The daily union., 1852-05-12

power against another but ships against batteries unsk
fully defended hips penetrating into the Chinese pors
and others attacking the Syrian coast. But enough has
transpired TO show that new and most formidable ele
mea OF destruction is about To mnge itself il the con-
tests OF nations. and which will operate with destructive
energy upon their future belligerent communications
No have any difficulty IN oretelling that the
next general maritime which breaks out In Europe
will present features in its operations more important
when war will come. All. indeed know the unsettled
condition OF the old hemisphere--kAow that il is vol
cano and that eruption may break out atany moment
During the interval between the departure and the arrival
OF one OF these very steamships general war upon sea
and land may be kindled in Europe the general contia
grafton may ultimately extend to our continent. and m
vove in its fearful caamtes. IL becomes us, then.
TO be ready The practical question arises, what kind OF
preparation should we make The experience OF our
own country has shown. and the genius OF our people
would have taught without the experiment, that we
are unwilling to make extensive prep aratons involving
large expenditures, unless the crisis requiring them IS
almost upon us.
Old World. placed In contact with one another, with
numerous points OF collision and prone to hoslies and
where great military and naval arrangements have be-
come almost part OF the political system. We are
young an ardent and enterprsing people, looking
around with prde and forward with confidence. Danger
must be almost upon US before we can realize us az
proach and the necessity for the employment great mil
itay immediate before are willing 10 prepare
them.
We rely upon ourselves for proper exerons when The
trial comes, and history shows that that reliance rs
not false one. Still 10 a certain degree every dictalc
OF prudence requires that some preparation should oe
made. II is'very important to know how that can oe
effected with the least expense, and that IS the very
problem now before us.
repeat what said before. There difficulties
doubts in relation to this matter The experiment, Is ~
full operation | am willing it should 90 on for rea.
sonable inetl we can form more decided opinion as
to It's results naval war, if we are engaged 10 one'
will present peculiar features in its operations applicable
to the condition OF few other maritime nations douol
very much whether this country will ever send heavy
fleets TO doubt whether we shall ever send out
large vessels operating Masses except under some very
peculiar circumstances having relation TO this hems-
phere has been well said that fleets and colonies rem.
der each other necessary; but what should we do WIN
heavy fleet at sea- We ought 10 have the bestprepared
and the speediest cruisers in the word-boh heavy and
light-some for coast and the neghborng seas,
and others for remote cruising stations where the
nature OF the enemys trade may enable us most easily 10
annoy their commerce.
But we can have no motive to equip powerful fleets
to those Of France Or England, and to fight battles
whose results, when successful, would leave us
as we wee for there are no distant acquisitions Tor us
to seek, colonial dependencies TO defend and DO
not believe that the most confident statesman IN Europe
this country.
The proposition before us has been discussed as
though but one single object in naval architecture were
to be attaned-as though we were to ascertain what
the heaviest ship to which we could apply steam
power with useful result. That is not the object al
ALL Some of seem to think that certain model ls
10 be sought-a model which is 10 unite IN itself all
the various properties that required for maritime
operations Why, sir, such standard is possible and
for very obvious reason Purposes are sought IN
naval warfare which require properties IN vessels Ut
tery incompatible one with another. You want heavy
ship TO fight in line You want frigates TO detach on
cruising service and de.atch vessels to carry orders
You want bomb ships. You want ships for transport
service, and for various other objects IL is not easyn
fact il is utterly impossibethai any one model can be
found which shall unite all these advantages in one
ship You consider the power Of Hghtng the speed
OF the vessels their capacity for carrying COAL the secu-
rily of their machinery. All these are elements OF the
calculation for each Of the different classes.
/ N vent a n M var
great maritime power in Europe what are the assala.
BILE points that attack What the objects that
we should seek accomplish In the first place, let
say that we talk great deal about banshing war from
the earth. We have got peace societies, and very PHI
lanthropc men in our country who confidently look ior,
ward TO the approach oil universal and perpetual
peace when national hosttes will longer come to
add their TO the other caames incident to human
nature.
tons desire universal peace as ervently as any one
but my judgment overrues my wishes. do not believe
such thing possible There must be an utter change
in human before these fond expectations can be
realized. He who made must give us
passions, powers to control those we pos
before we achieve such conquest over them This
period OF universal peace may indeed come, but II will
only with that time foreold by prophecy and fore
by faith. when the kingdoms o this world shall be-
come the kingdom OF our Lord and Saviour and when
the reign OF the Prince OF Peace shall be established TO
which time will bring no end Till then, however, the
improving spirit OF the age may diminish the contests OF
natons--it will no, entirely preven, them.
Under tbese circufnsiances wnat we 10 hnOW-
/ ing that must come knowing that u will come
knowing that some day other sooner or later, Will
overtake us, what 10 do Like wise men, u be.
comes TO look our difficulties in the face Modem
commerce-the interchange OF commodities between the
nations OF the eauh-is important TO their improve.
and civilization. For some IL is essential TO their
existence any rate 10 the position they occupy In
the world Il is the very lifeblood OF English greatness,
and prosperity. Without il she would fall from tha,
proud pre-emnence she has attained by many high quail
lies. which know how TO appreciate well rs any
and which have denied her. VI she has not al.
ways employed them to- Just and useful purpose, while
we condemn her course, shall find no nation in the
should be broken up she would be precpated into
an abyss OF disaster and dishonor Our object on the
ocean, in the event OF war with England would be to
sweep her commerce from existence and that - the only
practical object should seek to attain by our maritime
operations No man can expect 10 send heet and an
army to London Some men have proposed to send
an army upon the Danube but | was never one
Of them, though have many times been charged
with that exravagancei and the of,ener 1t has been
contrad lcted like old fend noise and coniusion
the oftener and confidently " has been charged
again. Laughter Why. Don Quixoe was a wise
man compared with him who should propose 10 send a
great beIligerent armament TO Europe with view 10
produce any serious impression upon the people and
nations OF the Old World II cannot be done, sir. And
the such fdea is banIshed IRON every Amer
can head. whether in out OF insane hospalif, in
deed, any out OF lis walls be found entertaining
such aotionihe better il will be, What we want
ships fitted for the purpose OF annhating the CONNER.
cial marine OF enemies And are the vessels composing
the Collins line OF that character | understand they
are. and better fitted for The purpose than any shpsof the
line in The world They have great speed, great power.
great capacity for carrying coal, and could range the
ocean almost snharmed in pursuit OF foreign commerce.
In the event OF war, we most not calculate much upon