Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-10

skilf man9uyres their white canvass thrown into
admired disorder by the preparation for battle, IL was
obvious tnat the fate OF such squadron would be newt
able presence of far inferior force advancing against
windend tde, perfectly under command, and equally
Formidable in the attack and the pursuit When the sig
nal WIS gwen Tor the chase the fastest yessels-whch
are the same tme the most powerful Of their respec
tive chssesbroke away from the check the slower eyou-
tons the steam blockships had put upon their
mentspn the advance Of the whole line. The Duke of
Wellington, the Agamemnon, and the Impereuse went
aheadpt pace which nothing but the swiftest steam
yachts equal; aud it, may be conceived we had
whoe fleet propelled with similar velocity the
rush d impulse Of such vessels would sweep down every
thing Peiore them Nor are their size and weight less
than their velocity under steam At the bat
tie Of te Nile, Nelson's feet of gun ships averaged
about tons whereas, ut the present day. the Impe
reuseAa frgate is rated at 2347 tons, and the
Tribun Of 80 guns is 1870 The proportions in the
feet Of Thursday about 10 men, 10-horse power
and 4qtons to gun, the weight of the guns and shot
being creased in proportion to the diminuon Of their
numbeit and the concentration of their force.
But " are told, and with greater TRUTH that though
progress in the mechanical departments Of the navy
is pfo9ous and undeniablc, find greater difficulties
than hsfss ~ manning the feet. Under existing cir
-. ssesssny e 'a.as sA..ssl Asss: ts
Nab Light Thursday afternoon we answer the Objec
ti0n by the single words slook round" Conceive thai
Immense sea-faring population now employed in propel
Ling these nnumerable stcame for the purposes OF mere
locomoton and trade and the excellent class of yachts
trained in those manly toysf the ocean, be ami
mated by patriotic resolution to contend their
element for the independence and greatness of their
country. To eyes the exhibition of our maritime
strength greater in that msltudinous and ami
mated swarm Of every floating thing than in the
compact array of the fleet for there the making
another such feet in the ruck that clustered about its
progress and if any other Stae could put such
armament to sea- it would not hayea of vessels
left to view its evolutions twelve mile from the shore
Here, on the contrary, not onlyhad feet of TWEEN
tyone sail under the Admiras ord&s accompanied by
about thirty Government steams devoted this
occasion with courtesy to the accommodation of the
public but the nation seemed to haze out to wit
ness the spectacle and the mis- have been mista-
ken for the migration of people With these elements of
naval power and with the natural clergy of Englishmen
upon the sea, cannot for rnomtnt doubt that, what
be the progress of other State in their marine
shall remain ahead of them, ire already and we
have been of old. There is, indeed flag which
honorably displayed among the yachts off the Nab on
Thursday and which win doubtless maintain its descent
from the great maritime people, for among the rivals of
England Oh the she will first recognise her Ame
rican offspring. But until the United States resolve
devote to their navy far beyond their present es
mates and until they augment their steamships of
and their national seafaring population in proportion
scarcely thought of their navy cannot approach the
naves of the great European Powers collective strength
however readily acknowledge the exoelence of their
several vessels Upon the whole then this experimental
must leave the minds of all those who
witnessed it and the country large conviction that
whoever has underrated naval power has undeated
the true strength of this country and that under the
immediate encouragement and presence of Sovereign
who has identified herself and her ustrious family with
all that is dear and glorious to Britain the Admiralty
never sent forth nobr squadron, and England had
greater be proud Of that service which still
guards her independence and has her most memor-
able triumphs.