The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-11-29
American supre macy OH the Seas.


tended to the Isthmus, and to the Russian posses
sions around the pole. The law of progress, and
the spread of the Anglo Saxon race, will Ultimate
ly put North America under our control.
The main point, however, has already been
gained on the land. The eagle has flown across
the continent, and he is now screaming for the
dominion of the sea. Here will be the next scene
of our triumph.
During the revolution of '76, when the naval
power of England had almost reached its height,
there little opportunity for maritime struggle
between the parent country and the colonies-for
we were without navy. But the American pri-
vateers boldly adventured upon the ocean, in the
very sight of British hne-of battle ships and fri
gates, either distancng the enemy in the chase, or
fighting hand TO hand against fearful ODDS, when
they could no longer escape an encounter.
But when the second war with England began,
although Nelson had swept the seas of every rival,
and the cross of ST. George was unfurled on every
ocean, yet the idea of an American navy had begun
TO dawn family it is true, and we had few battle
vessels Lake Erie and the Atlantic, which,
in their engage ments, drew from the British Ad-
miralty an order ON all English ships not to fight
Americans unless the odds were on the British
side. The names of Decatur, Macdonough, Per
ry, Lawrence, and others, associated with
achievements which would have honored the
noblest navy in the world But what did we do
for those brave men while living and where are
the monuments we have erected over their ashes
We have done something for our army. We have
have been proud of it. 1t has been a school for
chivalrc feeling and brave deeds; and it has now
become almost a matter of course to go TO the
army for Presidents We fifty millions for the
army, TO carry a war. Who ever thinks of the
navy Z! How hard is 1t to get bill passed, to
pay for carrying the mails TO Europe and Califor-
nia-and then ii is charged to the navy an ap-
preparation We seem TO grudge every dollar
that is spent in giving protection TO American
commerce and American citizens in foreign
countries 1t is all fely TO say that we have
yet done anything for the navy-we have not
yet thought Of one. The thing we now have,
which We call by that imposing name, is ma de up
Of men, without vessels-and brave men, too, as
all the world knows. But, TO show that we are not
raEtiDg or beating the air, let US look at facts.
Here, we are powerful nation of some five and
twenty millions of people, covering continents
doing what no nation ever did before-looking off
from coast ocean towards the east;
and from the other boundary, four thousand miles
distant, looking on another ocean towards the
west-with resources which cannot be calculated,
and future which, if it correspond with the past,
will outsirp the golden age of poetry, or the crea
tons of iable-with a thousand millions of men
in other countries standing aghas at our progress
with commerce which is whitening all oceans
and yet, this nation has very much such navy as
would accommodate the aquatic excursions Of
fifth rate German prince. Let us out with tit
consists Of about seven thousand men, all told-not
half enough TO make one respectable naval engage
ment, if all were concentrated and all in commits
sioI We have not, at the present moment,
single line Of battle ship iii commission and as for
steamers, the eyes Of navy" (as Nelson used TO
call his ingates,) we have but abroad, and one
here, in this port three more are dragging their
slow lengths along, with prospect Of one day get
ing up steam. The question might be asked, by
very inotleRsive person, whether our West India
squadron, at this moment, can boast Of anything
more than the little Flint schooner, mounting four
poo guns, and forty men. And yet, in the West
Indies and the Gulf Of Mexico, questions are soon
to be settled, which involve evea the right of our
citizens to cross the isthmus and any hour, we |
may be brought into collision with half a dozen
foreign fleets and day by day, our national flag is
subjected TO the most humiliating insults, on that
very same ground Even old Spain, dead and bu-
ried-hop,less and almost popeless-can get up an
excitement; and grand hidalgo comes Haunting
along our southern coast, with fleet of new
steamers, and a formidable and splendid arma-
ment Aud yet, what has Isabella at stake
on that goli.laden, iruitembowered gen Of the
Western Archipelago, compared with Ourselves
And then there is the Pacific, whose calm
waters now reflect OF the fret GIFTED argosies Of
Spain, or Indie, or England, but five hundred Of
frr hal in nth II mr. nv
ing merchantmen, and score Of steamers, made
only to transpor, passengers and gold. Whatprotec
ton have iheyl There is the frigate Savannah,
thank God, and three second class sloops. oi-war.
Trey say that the St Mary's is also on her way
ont therc-but what is al thisl They would
scarcely make respectable tenders to the British
feet which hovers along the Pacific coast How
is t. too, on the shores Of the Mediterranean, that
classic sea, which washes the throaes Of fifty mo.
narchs, and " here we once swayed the monopoly
Of commerce. We have three vessels there, and
England has sixty On the coast OF Africa, by
force Of treaty, we keep Up squadron, and it
happens to be the most numerous at the very place
where We need aone at all. a sane man would
suppose we had enough Of the negro business at
h,me, without going over TO Congo for more.
Then there il the East Indies, where we have
tlItIt tlbtl NlNai " tililu NAtfet 4AhN gttt
within five years, We shall have trade and inter-
course with hat yast population beyond all power
Ct calculation.
II this be not humilisting, we ask in rll sober.
ness, what can be ! We boast and brag from
Maine to California and yet to-day an armed Bn-
tsh steamer could pass the Hook and lombard
New York We ought TO be more modest.
These facts are facts and the time has come
when the nation is going to look at them. Things
cannot 70 on so something must be done soon or
It will do ITSELF and ia a way, as Carlyle says Of
the Bread end Butter On stion in England, that
will please nobody. Our empire in is sPreadings,
hes brought collisions already and it will bring
more. Sensible men have Pretty much made up
their minds that this republic cannot be stopped
Moreover it is compelled, already for want Of room