The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-10
.rhe Cheap Defence OF Nations

| ..rhe Cheap Defence OF Nations.'
The Collins line was the subject of numer
Gus five minutes speeches yesterday in the
House of Representatives, in the Committee
OF the Whole. 1t was the impression. we think,
when the committee rose, that the Senate
amendment to the Deficiency bill would pass
by fair majority.
! There was point made in the discussion
which deserves notice. member of the House
from Tennessee suggested that here was
contract, and that the Collins company hay
ing obtained the contract as the lowest bidders,
out to fulfil it without asking additional aid.
This is the argument which SHAKsPEARE's
Jew derived from the bond.
The answer to this suggestion is to our mind
satisfactory The company has built vessels
larger by thousand tons than were called for
| by their contract, and of much augmented
power. BY so doing they have been able to
attain-what none Of US expected--greater
speed than the Cunarders. For this they did
not contract. In doing this, they have incur
red much larger expenses than were contem-
plated at the time Of the contract. Is this ad-
vantage of speed worth paying for? In our
Judgment, it is not only just but polite to pay
for it. With these steamers the United States
| in time of war can overtake any thing or can
escape from any thing on the ocean. Is this
nothing7 The proprietors of the Collins line.
by building smaller vessels, ight have COM
piled with their contract, without equaling
their rivals in speed or accommodation. But
what should we have gained as natlonl We
have now won fame, position, the palm of the
contest for maritime superiority. Shall we re-
sign it? Shall we leave it to individuals to
foot the bill, and on their application release
them from fulfilling a ruinous contract, and
abandon the line?
We would now suggest a consideration to
those who reason from the omnipotent dollar.
"Why tax my people for this ~ says Re
preventative, who has failed to look at this
matter in all its aspects. Your people must be
taxed for the national Defence AS long as
other nations cover the seas with war steamers
conversion into war-steamers, the United
States must hold their own in this regard, or
sink into an inferior and insignificant power.
Now, in our navy proper we have steam
force literally SO contemplate in point OF num-
bers and power that it is not worth mentioning.
When we had occasion few months since To
send Minister to Mexico, we were compelled
to send him in craft that was expected very
| generally to founder on the passage.
FIVE had need tomorrow Of any service
calling for steamship, we have not one that
could be employed without deranging our whole
naval economy. This is disgracetul to us as
people who, in KossUTH's judgment at least,
ought to begin to consider themselves ''pow-
err on the face of the earth. What sort Of a
"power" is a nation that has only some six or
seven tubs propelled by steam, where it ought
to have whole fleet of real bona fde steam
ships2
1t is well known to every person who has
turned his attention to this subject. that the
United States, in their navy proper, in this re-
gard, are behind all other civilized powers on
the face of the earth. But in the Collins line we
have the four largest and nciftest steamers in
the world, which will cost US in continual com
mission, at the proposed increased rates OF
compensation, about SIPS, 226 year, or less
than one half the sum that is necessary to keep
in commission single ordinary naval steamer
Now, if the economist abandon the mail
steamer policy, will he leave the nation with
out this arm Of defence, or will he substitute
for the four steamers, costing US Sl2S, 226 8
year, four naval steamers that win cost us up
wards of a mllion2 Naval defences we are
bound to have. Shall we have the "cheaI
defence OF nations" or shall we economist by
substituting defence infinitely more erpsnsire'
These are the merits of the present consro
yeIsy