deserves for reducing ours at the
present time.
Captain Slade states there are about 1000 seamen
| in the guard ships the ordinary and seamen rig
gers. II hc means by the guard-ships the superb
! and Ganges-One at Spithead and the other at
Cork-it would take all the men that could b. spared
(and were ft) % man them. But will admit that
they could be completed at once from the shore.
You have then 500 men in the Excellent, and
800 Triggers in all your ports TO fit out the
| steamers, for the ordinary men must stay where
they are to take of the ordinary and generally
they are not fit for active service; and with them
| and $500 marines he i to send 20 SEA 10 or 20
steamers ia thirty hours, leaving large surplus
besides the boat brigade and coast service. Why,
! sir, he would not get the Goals in that time.
! | have smart things done in my course Of
/ service, but never saw any thing 10 equal that;
and Captain Slade had better recommend the adj
! uliralty 10 try it, for until then he will not find
many OF his brother officers 10 agree with him. But,
| sir, / will suppose he perform such wonders
/ how would he prevent invasion, He must at least
! allow that the French are Just expert az our
selves The French, SIR are great deal more expert
| than we give them credit for. They have been for
many years in the habit Of embarkng troops, artil-
lery, and horses at Touon 10 carry 70 Algiers and
their expedition 10 Civita Nccchia shows what they
| can do. They have landed an army there, we are
told, 10000 strong, without the smallest prOvOca-
/ ton. | think they have 80 steamers in the Medi-
tcrranean, besides what they have at other ports.
What D. 10 hinder them from ordering their steam
ere 10 rendezvous at Cherbourg; They would be
all there before had the least knowledge Of il.
We know the facility with which, by the assistance
Oi railroads. troops collected, and We know that
Al CherbOurg many more than 80 steamers can lie
alongside tie quay. Now, Captain Sade shall have
& 4 ~
Nay, more he shall BE- of Chcrbourg, and com.
nand them himself ] should like % know how he
IT, 10 prevent them coming over.
Tie says the French war-steamers are deficient IN
two cardinal points, speed and armament Of th,
extremitcs ] do not think 80; they do not go lees
than nine knots, and those ] have fire
guns aft and forward
he says the value Of brosdside guns, beyond a
couple each side, against boats IL open 10 discus
sion. How comes it, then, that all our large steam
crs have brOadsidc pOrtsl + be going % tell VA
that had these ports been high enough guns would
not have been put aboard Of them, Why, air
they are now going 20 remove the Retributioni
SOO.hOrse engines ana replace them with 400 hOrs'
engines, expressly 10 allow her to carry guns. Th'
Terrible carries guns, 20 does the Odn, and vii
the Leopard, 10 say nothing Of the Sidon.
Captain Slade says if stearn-ycssel were 10 us
| brOadside guns against a irigatc, she would b
! crushed by superior force. Why, sir, every bod
knows that. But what fool the captain ID
steamer would be TO come under the broadsde of
superior fngate.
do not know whether Captain Slade has scei
, the French large steamers, but he may rely upO
il they could, with the greatest ease, carry 200
men, and the greater part Of them below, withou
the smallest inconvenience. II would not even b
/ necessary 10 tow a vessel but know they hay
done So and Captain Sladc with his Is Or ~ steam
ers light follow them II be pleased, they stesmn
in line abreast lie might harass them, il is quit
true but he would not prevent their landing; an
if be approached them he would be destroyed.
p Captain SHADES letter may very probably pleas
the admiralty bat he may rely upon 1t it will nc
E satisfy the country. Herewith you will receive
list u the French large steamers and Ours
BRITIsH sTEAM FRIoATEs.