Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-19

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the preservation of national honor well the in
volatility of our territory urges the strengthening OF this
Of the service Are we content to live on the naval
renown Of our ancestry? VIII the exploits Of half
fury gone redeem from ndelibe disgrace if after all
the admonitons of the past neglect the necessary
provisions for sefdefence and security for the future
The State of Maryland, and the district represent
particularly deeply interested in all that tends pre-
from maritime invasion Therayages Of the
of 1872 not yet repared the private property sacr
feed and destroyed in the public defence has not yet been
paid for they have neither indemnity for the past
security for the future. Many estmable families,
duced by sacrifices in the public defence from auence
penuy have for thirty years stretched their suppcatng
to the Congress Of the United States mporng that
justice which
Would deign to save
From yengeful fate the seons Of
That fourished once, and once were beautiful
we turn to Dur efences on the seaboard the
is little faterng, if any Works essential for the
protection Of the great emporums of left
unfnshed Notifications which have been completed are
unarmed; but little than half of all the ordnance
necessary for the forts which completed is cast and
the repairing of tie whole is suspended for want of APP
preparations.
Notwithstanding we are officially informed of these
facts by the Secretary Of War; in to resolution
adopted in March, 1851 and have been informed of them
for sixteen months past yet the most apahetic ndfer
ence exists All appropriations for forthcaons have
been suspended for two years past Gallant officers of
the army and navy have pointed out 10 US the extreme
yulnerabiy of the country from the improvements in
the arts of navigation and gunnery They show
don to be infinitely critical than when encoun
tered Great Britain III 1872. Should enemy invade
us and find unprepared, what tremendous respon-
sibty must rest on this Congress
The military defences Of the country have been the
subject Of particular consideration at four several pc
RODS, with long intervals In 1916, when the seaboard
bleeding from wounds then recently inflicted by mari
time INVASION board Of engineers with distinguished
member of Napoleons staff Gen Bernard their head
was organized under act Of Congress- and charged
with the duty of planning and recommending system of
coast defence suited to the prospective wants Of the
country The aggregate cost Of this system, when
pleted, was estimated at $44, 95S, G26
In 1886, Gen. Cass being Secretary of War, reviewed
the Pro Of the board Of engineers and while condemn
ing the plan unnecessarily grand and expensive laid
down these general propositions, which were communi-
Gated to Congress with the endorsement Of President
Jackson:
think every large enough TO tempt the eupdy Of
an enemy should be defended by works, fixed floating
suited its local position, and sufficiently extensive to resist
such attempts would be made against it.
Again:
A the habors and inets upon the coasts whore there
cities towns whose situation and Importance create
just apprehension and partcalafy where VIC nave puoc
esabshments should DO defended by works proper
toned to any emergency that may probably occur"
In 1910 the House Of Representatives, by resolution,
called on the War Department for report Of full and
connected system Of national defence The subject was
referred board of engineers who presented their
views in mastery manner, and sustained the system
| of 1916.
At the close of The Thrtyrst Congress the usual APP
preparations for fcrtfcaons having been withheld
solution adopted requiring the Secretary of War to
report the second Monday Of December then next
the subject Of the land deences Of the country in which
he should review the general system adopted after the
with Great Britain and since pursued in regard to
the permanent Notifications then deemed necessary for
national Defence and report whether the same may not
be essentially modified by reducing the number of works
proposed to be erected, and abandoning some now In
progress
That sagacious and energetic officer to enable him to
discharge the important duty committed to him, with all
l~ofay 80
questions distinguished officers Of the army and
navy involving the notifications of the system Of FORTH
cations necessary expedent in consequence of the
pcaon of steam to vessels Of war; and the invention
improvement Of projeces, other changes that have
occurred since 1916.
All these, with two exceptions, however, vary
ing in detail concur in the propositions of Gen. Cass,
above cited viz that every large enough to tempt
the cupidty Of the enemy should be defended by
| adequate TO its protection.
This important official document communicated to this
House at the December session. 1851 the combined result
Of the most tried experienced and skfu minds in both
Of the service conveying the opinions Of Brgader
General Totten, Lieutenant Colonel DeRussey, Majors
Chase and Deafeld, Of the army, and Of Commodores
Morris and Perry Commanders Cunningham and Dupont
Lieutenants Lanham Maury and Dalgreen Of the navy
which illustrate history by their exploits in
the fields Of and science has been buried in the OBJ
ivon Of the fodingroom and made no impression on the
legislative mind Well would it be for If the undefend-
ed and exposed condition Of our great commercial en-
porums disclosed in that document could be eectuay
concealed from the knowledge Of our enemies
Yet, Notwithstanding the information furnished this
Congress at its command showing that all great
cities in consequence Of the introduction of the
motive power Of vesses-ofwar and the improvement
proeces, exposed than in 1914, that Boston,
New York. Baltimore, and New Orleans may be laid
under contribution at the pleasure of any great
Power we have appropriation worth naming for
tinung preserving the Notifications recommended by
all the military minds of the country. The chief Of the
board of engineers estimates that nearly million of
dollars necessary to preserve Notifications already
built and continue those long since commenced Yet the
Committee Ways and Means have reported no bill for
Notifications at this session, and last session.
cept few paltry items amounting TO hundred and
thirty -four thousand dollars Are the Notifications to be
permitted to rot down. be swept away by the winds
and the waves? Are the millions already expended on
them to be thrown away for the want of few
complete them On whose judgment shall We rely on the
subject Of national defences Shall the men who have
barred their bosoms land and sea- in asserting TIC
hona honor and defending the national hag be deemed
unworthy of reliance in questions appertanng their
own science and duty had better disband both
arms OF the service, profess the principles of
batonts and send delegates the Congress Of the Uni
versal Peace Society.
We are not only CONTEMPORARY rejecting the sugges-
tons Of our own most enlightened experienced, and dis
tnguished officers but despisng the lessons Of cxpe
rience, and the example of all nations ancient and
dern Fas est db hoste doccri If the great naval and
military Powers Of Europe are enemies they
our competitors and rivals Great Britain besides her
immense naval marine, has her COASTS bristing with
batteries. France, with all her military renown with
every adult educated to arms her territory converted
into standing camp, has every assailabe point made
mpregnable by Yet the United States the cham
pon OF the right OF sefgovernmen the asylum of the