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

The English navy in 1913 consisted of Gil ships-2I3
in commission including 90 steamers besides mail steam
ers htfor purposes of warhe Cunard ne the Peninsula
and Oriental Company, the West India packets and the
General Steam Navigation Company.
The naval power Of England greater than before,
and the disparity between us yearly increasing parcu
larry in the steam navy In the admiralty navy list for
April find hundred and fifty steamers of war. In adj
don to these she has sixty seventy mercantile
capable Of being armed with thirty FOUNDERS for which
the guns carriages and ammunition actually prepared
She has two hundred and forty capable Of carrying
lighter armament and some six hundred besides which might
be Of service in resisting invasion.
Exclusive Of her squadrons abroad she had in commission
at home in January 1851 II sail Of the line,
ers 10 fgates steamers besides several steam sloops all
ready for sea- She has also ready for commission 20 other
powerful eamers.-Daponfs Report 1855, Doc. No g. 1851.
France has line Of battle ship, 80 guns, with
propeers IA steam frigates first class mounting from to
10 guns heary ordnance Is steam corvees 40 dispatch
steamers-Report Of Com, Dupont, Doc. 5, p. 1885,
Our great battle upon the yet to be fought and
we shall gain nothing by shutting eyes TO the struggle
Gen. Cass, cited BY Dupont p. l54
whatsoever commands the commands the tade, and
whoever commands the trade commands the riches Of the
world.-Sir Walter Raleigh ibid"
The effect Of the application of steam to vessels Of war
has been to annhate the distance which separated us
from our rivals on the sea- and make ports &C
cessbe to fleets drawing comparatively light draughts
and carrying the heaviest armament:
The application Of steam to vessels Of war acts upon the
question Of scacoas defence both benecay and nrousy
It acts njurousy in several ways but chiefly first by the
suddenness and surprise with which vessels may fall upon
distance, climate and season. and secondly by their ability
to navigate shallow waters 81 The first quality affords
no chance for impromptu preparations accordingly whatever
preparations be- they should precede the
Yet there those who insist should have defensive
measures to state of Let the day supply the need In
adequate oil such prove there would be
time to arrange even these.
"By the second quality due TO their light draught Of
these vessels will obge the defences to be extended in
form passages channels shoals that before adc-
quaey guarded by their shalownes The bars Of the Mis-
sisspp formerly excluded all but small vessels Of Now,
all the armed steamers Of England and France might be form
ed in array before the city Of New Orleans before Of
their approach had been heard"
The great naval depots Of Great Britain Halifax ia
maica, and Bermuda within thrty-six fortyeght
hours Of coasts Every city its border is exposed
to bombarment without hours notice. in the contin-
gency Of war.
"Among other and changes the most important mp
pears be the discovery Of channel leading the
into the Bay Of New York. which could be commanded by
any Of the Notifications proposed by the Of
Commodore Norris p. 1872 Doc. No s. Atso Concl Toc,
Doc 5, p. 103 Necessity Of dcfcRces Sandy Hook.
"HARBoR or BALTMoRE.--The proximity of tho city to
the Chesapeake Bay greatly endanges the city Of Baltimore
In the present state Of things, enemy in few hours
march, after easy landing and without having his
ncaton with his endangered himself
great emporium Of There required Cor
its secuywo forts the Paapsco at Hnwkinss Point
and the other opposite TINT poiutBrig Gen. ToeHs Report
Doc. No. s, p. los, 1851.
Ten steamers in ten days. might blockade every port
from Boston to Mobile Fifteen would carry army of
ten thousand men, The result is greater necessity
than for defending cities, harbors, and dock
yards by efficient means"
BESIDES the greater capacity Of steamships the CELEBRITY
anu certainty of their movements against wind and tide
See notes Of the English and French Ambassadors Mr.
webster proposing the tripartite treaty.