The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-06-27

cidal as 10 Tenounce lne employment Vi u W.
'unteer military organization. Our regular
navy is, and ever has been small, and there
is not the slightest probability that Congress
will ever increase the expense of making it
large enough to vindcate the honor OF the
nation, and defend its commerce against the
enormous squadrons of the old world. We
must consequently call to our aid, In the event
of another conflict with any of the great ma
ritime powers. the volunteer naval organi-
cation, which proved so efficient in the last
war with G. Britain. The government at that
time commissioned private armed ships as
national vessels of war. They were subject
to the orders of the Navy Department, and
governed by the rules and regulations of the
Navy, though owned and manned by private
citizens. This is the whole extent of priva-
teering. The government of Great Britain
must calculate largely upon the verdancy of
the United States, if they suppose that it will
consent to rob itself of this great arm of an
noyance and defence. 1t is much more likely.
IN the event of war, to make every sea
swarm with privateers.
Volunteer naval force is even more eff
cient than volunteer land force. The lat
ter is made up of citizens, who are unaccus-
toned to the business of war, and who have to
go through long and tedious discipline before
they are able to render much service. The
former is made up of sailors, from the mer
chant marine, who are already acquainted
with their business, except the handling of
artillery, which they can learn in few days.
We would not be at all concerned for the
honor of our flag, in the keeping of private
armed vessel, if engaged in a contest with q
regular British vessel of war carrying the
same number of guns. AS to a Frenchman
or Spaniard, we would feel great confidence
in the Yankees, even with heavy odds against
him. Of course, one of their greatest bene-
fits would be the damage they would infict
upon the commerce of the enemy. British
moralists regard this branch of privateering
employment as piracy; but why it is more
piracy in regularly commissioned private
armed vessel to prey upon an enemy's com
merce than in regularly commissioned pub
lie armed vessel to do the same thing, we are
entirely at a loss to imagine.
Some of the most brilliant affairs of the
last war with Great Britain were performed
by prlvateers. The British admirals regarded
them as the scourge of the seas. There was
no ocean in which the commerce of Great
Britain was safe When they met a British
vessel of war of their size they would fight
her, when they encountered vessel too
heavy for them, they would fly, and it was
the rarest thing in the world for one of them
to be captured. Sir Charles Napier, who was
stationed off our coast during the late war,
used to be greatly annoyed by the manner in
which our privateers slipped through his fing-
ers. Recently, in an interview with Mr.. Be
dinger, he bore most emphatic testimony to
the admirable speed of our private vessels,
c0nfessing that he was never able, except in
one instance, to capture them.
The Washington correspondent of the N.
Y. Herald gives the following memorable
and illustrious instance of the efficiency, gal
lantry and important public services of one
of our privateers, i'll the last war with Great
Britain:
The distinguished services rendered our country nv
the private armed brig General Armstrong dnrine
the war OF l8l2-l4 rises up with hideous terror in
the minds OF the English whenever they reflect ON
this subject The General Armstrong, commanded
by Captain Samuel c. Reid, then young and gallant
ohcer OF our merchant service and previously mid
shlpmen IN our navy, sailed out of your port with a
small force OF seven guns and ninety men In Sem
TENDER, 1914, she anchored in the neutral port q.
rayal, belonging to the Braganza dynasty of Portu
gal soon after, large British fleet THAT had been
ordered to join Admiral COchrane, at Jamaica AS n
part OF the expedition gainst New O1legnsD anchor
ed IN the same barber. The British force attacked
the prlVateer, in violation of the laws of neutrality
ana atter most desperate struggle, in which the
BRUSH fleet was entirely oiacomited and crippled
by loss OF between two and three hundred of their
pest men and officers, the Americans abandoned their
vessel and the British destroyed her. This battle is
unprece denied in naval history the Americans bay-
ing lost but two killed and seven wounded. The
British were three days in burYing their dead and
two sloops oEwar were sent to England with the
wounded. ~
The battle frustrated the grand design of England
10 capture Louisiana, by delaying and preventing the
concentration OF their forces until General Jackson
could arrive with his troops, and it was mainly in
sr unenta III saving Louisiana from the hands Of the
enemy Ensland's pride has never vet recovered
from this blow. This is sufficient to silence all
obJecio on part against private whatever
may be the views of foreign nations.
FLORA LINDSAY; or, passages in an
Erentui lte-by Mrs. MooDIE.-This work
has just been issued by Dewitt & DAvEY-
Of