The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-01-13
INTELLIGENCE BY THE MAILS,
Our Washington CORES pondenee.
W.xursar,x Ian II IQ,o

Our w ushinksOh CorTssponoenee.
WAsHINoToN, Jan III, 1850.
The Secretary ofhs Navy and hs Steam Service
The Clerk Of The Hous', &c.
No measure ever proposed by Congress has, in
In the same length of time. brought about such
Ter sicial results, as the union of public and phi
waite means in building and equipping twelve Of
the finest steamships ia the word California has
been peopled in space Of tire unexampled IN the
annals of history; commerce has been increased,
and the North and South brought into such
close proximity, that it is scarcry more than a
mere pleasure trip to start tor New Orleans from
New York, and pics persd. One single year has
made an entire change in the aspect of our coun-
try, such as has not been witnessed in the last ten
years; anG, owing 20 the union az public and pri-
Va'e means, American power aud democratic In
stiuiions are now extending from oae ocean to
the other. IL was not rnouEh tur our enferpr,siDg
psolle 10 have The viii Ia 20 10 Calfomia,--
they had 10 be provided with the means of accom-
plishng their design; end tins could no, have been
furnished except by steam. Had public and
private enterprise gone hand Ia hand, the aeans
would either have been iDadequai-. or of such an
interior order, AS to have occasion.d immense
lusses OF lie and property.
Yet this same steam servicr-the means Of hold
ing, clvlli2DP, and imprsvIng our Western empire
On The faciiic-the preseb, Secretary Of The Navy
deprecates as " inIunous 10 the naval service"
and arrogaies to himself the privilege of recon-
| menoiDg it discontipusnce.
Had nature given to Mr. Preston an understand
ing capable Of devising means tor accomplishing
his desires, he might, indeed, prove the destruc-
ton OF cur young navy. and the rornrnt Of our ma
val officers. He would create a steam navy Of his
owL--an exclusive government sti1ir, which he
| imaglnes would be less expensive, and keep off,
GERS and men better employed IN an they now ae
| on board OF merchant steamers OF wirke dimen-
SONS, and capable OF being, at any time, transfer
red 10 the naval service Of the Unitcd States. Mr..
1 nj haa l.al ...i. t..~
history OF ma rltime nations or he would have dis
] covered that none but a commercial people ever
bad a military navy Int for use and that, in mea-
surfing the maritime strength OF nafion reference
| must be had not SO much 10 thu number of ships
she has aiioat, as 10 the NUMBER she build and
man. The merchant navy must furnish the sail
ors the man oil. war service can only employ them
after they have learned their lessons board Of
merchantmen. The same apples, perhaps, with
sril greater force to steamships. Il is board Of
merchant steamers, that engineers, mschnists, me-
chaDlcs OF suitable description, and tue whole per-
sonok required Tor that X ind OF armament flnd con
| slant occupation and useful pracuce-the indus
| pensabe coDdlilons OF arriving ~ perfection In
| their respective professions. England, who has
| some experience in maritime affairs, and whose
very existence depends on a powerful and efficient
| naval armament, has adopted the plan Of uniting
| public and private enterprise IN the creation OF
| merchant steamers, carrying her nails and
| liable at all times TO be drafted into the
| Queens service In this manner she main
iaips an enormous steam, navy, at a cost not
| yet exceeding oneioufih The amount which an IN
| dependent government steam navy would nlict
| upon the public treasury Yet the experience OF
| England ia counted as nothing, when put in the
| scale against the powerful intellect ard ln,utIye
| knowledge Of Mr. Preston. When Lord Ellen
| borough was made Fret Lord of the Admiralty,
London pepper perpetraled piece OF low witticlsin,
| IN sI, aking oi him, thus -
| Lord Eienbsrough rules the feet,
| His fame sprraJs viie aud far;
| On midas plains did ss-poys greet
| Him ~ Q man. OF war. :"
Wei, Mr.. Preston's fame does not spread quite
so far, for he was never more than county court
| lawyer, and commanded, at best, but a company
| Of militia in Virginia.
The House, to-day, reelected Mr.. Campbell al
Clerk, the South Caronans boltIne from tae demo
| cratic caucus nominee, Col Joha w Forney.
| These South Carolina Inpractcables remind one
strongly of the argument Of the Frenchmin, when
accused Of iGiideliiy TO his lie -" Does every
| body love freedom T. "Yes" "W-li, then, can
any one love TO DO what he Is bound 10 do -
"No !" "Wsll, am bound To love my wife !;
| ergo, cannot love her" ~