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


surely if any period necessary and proper is DE-
mauded by the present crisis Of doubt aud difficulty in the
foreign relations Of the country II impossible to foesee
what national exigeney may arise within
weyemonth unsettled and threatening is the aspect Of the
political world IL be conended that the country is
unwilling irus the disposition Of such sum to the direc-
on Of General Pierce after the extraordinary cote IF conf
daee given him by the people On the second ofast November
The great motive power Of this country is public OPT
nion Whether right wrong, it sways the Government
pendulum swift and terrible a tornado, il forms
in obscure and invisible sources rises in its might ana
sweeps mountain, valley, and plain Thus the public
mind Of this country is being prepared for great ma
onal struggle public men delight TO feed the public APP
petite with the memory Of wrongs perpetrated nearly hai
century ago. National antipahes cherished, and
the people Of the United States offered the alternative
Of being the cictas Uictofs OF all antirepubcan Gov
ernments
Foreign Powers are reused by these lofty pretensons
and this exasperang language TO cay the ninth part
Of hair Whatever might be yielded to amicabe over
lures and negotiations will be scornfny rejected undef
menace or intimidation They are already armng -nay'
they armed for any emergency. Our information Is,
that have the great naval Powers OF Europe been SO
panoped in all that tends to make successfully de-
sructive Human ingenuity has been taxed to devise
gigantic implements of DEATH Ships Of extraordinary
tonnage guns Of immense and unheard-of eaber, pro-
ectes of the most fatal character are daily announced
as being introduced and prepared for some anticipated
death-struggle between nations.
or THE NAyYWe yield to the request Of
friend, who has practical acquaintance with naval matters,
to insert the annexed portions Of communications which APP
peared lately in the Now York Mirror. In things profess
sonal necessarily be guided by faith more thaa
nowledge but there reflection prompted by the sub
ject which will warrant without any proes.
sona knowledge and that is that nation should not invite
threaten without making all prudent preparations for
it." y During the past ten years the English,
French and Dutch Governments have made very eAaod-
efforts to resuseate strengthen and extend the force
and discipline of their respective navies 1t notorious
circumstance that the officers and seanen daily employed in
exercising their great guns afoat and ashore and that John
Bull now prdes himself very much in his superiority in
gunnery.
The Free eli Government has added very largely to its
Navy during the last five years especially in steamers
France has in commission forty shps-ofthe line, fifty
aes told forty corvettes eighteen armed Transports to
which add fifty fgates and twenty coryottes Of three
hundred ard twenty four hundred and seventy
small steamers.
"She has alo made great and important change in her
navy She has removed all the old and inefficient officers,
and placed the decks Of her ships young vigorous
bilious men, in their prime Of life capable and ambitious
Of attempting the daring achievement for the honor OF
the navy and the glory of La Belle France.
The English navy too has been vastly increased in the
number and quality Of its shpsofwar and steamers At
this moment there shipsofwar the stocks in
the royal yaids than at any other period in twenty
years. Having very recently visited the dock yards at Ply
mouth, and other naval dopots in Britain also in
France offer the foregoing observations with confidence
in their accuracy have only add astonished at
the extraordinary exerons making in Europe to increase
their naval power and efficiency. The English Navy now
far exceeds in force that of the French, much the
Dutch marine exceeds the Navy of the United States"
Foreign fleets have hoated in tie Caribbean seas to
protect Cuba from invasion from our shores We have
the serious attention Of the two most formidable naval
Powers of the world that the friendly relations
listing between them and the United States mghtbe
dangered by their repetition.*
These considerations certainly suggestive of the in
quiry whether prepared for the conflict, which
the high aspirations Of the triumphant party and the
progress Of events to invite Are we inyunerabe
home, invincible the seas? Have Notifications
adequate the protection Of the great commercial en-
porums of the country, and the nayyyards arsenas,
and docks on the sea board? Have wel-appointed
fleets, able to cope with adyersaries Have we con-
sdcrcd whether with army Of ten thousand men we
meet enemy with twenty thousand?
transient contrast Of naval power with those of
Europe and rapid review Of the relative effect of the
introduction Of steam upon system of maritime de-
fences viii be sufficient to satisfy are far from be-
ing nvulnerable inyincible. The report from the
Secretary of the Navy shows have but 81 yesselsof-
Of all kinds in commission carrying 746 guns; Is in
ordinary carrying 72 guns; store-shps, "A guns, and
building. OF these have steamers carrying from
to 10 guns carrying 10; carrying carrying 6.
Vide Rept. II Secretary Of The Navy
Naral Forces Of The Chief States, By Bafe'd We5ls.