The daily union., 1852-11-07
IL Prom the London Mercantile GaxseAs, oct -.
The Naval Force Of the United States.

great obec, with The United States OF America for
considerable time pastindeed, VIC may say ever since
ISoO, when the Independence OF The country eslab
lished-has been TO create powerful naval force not
indeed, by building ships OF war 10 To IN their hafbofs
and be periodically broken up but by nsunng Tor The
country numerous body OF seamen available at me
for the purposes OF But even II Were never
contemplated by this extraordinary republic, ats geo.
graphical situation would show the people that all their
strength and power all Their wealth and prosperity must
be sought for through the medium OF ihe ocean The
whole Territory lies along the coast open to aud nvi
ting The trade oil every nation. Its internal communica
uon is conducted by mighty MYERS, such only
known IN America, aud by vast lakes which, from their
extent, are IN themselves inland oceans The United
States not insuaT like Great Britain, bat for all the
purposes OF commeTce they 9aasi lnsuar. Exclude
them from The sea and the whole country is paralyzed
Great Britain, il is SAID, is maritime nation through
cessy, and the same observation will apply with equal
ofce 10 The United States OF America. Ii dad require
any premedlated plan 10 make America a naval power.
Before The power lay the ocean, behind them almost i'm
peneiiabe forests and ney naturally launched Their
haks upon the deep their only OF intercourse
with the rest OF The word-ihe great highway by which
all these operations would have TO be carried on that
were 10 make the country what has becomea great
and powerful nation.
Fisheries and maritime commerce are the obvious
means by which the seamen are trained and prepared for
Their hazardous pursuit and the northern portion OF the
United Saies, as New England, Massachusetts, &c,
equally with our North American colonies had embarked
extensively in the fishery of their coasts long before The
war OF the American revolution. During the recent dis
pu,e the fishery question this has been put forward
one OF The claims of the United States fishermen. II
has been said that they shed in the disputed be-
fore the revolution, and that II was inherent and ina
ienabe right, OF which they could not be deprived.
From launching fishing. boat launching larger
sci only step ~ progression, and both BRUSH Amer
ca and the United States have made extraordinary ad-
vances IN this way The merchant tonnage oil the latter
country in particular is last approximatng 10 equal
amount with the British tonnage, and, according 10 the
speculaons OF the Amercans, will soon smpass this
couniry-an event which, from present Appearance, we
think by improbable But il is mol by mari
time traffic alone that the United States becoming
great naval power. They have sedulously pursued
lshng operations nomerey Tor the comparative smaller
fish taken the coast OF America but they have fol.
lowed the great monsters of the deep from 10
with wonderful! perseverance, and success. There can
be doubt Of the profit oi the whale fishery to America
as nation but is great question whether the coast
hshcEy which IS maintained by heavy bounty may not
be national loss According 10 The principles OF poll-
cal economy that prevail al present this country,
would be considered; but while in Englant we look
only 10 immediate consequences the Americans probably
with more prudence, look further ahead 10 remote and
collateral results
The Americans candidy avow that one OF the pur.
poses for which they encourage the fishery their
own coass-or, more properly speaking, on the coast
OF the British cooniess 10 tIan seamen for the
Try Tha, this object has succeeded and is Succeeding
is but too well known. The number OF American ships
engaged IN the southern whale fishery alone would OF
themselves be nearly sufficient 10 any ordinary et
ships war which that country might require 10 send
TO II will be sufficient Tor this place observe,
without attempting 10 state why II is So that while the
American whale fishery has been attended with the most
extraordinary success, that of England has been grad
ually dwindng away The northern whale fishery in
deed is still prosecuted by Tins country but the southern
fishery has been entirely abandoned 10 the Americans
The reasons assigned for the greater OF
competitors in this lrade-some OF them fiscal, some
marilme-3re too conflicting TO allow 10 enter into
them the columns OF newspaper nor could we do
without entering history OF this fishery, and It's
with the trade in oil for the last haf century
We content ourselves therefore, with observing,
that the average number OF American ships annu.
ally sent 10 The southern sperm bale hshy and M,
ted for the part from the ports of Massachusetts,
250 manned with about 500 seamen but besides this,
they have within the last three years peneiraed nio the
Arctic region 10y Behring's straits, where, 80 far the
10 1919 the number Of ships that proceeded this hsh
ing l55 manned by 4,500 seanen. and their take
through the 206 $50 barrels of oil and 24sl
90 pounds OF bone. In the following year. 1850, the
fleet sent TO that destination amounted 10 l44 vessels
and during short summer, the take 2i3 $50 barrels
OF OIL 50 $50 barrels Of oil than the OF
1912 Last year about l45 vessels ou heir
have yet been received, but they generally
supposed TO have been unfortunate, and 10 have expert
enced many disasters Ii would appear, however, from
the report made 10 The Secretary oil the Navy al Wash
ngon. which appeared IN columns yesterday. that il
is The intention OF the Americans 10 prosecute this new
and extended branch Of the whale fishery and OBJ
jeci 10 noticing Il particularly IS to show lie facility
which this fishery alone affords TO the United States OF
becoming great maritime power and indeed, what they
aim 10 be, the greatest naval country IN the world